Newly incorporated into the Argentine Air Force (FAA), the Boeing 737-700NG “T-99” visited Fortaleza airport for the first time for an atypical flight of its operational designation.
This time, the T-99 “Islas Malvinas” was used to transport the team and the technical commission of Club Atlético Independiente, a football team that will play a valid match against Ceará SC in the Copa Sudamericana. It is not yet known whether the Argentine Air Force will use the aircraft to transport other teams.
The use of a military aircraft to transport a civilian team is noteworthy, where in most of these operations, the operation of charter companies or even traditional airlines is more common. Flight FAG034 took off yesterday (4) at the end of the morning from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP) bound for Fortaleza (FOR) on a non-stop flight lasting almost 5 hours.
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In addition, with the start of the South American football championships, it is quite common for aircraft considered “rare” to visit several Brazilian airports; this is the case of a Boeing 737–500 of the Aero Regional company of Ecuador, who visited Goiânia airport yesterday afternoon (4).
Being the first Boeing 737-700NG in the FAA fleet, the T-99 is being used in civil and military transport, covering operations of Lineas Aereas del Estado. It is also expected that the 737 will be used to transport military personnel engaged in UN peacekeeping operations.
At least 14 service , including three women, were trained to operate the T-99. Before reaching the FAA, the plane was in service with Ethiopian Airlines using the registration number ET-ALQ, then with Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) until it was returned to Aero Capital Solutions (ACS).
*Thanks to Fortaleza Spotter Pedro Souza (@pedro_souza_spotting) by photographic records
