More than 20 years after the closure of its operations, TransBrasil to this day it is highly ed by aviation lovers and enthusiasts.
Responsible for bringing several colorful aircraft and the iconic rainbow to the skies of Brazil, TransBrasil officially ended its trajectory on the night of December 3, 2001, when a Boeing 737-300 registration PT-TEW performed the last flight of the company between Galeão and Congonhas airports, and thus, the end of almost 47 years of operations was given.
Despite the hard farewell, some of these aircraft still the legacy of one of the most beloved companies that Brazil has ever had, including historical curiosities that you will be able to follow in this special article.
Anyone embarking or disembarking at Brasília Airport has probably already come across abandoned aircraft from the extinct TransBrasil. In addition, there is also the building where the company's former headquarters operated, which, incidentally, had a modern hangar in the same facility, check out more details below.
Former istrative headquarters that was also the largest hangar in South America at the time
For those who don't know, the company's headquarters were located in the federal capital from March 31, 1977, the building was erected with a space of 12.400m², having the capacity to simultaneously hold up to six Boeing 727s for maintenance.
In addition to the istrative part, the building also housed the Flight Information and Performance Optimization Center (CIVOP), the objective was to unite different sectors to hold meetings. CIVOP was able to encom several company operations from maintenance and teaching to flight scheduling and planning.
Check out more photos of the old TransBrasil hangar:
TransBrasil aircraft that are still in Brasília today
Interestingly, some of these aircraft have an interesting legacy for the history of Brazilian aviation and unfortunately are deteriorating due to the abandonment of former operators or due to legal imes for the payment of creditors.
PT-TAA: The first Boeing 767 in Latin America
As one of the attractions at the Paris Le Bourget Air Show in 1983 under registration N8277V, TransBrasil became the launch customer for the Boeing 767–200 in South America when it received this aircraft on June 23 of the same year under registration PT- TAA.
Abandoned at Brasília Airport since December 2001, the year in which TransBrasil ended its operations, the aircraft has been scrapped.
Check out more photos of the PT-TAA during its operations:
PT-TAB
Standing alongside its brother PT-TAA, this Boeing 767–200 was delivered to TransBrasil on July 11, 1983, remaining with the airline until the end of its operational life.
However, as you can see, some important parts of the aircraft are missing, since, shortly after filing for bankruptcy, the airline withdrew parts that could be used in other aircraft to pay its former creditors.
Currently, this 767-200 is missing its wings and some cockpit windows, including the absence of the radome and engines.
PT-TAC: The plane that should become a restaurant
Delivered together with the PT-TAB on July 11, 1983, it is noteworthy that at the end of the TransBrasil operations lights out in December 2001, the aircraft was performing a check in the airline's old hangar located in the federal capital, staying there stopped for years. Later, the aircraft was acquired at an auction and its new owner intended to transform the body of the plane into a restaurant.
Currently located on a commercial land near Saburo Onoyama Park, in Taguatinga, Federal District since 2014. The fact of how the aircraft was dismantled was noteworthy, as the new owner preferred to “slice” the aircraft instead of doing the traditional dismantling, being possible to see in the fuselage of the airplane welded stringers for the fixation of its fuselage after the dismantling.
However, over the years, the aircraft has been the target of vandalism and so far there is no sign of progress in the project to become a restaurant.
View this photo on Instagram
a curious fact: The PT-TAC became the center of attention in July 2014, when technicians from the National Nuclear Energy Commission (Cnen) were hurriedly called to collect radioactive material discovered by a pilot who discovered some radioactive equipment inside his wings. After an investigation, it was found that the Boeing 767–200 contained the radioactive material americium-241 in parts located in the tanks on the wings of the plane. This material was used to measure the density of the fuel.
Click here to see the location of the aircraft.
See how PT-TAC is currently:
PP-ISA: The regional side of TransBrasil
In addition to having the first abandoned TransBrasil widebody, Brasília airport also has the first regional aircraft of the extinct Interbrasil STAR (Regional Air Transport System).
With its entry into service by the airline on July 3, 1995 until the end of its operations in December 2001, this Embraer EMB120 Brasilia was stored in the airline's old hangar, where years later, it was removed to the external area of the airport near runway 11R/29L.
Finally, unlike TransBrasil, Interbrasil ended its activities without debt.
Author's Note:
I would like to thank Gianfranco “Panda” Beting and my friends for contributing with historical photos for their contribution of material on page TRACK 11, without you this article would never come to life for one of the most emblematic companies in the history of Brazilian aviation.
To the reader, if you want to follow the work of PISTA 11, there you will find historical photos that recall the past of Brasília airport and curiosities about the history of aviation, just click here to access your Instagram profile.
Gianfranco Beting, better known as “Panda”, loves to share his ion for aircraft with book sale and aircraft records in your profile Instagram. In addition to being one of the pioneers of the spotter culture in Brazil, Panda was also one of the co-founders of Azul Linhas Aéreas, a company that has in its DNA some ideas that emerged at TransBrasil, such as the taste for having aircraft with liveries in its fleet. specials, for example.
If I am writing this article today, TransBrasil was one of those responsible for giving birth to my ion for aircraft as a child, as I the iconic rainbow when I visited my grandmother's house, which was at the end of Runway 11 (Today 11 Lima ) from the international airport of Brasilia, here is my huge thank you!
