State Airlines

Líneas Aéreas del Estado (LADE), whose full name is Dirección General de Líneas Aéreas del Estado, is a state-owned development airline. Argentina and the only development airline based in Buenos Aires.

It is a general directorate of the Sub-headquarters of the General Staff of the Argentine Air Force (FAA).

It is a public capital company operated by the FAA, with material and military and civilian personnel from the same, hierarchically dependent on the deputy chief of the General Staff. It provides regular domestic flights. He has the level of General Directorate within the Force.

The Comodoro Rivadavia airport, General Enrique Mosconi, in the province of Chubut is the most important head of Patagonia, from there it connects towns in the Patagonian interior.

History

In 1940, the Argentine government created Líneas Aéreas del Sudoeste (LASO). Its purpose was to offer regular communications with the most remote locations in the country, providing cargo, passenger and mail transportation services. On September 4 of that year, the first flight was made in a three-engine Junkers Ju 52 plane, piloted by First Lieutenant Juan Francisco Fabri, between the El Palomar and Esquel air bases, with stops in Santa Rosa, Neuquén and San Carlos de Bariloche.

Later, the Northeast Airlines (LANE) were created, covering the route between Buenos Aires and Iguazú Falls. The maiden flight took place on January 6, 1944.

On October 23, 1944, both lines were unified under the name Líneas Aéreas del Estado (LADE). At its peak, LADE came to operate up to 30 destinations in Argentina, including the Malvinas Islands.

Until 2006, LADE was one of the two airlines in the world that still operated Boeing 707s in passenger service, on flights to Río Gallegos and Comodoro Rivadavia from El Palomar Air Force Base, near Buenos Aires. (The other airline was Iran's Saha Air Lines, owned by the Iranian Air Force.) The 707 is no longer used on scheduled passenger services. It was used for long routes, such as AEP-USH and CRD-USH and USH-BRC.

In August 2013, during the 103rd anniversary of the Argentine Air Force, the Ministry of Defense announced that LADE will incorporate in wet-lease format two Embraer ERJ 135 aircraft of Brazilian origin to replace the operations of the F-28 Mk1000.

In May 2016, there was speculation about transferring LADE to the National Ministry of Transportation, losing its membership in the Air Force and, in addition, starting to use leased aircraft from the Avianca company.

LADE in Malvinas

The house Britannia» "Britannia house»), is a yellow ceiling building and black walls, which is 75 meters from the sea coast, 300 m from the governor's residence, and 1700 m west of the main dock of the town. It was built in 1981 by the Argentine state, serving as a residence of the Argentine air Comforter representing LADE. After the war, he was the headquarters of the British forces commanders until the inauguration of the Monte Agradable Air Base and from 1989 to 2014 he was the headquarters of the Falkland Islands Museum.

LADE was the only Argentine airline that permanently maintained a branch in the capital for more than a decade and a regular line between Puerto Argentino/Stanley in the Malvinas Islands and Comodoro Rivadavia in the province of Chubut between 1972 and 1982 The flights began due to international agreements and were interrupted by the conflict in the South Atlantic. These flights broke the air isolation of the islands, being the only air connection with the mainland. The branch was the first Argentine state office in the Malvinas.

On May 25, 1970, in a note published in the Clarín newspaper to the then head of LADE operations, Brigadier Carlos Washington Pastor, stated that the possibility of starting a service between Río Gallegos and Puerto Stanley was being evaluated, pretending carry out a "flexibility effect" of the position of the islanders. While Argentina and the United Kingdom were negotiating, feasibility studies were carried out. They said that the operation of these flights would be in deficit for a period of three years and that the construction of an airport in Puerto Argentino/Stanley was contemplated for the operation of aircraft with a capacity for 18 to 20 passengers, with an investment of one million euros. Argentine pesos (values of the time). It was also stipulated that the flights from Río Gallegos would be carried out weekly with planes from Argentine companies "authorized to operate national cabotage".

A Grumman HU-16 Albatross on the coast of Puerto Argentino, this aircraft was the first to make a regular LADE flight to the islands.

On February 15, 1971, an Argentine Grumman BS-03 Albatross seaplane landed in the Puerto Argentino/Stanley roadstead from Comodoro Rivadavia to send a sailor to Buenos Aires where it was to be operated. Some pieces of mail were transported on that flight. In April 1971, Argentina bought the aluminum track from the American company Harvey Alluminium Co. The cost was $700,000.

The aluminium plates track in the Rompientes tip area. The inaugural flight was on 15 November 1972, with this flight the port Stanley (Argentine port) scale is incorporated and the LD 200/1 Comodoro Rivadavia-Malvinas service is implanted and return, with a weekly frequency, in Fokker F-27. LADE takes over administration and flights.

In June, due to United Nations recommendations, in Buenos Aires meetings between Argentine and British officials. On July 1, the Joint Declaration of Buenos Aires was signed, where it was agreed to create a Special Commission, for the granting of a document to enter and transit within the continental territory, tax exemptions for travelers, the attention of the postal, telegraphic and telephone service, the establishment of a regular maritime service by the United Kingdom and an airline by Argentina. The Argentine Air Force took responsibility for fulfilling this last point of the agreement and ordered the operation with Grumman HU-16B Albatross amphibious aircraft until a suitable runway for land aircraft was built. In fact, the agreement stipulated the construction of an airport and the implementation of all kinds of facilities for its operation. Other points were also to provide facilities for the health and education of the islanders and to provide liquid fuels and bottled gas at promotion prices.

The first irregular service was on July 3 when a seaplane from Comodoro Rivadavia (previous stops in Río Gallegos and Tandil) transported the treaty signatories (both Argentines and islanders) to the islands, returning with passengers and mail. This flight was followed by another five during the same year carried out with the BS-02 and BS-01. On November 16, a special technical commission from the British Royal Air Force traveled, which would evaluate the construction of the airport.

The first regular flight between Comodoro Rivadavia and Puerto Stanley began on January 12, 1972 with seaplanes (Grumman HU-16 Albatross) that could operate on land, snow and water with a frequency of two monthly services (second and fourth Tuesday of each month). From then on, sanitary flights, passenger and cargo transport (mail, food, medicines) were carried out. Seaplane flights used to carry 4 or 5 passengers. In October, LADE created an office in Port Stanley, which materialized on November 20 on land ceded by the island government located on Costanera Ross, the city's main street. There an Agency Head was appointed and a BLU radio equipment was installed. At the same time an attempt was made to increase the number of monthly frequencies. Through November, some 30 flights were made with the Grumman Albatross.

The first regular flight, with Fokker F-27 turboprop aircraft and Fokker F-28 jets, took place on November 15, 1972, after the Argentine Air Force built a temporary runway with aluminum metal plates, where the the current Puerto Argentino/Stanley Airport. From then on, the services were weekly. The limited length of the first landing strip of the Puerto Argentino/Stanley airport affected the weight regulations of the aircraft that operated the route. This limited the number of passengers carried to a maximum of 22, along with a reduction in the volume of mail and cargo.

In 1973, on the first anniversary of the fitting out of the aluminum runway, the Chief of Staff of the Argentine Air Force, Brigadier Roberto Donato Bortot, was received by the Governor of the Islands, Ernest Gordon Lewis, at the descending from LADE's Fokker F-27 T-44. In October 1974, an Argentine-made Citroën 2CV arrived on board a LADE flight on support tasks at the Port Stanley agency. There was also a Dodge D200, also made in Argentina, which arrived on the islands on last year. This pick up became the first Argentine vehicle on the islands.

In 1975, the Argentine National Congress enacted Law No. 20887, requesting the expansion of the provisional runway that the Argentine Air Force built in Puerto Stanley, to give it an extension of 1,200 meters (since it was 700). The cost of the work was estimated at 2,300,000 dollars and it concluded in October 1976. Personnel from the Argentine Air Force, the Argentine Army and National Highways worked there. From then on, cargo flights were carried out with Hercules C-130 aircraft. This allowed the installation of the Gas del Estado and Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF) plants. In addition, research was carried out by the Argentine Scientific Society and two teachers were even appointed to teach the Spanish language in schools on the island.

In those years, the representative of Gas del Estado on the islands was also an agent of LADE and a delegate of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The temporary track was maintained until 1976, when a storm destroyed large areas, making it unusable. The airport was inaugurated the following year, being built by the British government. LADE's last regular flights were on March 16, 23 and 30, 1982. On the night of March 20 and 21, the branch's lock was violated by a group of kelpers, who entered inside, lowered the Argentine flag from the office, covering it with the British ensign, and wrote violent phrases on the windows.

Between March 23 and 24, 1982, days before the start of the war, the United Kingdom requested the withdrawal of LADE from the islands due to the Argentine presence in Port Leith in the framework of Operation Georgias.

Throughout the operations of the Argentine Air Force in the islands before the war, there were different flights with other types of aircraft, such as the Lockheed C-130, Lear Jet and IA-50 Guarani II. The total numbers of the LADE service were 1,515 flights made (with a total of 3,533 flight hours), transporting 21,597 passengers and 465,763 kilograms of cargo.

LADE in Antarctica

In July 2016, the Ministry of Defense announced its intentions to carry out tourist flights to the Marambio Base starting in the southern summer of 2018. To this end, the airport of said base will be conditioned to receive civil flights. These flights will be operated by LADE through new turboprop transport aircraft. There will be a quota of 20 tourists per week, who must also respect the Antarctic security protocol.

Service interruption in 2018

On June 18, 2018, the company stopped operating in Patagonia because its operational SAAB 340Bs were exceeding the safety review period established by the manufacturer by two years. The two aircraft were left in hangars at the Comodoro Rivadavia airport. Despite the fact that the line has four aircraft of this type, only two were in good condition. These planes arrived in the country in 2008, after being acquired during the Defense administration of Nilda Garré at a cost of 30 million dollars. The maintenance plan, documentation that was also sold for $466,560 by the contractor Fairbrook, the winner of the tender, included the Service Bulletin detailing that in 2016 overhaul tasks were to begin on the landing gear of the four aircraft, the which were omitted.

Fleet

SAAB 340 at Rio Grande Airport

The LADE fleet is made up of aircraft belonging to the Argentine Air Force that perform tasks both for LADE and for strictly military and It is made up of the following aircraft (as of August 2022):

Destinations

Regular destinations

City	Airport Code		Airport name	Notes
	IATA	ICAO
Argentina
From Comodoro Rivadavia, General Enrique Mosconi International Airport
Alto Río Senguer	ARR	SAVR	Alto Río Senguer Airport
Bahía Blanca	BHI	SAZB	Airport Commander Espora
Bariloche	BRC	SAZS	International Airport Lieutenant Luis Candelaria
Buenos Aires	AEP	SABE	Aeroparque Jorge Newbery	MDQ
The Bolsón	EHL	SAVB	Airport of El Bolsón
El Calafate	FTE	SAWC	International Airport Commander Armando Tola
The Maitén	EMX	SAVD	El Maitén Airport
The Palomar	EPA	SADP	El Palomar Airport
José de San Martín	JSM	SAWS	José de San Martín Airport
Mar del Plata	MDQ	SAZM	Astor Piazolla International Airport
Paraná	PRA	SAAP	Airport General Justo José de Urquiza	Via AEP
Puerto Madryn	PMY	SAVY	Airport El Tehuelche
Río Gallegos	RGL	SAWG	Norberto Fernández International Airport
Rio Grande	RGA	SAWE	Gob International Airport. Ramón Trejo Noel	Via RGL
Río Mayo	ROY	SAWM	Rio Mayo Airport
Trelew / Rawson	REL	SAVT	Airport Admiral Marcos A. Zar
Ushuaia	USH	SAWH	International Airport of Ushuaia Malvinas Argentinas	Via RGL
Viedma	VDM	SAVVV	Governor Edgardo Castello Airport
Rio Turbio / 20 November deposits	RYO	SAWT	Airport El Turbio	Via USH

City	Airport Code		Airport name	Notes
	IATA	ICAO
Argentina
From Buenos Aires, Aeroparque Jorge Newbery
Reconquista	RCQ	SATR	Lt. Daniel Jukic Airport	Via ROS
Rosario	ROS	SAAR	International Airport Rosario Islands Falkland Islands

Seasonal destinations

City	Airport Code		Airport name	Notes
	IATA	ICAO
Argentina
From Buenos Aires, Aeroparque Jorge Newbery
Necochea	NEC	SAZO	Edgardo Hugo Yelpo Airport
Neuquén	NQN	SAZN	International Airport President Perón	BBI
Miramar	MJR	SA14	Aerodrome Juan Domingo Perón
Santa Teresita	SST	SAZL	Santa Teresita Airport

City	Airport Code		Airport name	Notes
	IATA	ICAO
Argentina
From Comodoro Rivadavia, General Enrique Mosconi International Airport
Neuquén	NQN	SAZN	International Airport President Perón	via BRC
Chos Malal	HOS	SAHC	Chos Malal Airport	Vía NQN
Loncopu	LCP	?	Airport Lieutenant La Rufa	Vía NQN
San Martín de los Andes	CPC	SAZY	Chapelco Airport	Vía NQN

Destinations that stopped operating

City	Airport Code		Airport name	Notes
	IATA	ICAO
Argentina
From Comodoro Rivadavia, General Enrique Mosconi International Airport
Cutral Co	CUT	SAZW	Cutral-Co Airport	Vía NQN y BRC
El Calafate	ING	SAWA	Lago Argentino Airport	Via RGL
Esquel	EQS	SAVE	Airport Brigadier General Antonio Parodi	Vía REL
General Roca	GNR	SAHR	General Roca Airport	Vía REL, EQS and BRC
Governor Gregores	GGS	SAWR	Governor Gregores Airport
Perito Moreno	PMQ	SAWP	Jalil Hamer Airport
Argentine Port/Stanley	PSY	SFAL	Airport of Puerto Argentino/Stanley	1972-1982
Puerto Deseado	PUD	SAWD	Airport Puerto Deseado
Puerto Santa Cruz	RZA	SAWU	Puerto Santa Cruz Airport
Puerto San Julián	ULA	SAWJ	Airport Captain José Daniel Vázquez
San Antonio West	OES	SAVN	Antonie de Saint Exupery Airport
Trelew	-	SAOY	Old Trelew Airport
Zapala	APZ	SAHZ	Zapala Airport	NQN and BRC

City	Airport Code		Airport name	Notes
	IATA	ICAO
Argentina
From Córdoba, International Airport Engineer Ambrosio Taravella
Bahía Blanca	BHI	SAZB	Airport Commander Espora
Bariloche	BRC	SAZS	International Airport Lieutenant Luis Candelaria
Buenos Aires	AEP	SABE	Aeroparque Jorge Newbery
Catamarca	CTC	SANC	Colonel Felipe Varela
Esquel	EQS	SAVE	Airport Brigadier General Antonio Parodi
La Rioja	IRJ	SANL	Airport Captain Vicente Almandos Almonacid
Morón	MOR	SADM	Airport of Morón
Paraná	PRA	SAAP	Airport General Justo José de Urquiza
Resistance	RES	SARE	International Airport of Resistance
San Luis	LUQ	SAOU	Airport Brigadier Major César Raúl Ojeda
San Martín de los Andes	CPC	SAZY	Chapelco Airport
Santa Rosa	RSA	SAZR	Santa Rosa Airport
Tandil	TDL	SAZT	Tandil Airport

Gallery

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  Fokker F28 Fellowship at Aeroparque.

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  Lockheed C-130B/H Air Force Hercules, similar to that used by LADE.

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  Fokker F27 Friendship of the Air Force, similar to that used by LADE.

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  Trelew branch.

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  Branch in Ushuaia.

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  Sector check-in at Ushuaia airport.