Faucett Perú


Compañía de Aviación Faucett, colloquially known simply as Faucett Perú or Faucett, was a Peruvian airline.
It was headquartered on the grounds of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima.

History

had been sent to Peru as a representative of the Curtiss Export Company, arriving in the country from the United States in 1920. In 1928, he and a group of Peruvian business men joined together to found the first commercial airline in Peru, and one of the first in Latin America. With an initial investment of £2,500, the company was formed on, and started operations on that year. In 1937, the airline absorbed Cia de Aviacion Peruanas SA from Panagra. At, the route network was flown with seven planes manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Company, and included Chiclayo, Ica, Lima, Sabados and Talara.

Postwar operations

Having their initial investment increased to £200,000 by 1943, Elmer Faucett bought a large number of aircraft from the United States in 1945.
By, the airline flew a route network that was long. Faucett carried 136,456 passengers in 1955, and at year end the company had 307 employees.
By, the airline had a fleet of eight DC-3s, four DC-4s and four Faucett Stinson F-19s to serve a route network that was long. A second-hand Douglas DC-6B acquired from Panagra was incorporated into the fleet in the early 1960s. Another DC-6B was acquired in late 1964 and was converted to DC-6B standard with a large rear freight door. This was operated on cargo services to Miami, Florida.
In 1973, Faucett was owned by Peruvian interests, the Fundación Faucett and Braniff International Airways. The cargo-only airline Aeronaves del Peru became Faucett's biggest shareholder in 1982.
At March 1990 the airline had 1,300 employees and a fleet of ten aircraft that consisted of two Boeing 727-200s, one Boeing 737-100, four Boeing 737-200s and three McDonnell Douglas DC-8-50s.
The 1990s economic liberalization under Alberto Fujimori, after years of economic and political chaos, brought a series of measures aimed at the privatization and deregulation of the airline market. A series of short-lived airlines sprung up during this decade, stated-owned Aeroperú was partly sold to Mexican investors and the rise of low-fare Aero Continente as the biggest domestic airline, contributed to the slow decline of Faucett. A series of high-profile accidents, especially Faucett's crash in Arequipa and Aeroperú Flight 603 affected the safety reputation of the Peruvian airline industry, with even the US Embassy in Lima banning their employees from flying on Aero Continente and, more broadly, advising caution to US citizens flying on Peru's airlines.
In the end, problems with the economic-financial structure of the airline, forced it to cease operations on December 3, 1997. Despite claiming that the 45-day closure would be temporary until government approval, all 1,250 employees were dismissed. Faucett incurred over US$1 million in debt. By 1998, the former directors and employees were engaged in legal battles over labor and management issues, as well as accusations over bankrupting the company. The airline was liquidated in 1999.

Destinations

Faucett Perú served the following destinations:
†Hub
‡Focus city
#Destination served at the time of closure

Country CityAirportRefs
PerúArequipa #Rodríguez Ballón International Airport
PerúAyacucho #Coronel FAP Alfredo Mendívil Duarte Airport
PerúCajamarcaMayor General FAP Armando Revoredo Iglesias Airport
PerúChiclayo #FAP Captain José Abelardo Quiñones González International Airport
PerúChimboteTnte. FAP Jaime Montreuil Morales Airport
PerúCuzco #Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
PerúHuánucoAlférez FAP David Figueroa Fernandini Airport
PerúIberiaIberia Airport
PerúIloIlo Airport
PerúIquitos #Crnl. FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport
PerúJuliaca #Inca Manco Cápac International Airport
PerúLima #Jorge Chávez International Airport †
PerúMollendoMollendo Airport
PerúMoyobambaMoyobamba Airport
PerúPiura #Cap. FAP Guillermo Concha Iberico International Airport
PerúPucallpa #FAP Captain David Abenzur Rengifo International Airport
PerúPuerto MaldonadoPadre Aldamiz International Airport
PerúQuince MilQuince Mil Airport
PerúRioja #Juan Simons Vela Airport
PerúTacna #Crnl. FAP Carlos Ciriani Santa Rosa International Airport ‡
PerúTalara #Cap. FAP Víctor Montes Arias Airport
PerúTarapoto #Cad. FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes Airport
PerúTingo MaríaTingo María Airport
PerúTrujillo #Cap. FAP Carlos Martínez de Pinillos International Airport
PerúTumbes #Cap. FAP Pedro Canga Rodríguez Airport
PerúYurimaguas #Moisés Benzaquén Rengifo Airport
United States Miami #Miami International Airport

Fleet

Faucett Perú operated the following equipment all through its history:
  • Airbus A300B4
  • Airbus A300-600
  • BAC One-Eleven 475
  • BAC One-Eleven 500
  • Boeing 707-320
  • Boeing 707-320B
  • Boeing 707-320C
  • Boeing 720
  • Boeing 727-100
  • Boeing 727-100C
  • Boeing 737-100
  • Boeing 737-200
  • Douglas DC-3
  • Douglas DC-3A
  • Douglas DC-4
  • Douglas C-47A
  • Douglas C-47B
  • Douglas C-53
  • Douglas C-54
  • Douglas DC-6B
  • Douglas DC-8-30
  • Douglas DC-8-40
  • Douglas DC-8-50
  • Douglas DC-8-60
  • Faucett Stinson F-19
  • Lockheed L-1011-1
  • Stinson

    Incidents and accidents

  • On December 8, 1967, a Faucett Douglas DC-4 airliner crashed into a mountain in the Andes at 10,470 feet, killing all 66 passengers and six crew.
  • On September 11, 1990, a Faucett Boeing 727-246 went missing some 350 miles southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland. After having been leased to Air Malta, the aircraft was being returned to Peru from Europe via Iceland, when the crew reported a low fuel notice and that they were preparing to ditch. There were no survivors among 16 occupants on board.
  • On February 29, 1996, Faucett Flight 251, a Boeing 737 leased from American Airlines, crashed in the mountains near Arequipa's airport, killing all 117 passengers and 6 crew aboard.