Saeta Boeing 707 HC-BLY

Quito, December 1989 (photo by Propfreak)

Built for Trans World Airlines in October 1963 she served for the US carrier until sold to Aerotal Colombia in 1981 - being parked for 2 years until a buyer could be found. Aerotal used her for 2 years before she was parked again. In 1985 Ecuadorian Saeta decided to add the jet to their fleet which consisted of a sole Boeing 727-95 at the time. HC-BLY entered service and was often seen at Miami during that time. I was lucky enough to sample a domestic flight on the Quito-Guayaquil route shelling out an astonishing 20 US$ for the 30 minutes flight. The 707 was scrapped at Quito in 1993.

Saeta DC-3 HC-AVQ

Guayaquil, June 1972 (Propfreak Collection)

SAETA (Sociedad Anonima Ecuatoriana de Transportes Aéreos) started operations in 1966. In 1971 HC-AVQ joined the fleet when she was bought from Bahamas Airways. Originally build in 1944 for the USAF, she later served with the RAF before entering civil life with BEA. After spending time with Cyprus Airways, Silver City Airways and Skyways she crossed the pond again to fly for Bahamas Airways. HC-AVQ and her 2 sisterships were used to establish domestic air links in Ecuador. When Viscounts and Caravelles where acquired their days were numbered. HC-AVQ was sold to Air Sunshine in February 1977. In the late nineties the old Dakota was again flying in the Caribbean, operated by Four Star Aviation and Virgin Islands International Airways. By 1989 her luck run out and she was hit by a hurricane while parked at St.Thomas. 2 years later the oldtimer was scrapped.