SAM Colombia

SAM
(Sociedad Aeronáutica de Medellin)

IATA ICAO Callsign MM SAM SAM
Founded	October 6, 1945
Ceased operations	October 4, 2010
Hubs	El Dorado International Airport
Secondary hubs	Terminal Puente Aéreo José María Córdova International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	AviancaPlus
Fleet size	15
Destinations	20 (See Avianca)
Parent company	Avianca
Headquarters	Bogotá, Colombia
Key people	Fabio Villegas Ramírez (CEO) Luis H. Coulson (Founder)
Website	www.avianca.com

SAM (Spanish acronym: Sociedad Aeronáutica de Medellín) was a Colombian airline. The airline, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, was operating domestic and international routes and was a subsidiary airline of Avianca. In 2004, its headquarters were in the Avianca headquarters in Bogotá.^[1]

History[]

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Early operations[]

A former SAM Lockheed L-188A Electra operating a freight service at Miami International Airport in 1973

In the 1940s, a group of entrepreneurs promoted the idea of providing the city of Medellin with an air transportation system that would connect with the rest of the country and the world. In October 1945, at the 3rd Notary Public's Office, a deed incorporating Sociedad Aeronáutica de Medellín S.A. was recorded.

The airline was in the minds of its first partners and promoters, the eventual founders: Luis Coulson, Gilberto Escobar, Julián Restrepo, Joaquín Londoño, and Gustavo Correa who, from the beginning of 1946 began to bring their dream to fruition. A corporation was created with 15,000 shares, at 10 pesos each. Subscription totaled Col.$150,000, of which Col.$50,000 was from 5,000 publicly purchased shares, and the remaining 10,000 shares purchased by the board of directors.

The promoters gained a valuable ally in the person of Captain Denis Powelson, expert in the aircraft world market, enthusiast, in love with the country and an explorer of its infinite possibilities. The company had originally intended to acquire small aircraft, but the concept changed and grew. There would be long-range aircraft to secure the cargo market to and from Miami. The Douglas C-47 arrived in October 1946 and departed from Las Playas Airport in Medellín heading to Miami in the midst of much celebration.

Later years[]

A former SAM Boeing 727-200 taxiing at Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in 1994

In the second year of activities, SAM's wings grew and began to embrace the world of the nearest Colombian cities with flights to Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Planeta Rica and Barranquilla. The airline grew quickly. Industrial and commercial activity increased to the point that in 1950 the fleet comprised 18 cargo aircraft and the destinations were now far afield. SAM's aircraft flew to and from the Caribbean and South America.

Having proved its efficiency in air transportation and establishing the routes that put an end to the isolation of Medellín and Colombia, in 1958 SAM decided to begin carrying passengers. Passenger air service began with a DC-3 and a C-46, and one of the early milestones was San Andres, where it was the first airline to provide service to the island. Two years later, the first DC-4 was added to the fleet with a capacity of 65 passengers, but it was in 1970 that SAM became notable for inaugurating the Jet-Prop era in Colombia.

By then, the domestic and international airline, through its routes had become truly Colombian which was reflected in its ownership. The Santo Domingo Group had provided broader capital to enable accelerated modernisation and expanded market share.

With the introduction of the Lockheed L-188 into service, the expansion into Central America was made possible and passenger services began to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Costa Rica with regular freight schedules that were operated to Miami. Later, in 1977, SAM introduced the Boeing 720B which were transferred from Avianca, with which the Lockheed Electras were returned.

Around 1990, SAM requested to resume cargo flights to the United States and the company made a request to Challenger Air Cargo to rent its Boeing 757, at the same time that Avianca suspended cargo services to Miami, and sold its 747 freighter, the request was cancelled and SAM leased a Boeing 707 to carry out the flights to Miami.

The Company then modernized with the Boeing 727. Subsequently, the fleet was made up of the Avro RJ100, and the De Havilland Canada Twin Otter. With these modern aircraft, SAM united the most important cities of the country, as well as several regional destinations and international destinations. But there were problems with the RJ100 engines, which were paralyzed on the ground and the company had to use aircraft from Avianca to cover its flights, and the aircraft were returned to the manufacturer British Aerospace in March 2000, and purchased 3 Cessna 208 Caravans. Avianca's Fokker 50 and McDonnell Douglas MD-83 were also assigned.

In May 2002, SAM along with Avianca and ACES, joined the Summa Alliance. However, in the following year ACES was dissolved, to this was added the purchase of Avianca by the Synergy Group and the change of its image, for which the colors of SAM disappeared. However, Avianca ordered 15 Fokker 100 for SAM to operate in the Avianca livery with a sign that read "Operated by Sam" on the fuselage.

SAM closed its operations on October 4, 2010, when its final flight took off from Bogotá bound for Medellín. With this flight, SAM was permanently merged into Avianca.^[2][3]

Destinations[]

Fleet[]

Final fleet[]

An Avianca Fokker 100, operated by SAM, taking off at El Dorado International Airport in 2009

When SAM ceased operations, it operated 15 exclusive Fokker 100s in the Avianca livery with a sign that read "Operated by Sam" on the fuselage. After Avianca fully absorbed SAM as a company, the sign was removed from all the aircraft and continued operating SAM's old destinations as Avianca's. As Avianca began its fleet renovation, the Fokker 100 were retired and returned to Fokker Services. SAM intended to operate the Airbus A318, but never did since it was integrated into Avianca when SAM had disappeared.

As of May 2010 the SAM Colombia fleet consisted of the following aircraft:^[4]

Former fleet[]

SAM had in the past operated a variety of aircraft, including:^[5]

Accidents and incidents[]

• On March 1, 1950, a Douglas C-47 (registered HK-507) took off from Olaya Herrera Airport to conduct a test flight following repairs that were carried out on engine No. 1. Upon returning to the airport, the pilot was cleared to land. Shortly afterwards, the airplane entered an area of heavy strong winds. The aircraft impacted the ground, killing the co-pilot and one of the two mechanics.^[6]
• On June 13, 1951, a Douglas C-47 (registered HK-504) made an emergency return to Olaya Herrera Airport and crashed after striking a chimney of a factory in the Belén suburb of Medellín. Both crew members on board were killed, including a person on the ground.^[7]
• On September 10, 1952, a Curtiss C-46 (registered HK-513) was on a flight from San Andrés (island) to Cartagena, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and lost their route. The aircraft hit a mountain located in Guna Yala, Panama. All 46 occupants were killed.
• On September 16, 1958, a Curtiss C-46 (registered HK-514) crashed shortly after takeoff from Olaya Herrera Airport while in initial climb. The aircraft suffered an engine failure, the crew attempted an emergency landing in a wasteland where it crash landed. Both crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
• On December 8, 1959, a Curtiss C-46 (registered HK-515) en route from San Andrés to Cartagena, disappeared. About 8 days later, the right main gear wheel assembly was found near Moron Island. All 42 passengers and 3 crew were presumed killed.^[8][9]
• On March 19, 1960, SAM Flight 901, a Curtiss C-46 (registered HK-516), departed San Andres Island for a flight to Medellin when engine no.1 started to have problems. The crew radioed Medellin that they were returning to Planeta Rica, but the plane crashed 11 km Northwest. 25 of the 46 occupants on board were killed and the aircraft was written off.^[10]
• On February 5, 1969, a Douglas C-54 (registered HK-1065) was hijacked by an armed passenger. The aircraft was en route from Barranquilla to Cartagena, Medellín and Cali. The hijacked demanded the pilots to be flown to Cuba. None of the 47 occupants on board were injured.^[11]
• On March 11, 1969, a Douglas C-54 (registered HK-757) was hijacked during a domestic flight from Medellin to Barranquilla. A hijacker entered the cockpit and demanded to be flown to Cuba.^[12]
• On May 30, 1973, a Lockheed L-188 Electra (registered HK-1274), flying from Cali to Medellin with a stopover in Pereira, was diverted from its route making stops in Aruba, Guayaquil, Lima, Mendoza, Asunción, and Buenos Aires, had been hijacked by two Paraguayan former football players for economic reasons.^[13]
• On May 19, 1993, SAM Colombia Flight 501, a Boeing 727-100 (registered HK-2422X), en route from Panama City to Medellín, hit Mt. Paramo de Frontino at 12,300 ft. while on approach to José María Córdova International Airport. The aircraft descended into mountainous terrain before actually reaching the Abejorral non-directional beacon. The (VHF/DME) had been sabotaged by terrorists and was not in service. All 132 passengers (including a group of Panamanian dentists and doctors on their way to a convention) were killed.^[14]
• on August 4, 1993, a Boeing 727-100 (registered HK-2421X) was damaged beyond repairs after its no. 3 engine caught on fire during maintenance work.^[15]

In other areas[]

SAM was the main sponsor of the Atlético Nacional football team between 1988 and 1994, the airline's logo was used on the front of their jersey during competitions of those years, including the Copa Libertadores 1989.

See also[]

• Avianca
• List of defunct airlines of Colombia

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to SAM Colombia.

• Avianca