GLOBAL SPOTTING REPORTS
BOLIVIA
La Paz – Apr 2015
LANDSIDE
Very quiet with passenger traffic but what does move can be seen from the terminal. A small window section on the lower level or an upstairs café. Take a walk outside and you can get good views of several old propliner types parked around the airport. You can also get views of the Bolivian Air Force ramp.
It is possible to access the Bolivian Air Force terminal. It’s a few kms so you will need to take a taxi. From inside the terminal you can go upstairs and get views of some of the aircraft. TAM, which are operated by the air force, allow civilians to buy tickets meaning you could fly with them. It dosent seem possible to pre book flights though. Apparently you turn up at the ticket office and ask them what flights they have.
AIRSIDE
All movements should be seen from domestic, international had very limited views.
HOTELS
None at the airport so you have to take a ride downtown, about 20 mins away. Nice to walk around, and amazing scenery around the airport.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Although the capital, its not Bolivia’s main hub. Due to the altitude larger and heavier aircraft struggle to use the runway and these flights go from Santa Cruz. The Odd Amazonas and Boliviana De Aviacion operate most of the domestic flights. Several TAM Air force planes should be parked up along with a few of the older propeller types that most will be interested in.
FAB-93 and TAM-95 F27s are WFU on the military ramp in military style colours.
Santa Cruz Viru Viru – Apr 2015
LANDSIDE
There is an excellent outside observation area here giving full views of the stand and runways.
AIRSIDE
No problems from the windows.
HOTELS
Not sure if any exist close to the airport. Much better to stay in the city where you can visit the downtown airport.
WHAT TO EXPECT
This is Bolivia’s main airport. A number of Boliviana and Amazonas should be seen along with a couple of other local carriers. Copa and Avianca can be seen on the international side.
Aerosur still have 6 aircraft derelict here:
CP-2377 B727
CP-2424 B727
CP-2462 B727
CP-2431 B727
CP-2476 B737
CP-2438 B737 – no undercarriage, behind a B727 to the far right of the airfield.
OB-1653 Yak 40 is also derelict along with a couple of other smaller types.
Santa Cruz El Trompillo – Apr 2015
LANDSIDE
I didn’t enter the terminal so not sure on views from here. Its possible to walk along the perimeter on the opposite side of the runway. Its not a very big airport. Views can be had of the terminal ramp along with several hangers and a number of aircraft should be logged. A short way along the perimeter you come to the air force base. I continued to walk past and followed the roads around and managed to get a couple of stored metro’s. The air force bases in Bolivia aren’t the most secure. I past several guards who were generally young lads and nobody seemed to care about me wandering around here or at other airports.
AIRSIDE
HOTELS
About a 20 minute walk to the city centre and there are a few hotels nearby.
WHAT TO EXPECT
TAM had 2 B737s on domestic flights and are the only airline operator. Several general aviation aircraft should be around. Aeroeste had a B1900 and Let 410 parked by there hanger.
Several stored aircraft including:
CP-2479 FH27
CP-2405 J31
CP-2485 Metro
N781ML Metro
Cochabamba – Apr 2015
LANDSIDE
An outside observation area allows good views of the gates and runway. However the main reason for visiting is for the 16 B727’s currently WFU here, as well as some old propliners. Cochabamba is Bolivia’s main airport for maintenance and the demise of LAB and Aerosur has resulted in most of there fleets left parked here derelict.
From the terminal area the LAB hanger can be seen with 4 B727’s outside and another inside. To see everything else you need to take a walk around the perimeter. As you walk out of the airport you will pass LABs gate guard B727. At the end of the entrance road take a right turn. Continue past the threshold of runway 22 and take a right turn following the perimeter fence. From here there are views of a maintenance ramp containing the Allegro B727, PT-MSQ B767 and an Aerosur B737. Several others should also be present that are in for maintenance. Another 2 LAB B727s will also come into view making a total of 8 LAB B727s.
Continue down the road sticking to the fence were able and you will find some small hangers with some old propliners dotted around. At the end of the road there are a group of 3 Aerosur B727s. Follow this road to the left and you will come to the Air Force ramp. The Champion B727 is here along with several of TAMs fleet. A B727, 4 B737s, 2 B146s and a J31 amongst other bits and pieces where present. Most stuff can be seen from here but I had to walk all the way around to the other side of the runway to get everything.
Walk around the air force base sticking to the perimeter wall and you will find your way to the threshold of runway 32. From here a group of 5 Aerosur B737 / B727s can be seen. To get better views of these and better views of the Air Force ramp continue walking around the perimeter. It depends how far you want to walk.
The whole journey took me nearly 3 hours. If you saw the Aerosur’s on arrival and were happy you could see everything on the Air Force ramp from the first viewpoint then you would probably save nearly an hour.
AIRSIDE
Movements can be seen.
HOTELS
WHAT TO EXPECT
Domestic flights only with Boliviana the main Carrier. TAM had four flights during the six hours I was there. But the only reason to go is for the derelict aircraft which are:
LAB Headquarters
19860 B727 CP-1070 LAB Orange Blue Preserved Gate Guard
LAB Hanger
21082 B727 CP-1276 LAB Orange Blue Derelict outside hanger
21494 B727 CP-1366 LAB Light Blue/White old cls inside hanger
21495 B727 CP-1367 LAB Light Blue/White old cls Derelict o/s hanger
21823 B727 CP-2324 LAB – Orange Blue Derelict outside hanger
22606 B727 CP-2455 LAB – Orange Blue Derelict outside hanger
Alongside Runway 22 seen from Perimeter
18795 B727 CP-1223 LAB Light Blue tail Derelict seen from perimeter
20279 B727 CP-861 LAB Orange Blue Derelict seen from perimeter
Maintenance Ramp
22164 B727 N907PG ALLEGRO – Derelict Maintenance ramp
24790 B737 CP-2595 AEROSUR - tail pieces missing, Crocodile picture, unmarked
Propliner hangers and first group of Aerosur B727s
21613 B737 CP-2561 AEROSUR – Parked near propliners, Whale picture
21617 B727 CP-2422 AEROSUR – Derelict
21638 B727 CP-2423 AEROSUR – Derelict unmarked, No titles
22464 B727 CP-2464 AEROSUR – Derelict unmarked, Eagle Picture
Group of 5 near Runway 32 Threshold:
21768 B737 CP-2484 AEROSUR - Derelict
21769 B737 CP-2486 AEROSUR - Derelict
21904 B727 CP-2515 AEROSUR – Purple diagram along fuselage - Derelict
22409 B727 CP-2447 AEROSUR - Derelict
22463 B727 CP-2498 AEROSUR – Purple on Nose / Cockpit area - Derelict
Air Force Ramp
22492 B727 N685CA CHAMPION – WFU Military Ramp
