AeroCuahonte (official legal name: Aero Cuahonte S.A. de C.V.) was a small regional airline headquartered at Uruapan Airport.
History The airline was founded by Enrique Cuahonte and Marta Amezcua, beginning operations in 1957 with air taxi services in small Cessna aircraft. AeroCuahonte became a regular airline in 1992 with the introduction of a Fairchild SA-226. Another aircraft of the same model was introduced in 1994. One of these aircraft was lost in an accident that same year near Uruapan Airport, which killed 11 people. The crashed aircraft was replaced with another of the same model.
Due to strong competition from Sudpacífico, Aerocuahonte began operating as a scheduled airline in 1992, operating the same pair of Fairchild SA-226 aircraft. Later in 1997, a Cessna 402-C was acquired, which would be used on a scheduled basis and as an air taxi. Also in 1997, another Fairchild SA-226 was lost after a skid at Uruapan Airport, being replaced in 1998 with a Metro III, so that between 1998 and 2003 Aerocuahonte's fleet consisted of a Fairchild SA226, a Metro III and a Cessna 402-C.
Since 2004, Aerocuahonte stopped operating as a regular airline, operating only as an air taxi company with a single Cessna 402-C, which maintained operations until 2007, when the aircraft was transferred to MAYAir (where is still in service). and Aerocuahonte ceased operations.
Destinations Aero Cuahonte operated the following destinations regularly during its existence. City State IATA ICAO Airport Apatzingán (Michoacán) AZGMMAG Pablo L. Sidar National Airport Colima (Colima) CLQMMIA Licenciado Miguel de la Madrid National Airport Guadalajara (Jalisco) GDLMMGL Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo (Guerrero) ZIHMMZH Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport Lázaro Cárdenas (Michoacán) LZCMMLC Lázaro Cárdenas del Río National Airport Manzanillo (Colima) ZLOMMZO Playa de Oro International Airport Morelia (Michoacán) MLMMMMM General Francisco Mujica International Airport Uruapan (Michoacán) UPNMMPN Lic. & Gen. Ignacio López Rayón International Airport Total: 8 destinations in Mexico
Fleet Between 1992 and 2007, Aero Cuahonte operated the following aircraft.
+ Aero Cuahonte fleet (1992-2007)AircreftUnits in servicePassenger configurationRegistrationNotesFairchild Swearingen SA-226TC Metro II419XA-SLU, XA-HAO, XA-GUU, XA-SPO XA-SLU crashed in UPN in 1994; XA-HAO crashed in UPN in 1997.Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC Metro III119XA-TML Cessna 402C19XA-KOC Transferred to MAYAir in 2007Total5
Accidents and incidents On December 1, 1988, a Cessna 210 aircraft registered XA-HAO operating an Aero Cuahonte air taxi service between Uruapan Airport and Mexico City Airport crashed near the town of Agostitlán, Hidalgo Municipality, Michoacán; the pilot and passenger died.
On June 13, 1994, a Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II aircraft registered XA-SLU operated by Aero Cuahonte in a commercial flight between Lázaro Cárdenas Airport and Uruapan Airport, crashed into a mountain in low visibility due to inclement weather during its approach phase; the 2 pilots and 9 passengers died.
On February 4, 1997, a Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II aircraft registered XA-HAO, operated by Aero Cuahonte, went off the road while landing at Uruapan Airport, causing its landing gear to collapse. There were no fatalities, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
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