Aeroput
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Aeroput (Serbian Cyrillic: Aeропут) was the national airline of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The airline changed its name after World War II to Jugoslovenski Aero Transport (Yugoslav Aero Transport - JAT) and still flies today under the name Jat Airways (now being the national air carrier of the Republic of Serbia).
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[edit] History
Aeroput was the first Yugoslav airline company. The airline was founded on June 17, 1927. The airlines first route, Belgrade- Zagreb became operational on February 15, 1928. In 1929 the company joined the International Air Traffic Association (IATA). By 1930, Aeroput airplanes had regular flights from Belgrade to Graz and Vienna (via Zagreb), and to Thessaloniki (via Skoplje). Thus the shortest air link between Central Europe and the Aegean area was formed across the Yugoslav territory.
Initially the fleet consisted of three Potez 29 transport biplanes with five passenger seats. In 1932 Aeroput broadened its fleet with Farman F-306 aircraft, and in 1934 the company purchased three Spartan planes. The company also bought two Coudron-Geland planes, one de Havilland Dragon, and six mid-range Lockheed Model 10 Electra aircraft. Relying on its renewed fleet, the company greatly expanded its list of destinations in 1937 and 1938. Regular flights to Sofia, Tirana, and Budapest were introduced, as well as a seasonal tourist flight Dubrovnik - Zagreb - Vienna – Brno – Prague. In cooperation with Italian and Romanian companies, the Bucharest - Belgrade - Zagreb – Venice – Milan – Turin line was also introduced.
[edit] End of Aeroput
Unlike other airlines, Aeroput did not go bankrupt. World War II interrupted the impressive development of the company and of the newest transport sector. Exhibits from this period can be found in the in the Museum of Aviation in Belgrade (with a collection of over 200 planes, gliders and helicopters). Thanks to the enormous efforts made by pre-war Aeroput flight staff and technicians, the company begun flying again on April 1, 1947 under its new name "Jugoslovenski Aero Transport" (JAT). Jugoslovenski Aero Transport became the national air carrier of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and later Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as JAT Yugoslav Airlines. The airline changed its name to Jat Airways in 2003 and it became the flag carrier of Serbia and Montenegro and in 2006 the flag carrier of the Republic of Serbia.
[edit] Fleet
The airline had a fleet of the following aircraft:
- 6 "Lockheed Electra–10"
- 3 "Potez F-29"
- 3 "Farman F-306"
- 3 Spartan Cruiser
- 2 "Coudron-Geland"
- 1 "de Havilland Dragon"
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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