Aeroposta Argentina

Saint-Exupéry's experiences in Argentina would inspire his novel Night Flight, winner of the Prix Femina literature award in 1929 and later made into an identically named Hollywood movie.

In order to extend the line between Casablanca and Dakar, Captain Joseph Roig departed on May 3, 1923, with a group of three biplanes, Bréguet XIVs which flew between Agadir, Cap Juby, Villa Cisneros, and Port Étienne, on the west coast of Africa.

According to the plan he had conceived during the war by Pierre G. Latécoére, Captain Joseph Roig was sent to South America in May 1924 in order to consider extending the line between Natal, Brazil and Buenos Aires.

This time, Captain Roig and his group of three biplanes Bréguet XIV Renault, made a reconnaissance flight from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, landing on 14 January 1925, in El Palomar, accompanied by Paul Vachet pilots, Étienne Lafay and Victor Hamm and mechanics Gauthier, Estival and Chevalier.

In unfavorable weather conditions in March 1925, they started back conducting aerial surveys between Rio de Janeiro and Pernambuco (Recife), that would be useful for future pilots of the Atlantic line.

In order to raise the capital required for the development of the line on the South American continent, Pierre Georges Latécoère travels to Rio de Janeiro on December 3, 1926, to meet with French businessman living in Brazil, Marcel-Lafont Bouilloux .

Immediately, in January 1927 and accompanied by the Argentine aviator Vincent Almandos Almonacid, meet both in Buenos Aires with the President of the Republic, Dr. Marcelo Alvear and the urgent request submission of a contract that allows the country to service the proposed use Aeropostal with France.

Representative in his capacity as Trustee of the "Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Aéronautiques" Vicente Almandos Almonacid writes and signs a document with the Director General of Posts and Telegraphs, Mr. Arthur Goyeneche, the February 8, 1927, establishing an agreement for the transport of mail by air within and neighboring countries, which would be ratified by the Decree of the National Executive 10 June 1927, signed by the President of the Argentina, Dr. Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear and his interior minister, José P. Tamborini.

The Constitutive Act of the Aeroposta Argentina S. A. was signed into law on September 5, 1927, with Argentina being an affiliate of the "Compagnie Générale Aéropostale," by Agustin Melian gentlemen, on behalf of Marcel Bouilloux-Lafont, Alberto Dodero, Gaston Fouvell Lleau Rigo, Alejandro Behety Menendez, Luis Nicol, Guillermo Padilla (Aeronautical Radio Head, Department of Civil Aviation), Raul A. Razzio, Emmanuel Sieyes and Mr. Almonacid, with headquarters on Calle Reconquista No.

Finally, after reforming the "Regulations on Navigation on the Argentine territory," on February 27, 1929, the national government gave the anticipated authorization and thus, Pedro Ficarelli departed aboard an aircraft Latécoère 25 from the General Pacheco Aerodrome on Friday at 06:00 Hrs on March 22, 1929, this being the first official postal flight from Argentina.

In order to explore the best routes to cross the Andes mountain range, which extend down the length of South America, Jean Mermoz and his mechanic Alexandre Collenot conducted the first test flights between Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile.

[6] In September 1928, pilot–mechanic Peter Ficarelli Alfredo Vitolo, board a Latécoère 25 and using facilities that the Aero Club of Bahia Blanca had in the place "The Mendoza", made the first reconnaissance flight to Comodoro Rivadavia.

The first flight was made by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry aboard the Latécoère 25, F-AIQL, carrying as passengers journalists from Bahia Blanca: Enrique Julio "La Nueva Provincia," Emilio J.

Meanwhile, in March 1930, Mermoz flew the first transatlantic airmail in 21 hours aboard a pontoon equipped Latécoère 28 and carrying 130 kg of correspondence, on Wednesday 31 of that month, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Director of Operations of the Company, made the inaugural flight to Rio Gallegos in the Latécoère 28 aircraft, registration F-AJLO, "El Pampero", carrying passengers as Chairman of the Aeroposta, Mr. Marcel Boilloux Lafont, the Technical Director of the Company, Captain Vicente Almandos Almonacid, and the Viscount Jacques Delalot (Havas Agency Director), Julian Pranville (official Aeropostale) and journalist The reason, Mr. Enrique Gutierrez, being accompanied by Luro Cambaceres in the Latécoère 25, registration F-AIQF.

Legally, the company was designated as National Aeroposta, although at the corporate level it was still operated as Aeroposta Argentina S.A. Services were restarted on October 2, 1931, until May 31, 1932, when a new decree extends the authorization from the June 1, 1932, until December 31, granting for the first time, a fixed monthly allowance and the provision of fuel needed to account for YPF, while a third decree, that of March 24, 1933, fixed the operating agreement a term of 10 years, increased the amount of the grant and contemplated the possibility of extending the route to Ushuaia.

When, in 1936, new financial difficulties threatened the operations of the line, a new group of Argentine businessmen, headed by Dr. Ernesto Pueyrredón formed a consortium which acquired 97% stake in the company, which ultimately rests with nationals.

[4] Officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and by Decree 99,184 of 1 February 1937, authorized the company to extend its flights departing from Buenos Aires and replaces the cash grant and fuel for a monthly contribution of $1.50 per every mile flown for the trip.

In a pivot to Germany, the company bought the first three Junkers Trimotor Ju 52/3m in 1937,[4] registered LV-AAB "Patagonia", LV-BAB "Pampa" and LV-CAB "Tierra del Fuego", plus spare parts, BMW engines and Lorenz and Telefunken radios, in order to modernize its operating equipment.

In 1950 and due to new regulations the private shares were no longer permitted in air-services so all of them, except LADE (Líneas Aéreas del Estado) merged into the Argentine flag carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas.

A Breguet 14 aircraft used on the Casablanca–Dakar route.
A Latécoère 25, preserved in the National Aeronautical Museum of Argentina.
Henri Guillaumet's crashed Potez 25, F-AJDZ, on the frozen surface of Laguna del Diamante in the Andes.
Latécoère 28