Manguinhos Airport
Encyclopedia
Manguinhos Airport was an airport that existed in the neighborhood of Manguinhos, near Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro
from 1936 to 1972.
), a school of aviation founded in 1911 at Campo dos Afonsos Airport. In 1919 the Brazilian Army
decided to locate at this facility the School of Military Aviation and forced the Flying Club to move elsewhere.
The board of directors decided to re-locate its facilities near Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and for that land was flattened and a swamp drained. An official property land-title was however never given to the Flying Club; it just occupied the site with the acknowledgement of authorities. Manguinhos was officially opened in 1936 although it had been in use before this year. In fact, around this time whereas Santos Dumont Airport served mainly to hydroplanes, aircraft with landing gear used the Manguinhos facilities.
On December 22, 1959 a major accident led to the eventual closure of the airport: a VASP
Vickers Viscount 827
and a Brazilian Air Force
Fokker S-11
based at Afonsos Air Force Base
collided in the air very close to Manguinhos Airport. The pilot of the Fokker, the Air Force cadet Eduardo da Silva Pereira, was trying to impress his girl-friend by doing manoeuvres over her house in the proximity of Manguinhos Airport and collided with the Viscount which was on approach to land at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão. The VASP aircraft crashed killing its 32 occupants and 10 persons on the ground. The cadet parachuted to safety.
The accident opened questions about the interference of air traffic related to Manguinhos in approaches to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão and Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont airports. Even though no aircraft based in Manguinhos was involved directly in the accident, authorities believed that similar accidents could happen in the future.
In 1961 operations at Manguinhos were severely restricted and Brazil Flying Club had to move elsewhere. Since there was a maintenance company based at Manguinhos, certain flights were still allowed with control operated by Galeão until 1972, when Manguinhos closed. Hangars and control tower were demolished and presently in the site is located the shanty town Vila do João, part of Complexo da Maré.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
from 1936 to 1972.
History
The origin of Manguinhos Airport is related to Aeroclube do Brasil (Brazil Flying clubFlying club
A flying club or aero club is a not for profit, member run organization that provides its members with affordable access to aircraft.Many clubs also provide flight training, flight planning facilities, pilot supplies and associated services, as well as organizing social functions, fly-ins and...
), a school of aviation founded in 1911 at Campo dos Afonsos Airport. In 1919 the Brazilian Army
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...
decided to locate at this facility the School of Military Aviation and forced the Flying Club to move elsewhere.
The board of directors decided to re-locate its facilities near Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and for that land was flattened and a swamp drained. An official property land-title was however never given to the Flying Club; it just occupied the site with the acknowledgement of authorities. Manguinhos was officially opened in 1936 although it had been in use before this year. In fact, around this time whereas Santos Dumont Airport served mainly to hydroplanes, aircraft with landing gear used the Manguinhos facilities.
On December 22, 1959 a major accident led to the eventual closure of the airport: a VASP
VASP
Viação Aérea São Paulo S/A, or VASP, was an airline with its head office in the VASP Building on the grounds of Congonhas-São Paulo Airport in São Paulo, Brazil...
Vickers Viscount 827
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
and a Brazilian Air Force
Brazilian Air Force
The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
Fokker S-11
Fokker S-11
|-See also:-References:* Bridgeman, Leonard. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953–54. London: Jane's All The World's Aircraft Publishing Company, 1953.* Smith, Maurice A. . Flight, 24 February 1949. pp. 218–221.-External links:*...
based at Afonsos Air Force Base
Afonsos Air Force Base
Afonsos Air Force Base – BAAF is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The official name of the Base is Campo Délio Jardim de Matos after a former commander of the base and Minister of the Air Force.-History:...
collided in the air very close to Manguinhos Airport. The pilot of the Fokker, the Air Force cadet Eduardo da Silva Pereira, was trying to impress his girl-friend by doing manoeuvres over her house in the proximity of Manguinhos Airport and collided with the Viscount which was on approach to land at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão. The VASP aircraft crashed killing its 32 occupants and 10 persons on the ground. The cadet parachuted to safety.
The accident opened questions about the interference of air traffic related to Manguinhos in approaches to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão and Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont airports. Even though no aircraft based in Manguinhos was involved directly in the accident, authorities believed that similar accidents could happen in the future.
In 1961 operations at Manguinhos were severely restricted and Brazil Flying Club had to move elsewhere. Since there was a maintenance company based at Manguinhos, certain flights were still allowed with control operated by Galeão until 1972, when Manguinhos closed. Hangars and control tower were demolished and presently in the site is located the shanty town Vila do João, part of Complexo da Maré.
Airlines and destinations
The following airline once served the airport:- ETA – Empresa de Transporte Aéreo
Accidents and incidents
- December 22, 1959: a VASPVASPViação Aérea São Paulo S/A, or VASP, was an airline with its head office in the VASP Building on the grounds of Congonhas-São Paulo Airport in São Paulo, Brazil...
Vickers Viscount 827Vickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
registration PP-SRG while on approach to land at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão was involved in a mid-air collision with the Brazilian Air ForceBrazilian Air ForceThe Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...
Fokker S-11 (T-21)Fokker S-11|-See also:-References:* Bridgeman, Leonard. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1953–54. London: Jane's All The World's Aircraft Publishing Company, 1953.* Smith, Maurice A. . Flight, 24 February 1949. pp. 218–221.-External links:*...
registration FAB0742 in the vicinity of Manguinhos. All 32 people on board the Viscount were killed, as were a further ten on the ground. The T-21 pilot parachuted to safety. This accident eventually led to the closure of Manguinhos Airport