Helisul Linhas Aéreas S/A was a Brazilian airline founded in 1994. In 1996, it was sold to TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais, which incorporated the airline in 1998.

History

On October 5, 1972, Tropical Táxi Aéreo was founded in Foz do Iguaçu. It was a subsidiary of Tropical Hotéis, a company part of the same holding that owned

Varig VARIG (acronym for Viação Aérea RIo-Grandense, ''Rio Grandean Airways'') was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990, it was Brazil's leading airline, and virtually its only international one. In 2005, Varig went ...

. This was later by Eloy Biesuz and the name changed to Helisul Táxi Aéreo Ltda. As part of its growing activities, Helisul Taxi Aéreo founded on May 16, 1994 Helisul Linhas Aéreas, as a charter airline operating regular flights and with operations concentrated at Curitiba-Bacacheri Airport linking

Curitiba Curitiba () is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná in Brazil. The city's population was 1,948,626 , making it the eighth most populous city in Brazil and the largest in Brazil's South Region. The Curitiba Metropolitan area ...

to other cities in

Paraná state Paraná, Paranã or Parana may refer to: Geology *Paraná Basin, a sedimentary basin in South America Places In Argentina * Paraná, Entre Ríos, a city * Paraná Department, a part of Entre Ríos Province * Paraná, Buenos Aires, a settlemen ...

. On January 1, 1995 its license was updated to one of a regional carrier. On July 1, 1996 Helisul was sold to

TAM Airlines TAM may refer to: Biology * Thioacetamide, an organosulfur compound * Tumor-associated macrophage, a class of immune cells * Transparent Anatomical Manikin, an educational model Technology * Tanque Argentino Mediano, the main battle tank of Arge ...

and it began operating feeder services to TAM. Later, in December of the same year, as

Brasil Central Linhas Aéreas Brasil Central Linhas Aéreas was a Brazilian airline founded in 1976 as VOTEC Serviços Aéreos Regionais. In 1986 its name was changed to Brasil Central Linhas Aéreas and in 1990 to TAM – Transportes Aéreos Meridionais. In 2000 it was merge ...

was rebranded as TAM-Meridional, Helisul was also rebranded as TAM Express and received the entire Caravan fleet of Brasil Central to operate its former network. In 1998 it was completely incorporated by TAM. Helisul Táxi Aéreo still operates helicopter flights in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

and

Foz do Iguaçu Foz do Iguaçu (''Iguazu River Mouth'') () is the Brazilian city on the border of Iguaçu Falls. The city is the 7th largest in the state of Paraná. The city's population is approximately 258,000. It is approximately 650 km (400 mi) wes ...

and has certified maintenance plants at Curitiba-Bacacheri Airport.

Destinations

Helisul served the following cities: *

Blumenau Blumenau is a city in Vale do Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina (Brazil), Santa Catarina, in the South Region, Brazil, South Region of Brazil. It is away from the state capital of Florianópolis. The city was founded by the German chemist an ...

Campo Mourão Campo Mourão is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil. Its population in 2020 was 95,488. The people from Campo Mourão are called ''Mourãoenses''. History The region of the "Fields" bordered by the Atlantic forest and Araucaria, h ...

– Cel. Geraldo Guias de Aquino Airport *

Cascavel Cascavel is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil. It is the fifth most populous city in the state with 332,333 residents, according to IBGE, a government agency. The distance to Curitiba, the state capital, is 491 kilometers by f ...

– Adalberto Mendes da Silva Airport *

Chapecó Chapecó () is a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, in the Southern Region of Brazil. Being a major industrial, financial and educational center, it is a major producer of industrialized food products. Considered a medium city, with a p ...

– Serafin Enoss Bertaso Airport *

Concórdia Concórdia is a city in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. It was founded by colonizers of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, basically descendants of Italians and Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 ...

– Olavo Cecco Rigon Airport *

– Bacacheri Airport *

Francisco Beltrão Francisco Beltrão, established on December 14, 1952, is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil. In 2010, the population was 80,727, of which 85% lived in the city proper and 15% on the surrounding land. Francisco Beltrão is very clo ...

– Paulo Abdala Airport *

Guarapuava Guarapuava (population: 182,644) is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil. It is the largest municipality in that state by area. Guarapuava is located at 25°23'36" south and 51°27'19" west. The region is known as the centre of the s ...

– Tancredo Thomas de Faria Airport *

Joaçaba Joaçaba is a city situated in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, with approximately 30,404 inhabitants. Located in 27º10'22" S and 51º30'03" W and 516.74 m above sea level, the city was colonized in the early 20th century by German and Ital ...

– Santa Terezinha Airport *

Pato Branco Pato Branco ("White Duck" in English) is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil. The municipality covers 537,8 km² (206.7 mi²) and has a population of 83,843 (2020 IBGE estimate). Pato Branco started off as a village in 1942 and was ...

– Juvenal Loureiro Cardoso Airport * São Miguel do Oeste – Hélio Wasum Airport *

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

–

Congonhas Airport Congonhas (Congonhas do Campo until 1948) is a historical Brazilian city located in the state of Minas Gerais. It is situated south from Belo Horizonte, the capital of state of Minas Gerais, by the highway BR-040. As of 2020, the city had a popul ...

Fleet

Airline affinity program

Helisul did not have an airline affinity program.

Accidents and incidents

*13 September 1996: an

Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante The Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante (English: ''pioneer'') is a Brazilian general purpose 15–21 passenger twin-turboprop light transport aircraft designed by Embraer for military and civil use. The EMB 110 was designed by the French engineer Max ...

registration PT-WAV operating a cargo flight from

Porto Alegre Porto Alegre (, , Brazilian ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Its population of 1,488,252 inhabitants (2020) makes it the twelfth most populous city in the country and the center of Brazil's fif ...

Joinville Joinville () is the largest city in Santa Catarina, in the Southern Region of Brazil. It is the third largest municipality in the southern region of Brazil, after the much larger state capitals of Curitiba and Porto Alegre. Joinville is also a ...

collided with a hill and crashed during final approach to land at Joinville. The crew of two died.

References

External links

Helisul accidents as per Aviation Safety Database
Defunct airlines of Brazil Airlines established in 1994 Airlines disestablished in 1998 1994 establishments in Brazil {{Brazil-airline-stub