This A310-300 flew for LAB from 1992 until 2004

Operated by Línea Aérea Amaszonas, and my ride up the mountain from the Bolivian lowlands, Rurrenabaque to La Paz - El Alto airport. An unpressurized Grand Caravan over the Andes.

This plane is known as "Avión Pirata" or "Pirate Plane" amongst the locals. It is said that on July 29, 1961 this plane was forced to land by the Bolivian Air Force as it was suspected to transport contraband (hence its name). In 1979 it was moved to its current location to be preserved as a library near downtown Santa Cruz (El Tao neighborhood). Since then it has worn various liveries including AeroSur and Pepsi colors. It originally flew as YV-C-AME for LAV - Línea Aeropostal Venezolana.

New with the Bolivian AF's Transporte Aereo Militar airline in 5.80, although wfu when seen here in 1992, this Troopship tranferred to the Fuerza Aerea Boliviana itself in 7.94 and was re-serialled FAB-93 in 1998. By 2008 she was once again engineless, hulk noted 2013

Although looking good here, not long for this world. A former Iberia and Spanish AF Metropolitan, she crashed on a passenger flight near Colorado, 45 kms SE of La Paz on 21.8.92, descending in poor weather and flying into Chacaltaya Mountain at FL150

In contrast to her camouflaged sister-Troopship TAM-93 which was wfu at the time, this one was active and smartly attired in the civil-style c/s. Transferred to the mainline Fuerza Aerea Boliviana in late '94 and re-serialled with the FAB prefix two years later. Had various periods of storage, but crash-landed on a road while in service between Guayaramerin and Trinidad after problems with no.1 engine on 23.7.08, causing substantial damage

Arriving in Bolivia in 1973, this C-54G-5-DO was formerly 45-0551 and although looking rather sad here, was smartly restored as CP-2292 for Air Beni in 1997 and was abandoned at Pucullpa after a drugs flight; now in a very neglected state

Started out as a photo-mapping RC-130A with the USAF in 6.59 but modified to standard C-130A in the late 60's. To the Bolivian AF as TAM-69 but quickly passed on to TAB in 10.88 taking up its present civil marks, however temporaraily reverted to TAM-69 (CP- reg overpainted) in 1996; wfu next year but later active with TAB again

This veteran Herk was delivered to the USAF in 7.57 and passed to the Fuerza Aerea Boliviana in 10.88, the oldest of 16 used by that country. Note in this shot the US serial 41636 is still carried (an FY-54 allocation, of course, so made some 55 years ago). Wfu 7.96 and remained stored at LPB with fading marks

This beauty was one of two aircraft at La Paz marked TAM-01 (the other a preserved C-47, really TAM-16). The Electra began with AA as N6134A "Flagship Memphis" in Feb 1960 and was sold to LAB as CP-853 in Aug 1968. She joined the FAB as TAM-69 in 1973 and became the presidential transport in 1975 as TAM-01. After many years derelict, now in the embryonic Bolivian AF museum at El Alto. I even enquired about buying the aircraft on behalf of a European party but was told it would never be sold as it is a national monument

A 1951-vintage DC-6 which was acquired by Lloyd Aereo Boliviano following 13 years with American Airlines. After being wfu she was ntu by the Bolivian AF but revived as a freighter for Air Beni as CP-2291 in 1997, only to be destroyed in a fire on the ground at LPB on 12.10.99

Began life as Convair 340 N73151, United's "Mainliner Providence" and bought by Frontier in 1959; turboprop conversion 1965 and sold to Metroflight in 1981. After storage this Convair was bought by the Fuerza Aerea Boliviana for its Transportes Aereo Militar arm and is seen here six months later. Some friendly American technicians were in the cockpit, still preparing the avionics