Linacongo
Encyclopedia
Lignes Nationales Aériennes Congolaises, or Lina Congo as the airline is commonly known, is the national airline of the Republic of Congo.
with Douglas DC-3
s and Douglas DC-4
s. Based in Pointe-Noire
, in 1963 the airline saw a route expansion after taking over numerous routes which were previously operated by Air Afrique
. The route network linked Brazzaville
and Pointe-Noire
with Moanda
in Gabon
. On 16 March 1964, the airline was recapitalised and reformed, and the name was changed to Air Congo (Brazzaville). In August 1965, the airline was renamed to Lina Congo in an attempt to lessen confusion with it and the airline of the same name from Zaire
. By this time, the airline was 66% owned by the Congolese government.
The fleet of the airline in the early 1970s comprised one Douglas DC-4
, two Douglas DC-3
s, one Fokker F27
and two light aircraft, and the route network took in Brazzaville, Fort Rousset, Dolisie, Impfondo
, Jacob, Makabana
, Makoua
, Moanda
, Ouesso
and Pointe-Noire
. In 1974, Canada
announced a C$
5.7 million aid program for Congo-Brazzaville to develop civil aviation
in the country. The program which was made up of $4,904,000 in grants, and a $880,000 loan, allowed for the overhaul of Lina Congo, in addition to infrastructure in the country. By the late 1970s two Canadian built de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otters had joined the fleet, and the rest of the fleet comprised one DC-3, one Nord 262
, two Antonov An-24
s and two Fokker F27
s. In addition a single Douglas DC-6
was leased from the Canadian International Development Company.
On 12 March 1992, a Twin Otter of the airline crashed during a thunderstorm near Etsouali
during a flight from Maya Maya Airport in Brazzaville. The crash killed three crew members, but the five passengers survived.
In 2002, the airline was dissolved by the Congolese government after sustaining heavy losses and continuing to be a drain on government coffers.
History
Air Congo was founded in 1961 by private investors to operate charter and feeder flights in French Equatorial AfricaFrench Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
with Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
s and Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
s. Based in Pointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo, following the capital of Brazzaville, and an autonomous department since 2004. Before this date it was the capital of the Kouilou region . It is situated on a headland between Pointe-Noire Bay and the Atlantic Ocean...
, in 1963 the airline saw a route expansion after taking over numerous routes which were previously operated by Air Afrique
Air Afrique
Air Afrique was a Pan-African airline, that was mainly owned by many West African countries for most of its history. It was established as the official transnational carrier for francophone West and Central Africa, because many of these countries did not have the capability to create and maintain a...
. The route network linked Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
and Pointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo, following the capital of Brazzaville, and an autonomous department since 2004. Before this date it was the capital of the Kouilou region . It is situated on a headland between Pointe-Noire Bay and the Atlantic Ocean...
with Moanda
Moanda
Moanda is one of the largest towns in Gabon, lying on the N3 road in Haut Ogooué. It is also one of the most important manganese mining towns in the world, under the auspices of the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué , which began mining in 1957...
in Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
. On 16 March 1964, the airline was recapitalised and reformed, and the name was changed to Air Congo (Brazzaville). In August 1965, the airline was renamed to Lina Congo in an attempt to lessen confusion with it and the airline of the same name from Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
. By this time, the airline was 66% owned by the Congolese government.
The fleet of the airline in the early 1970s comprised one Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
, two Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
s, one Fokker F27
Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
and two light aircraft, and the route network took in Brazzaville, Fort Rousset, Dolisie, Impfondo
Impfondo
Impfondo is a town in the north eastern Republic of the Congo with a population of around 20,000 people, lying on the Oubangui River. It is home to an airport and is linked by river barge to Brazzaville and to Bangui. It is the administrative centre of Impfondo District and the Likouala Region....
, Jacob, Makabana
Makabana
Makabana is a small town in the south of the Republic of Congo....
, Makoua
Makoua
Makoua is a town in the Republic of the Congo, lying at the southern edge of the rainforest, north of Owando. It is home to an airport....
, Moanda
Moanda
Moanda is one of the largest towns in Gabon, lying on the N3 road in Haut Ogooué. It is also one of the most important manganese mining towns in the world, under the auspices of the Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué , which began mining in 1957...
, Ouesso
Ouésso
Ouesso is a town in the northern Republic of the Congo, lying on the Sangha River and surrounded by rainforest. It is linked by ferry with Brazzaville and is known for the pygmy people who live nearby...
and Pointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo, following the capital of Brazzaville, and an autonomous department since 2004. Before this date it was the capital of the Kouilou region . It is situated on a headland between Pointe-Noire Bay and the Atlantic Ocean...
. In 1974, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
announced a C$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
5.7 million aid program for Congo-Brazzaville to develop civil aviation
Civil aviation
Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work together to establish common standards and recommended practices...
in the country. The program which was made up of $4,904,000 in grants, and a $880,000 loan, allowed for the overhaul of Lina Congo, in addition to infrastructure in the country. By the late 1970s two Canadian built de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otters had joined the fleet, and the rest of the fleet comprised one DC-3, one Nord 262
Nord 262
|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–1966. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965.* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–1977. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0 354 00538 3....
, two Antonov An-24
Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
s and two Fokker F27
Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
s. In addition a single Douglas DC-6
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
was leased from the Canadian International Development Company.
On 12 March 1992, a Twin Otter of the airline crashed during a thunderstorm near Etsouali
Etsouali
Etsouali or Etsouah is a small town in Lekana District in the Plateaux Department of the Republic of the Congo. It lies in the Lefini Reserve, north of Moembe and around 180 kilometres north of Brazzaville on the N2 road.-History:...
during a flight from Maya Maya Airport in Brazzaville. The crash killed three crew members, but the five passengers survived.
In 2002, the airline was dissolved by the Congolese government after sustaining heavy losses and continuing to be a drain on government coffers.
Fleet
As of August 2006 the Linacongo fleet includes :- 1 De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...