Colombian airline Aerosucre retires an airplane. Colombian airline Aerosucre retires its cargo airplane Boeing 737-200 from its fleet, marking the end of the operational life of one of the country’s most iconic commercial aviation models. The aircraft, registered as HK-5026 and owned by the company, made its final international flight in Colombian airspace on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, departing from El Dorado International Airport in Bogota bound for Maiquetia International Airport in Venezuela, where it is expected to continue providing services for a local cargo operator.
Founded in 1962, Aerosucre has established itself as an indispensable player in logistics supply across Colombia’s border regions. In a market where ground transportation infrastructure is nonexistent or inadequate, the company competes with and complements the services of the state-owned SATENA and independent operators, undertaking the mass transport of medical supplies, food, and heavy cargo to the most remote areas of the country.
A veteran with 45 years of history
The retired aircraft had been in service for 45 years since its original manufacture in 1981, when it began its operational life carrying passengers for the German airline Lufthansa. After operating on several continents, Aerosucre acquired it in 2013 and commissioned its structural conversion to a freighter configuration at LATAM’s specialized workshops in Chile. With its retirement, Colombia bids farewell to the oldest commercial aircraft still actively flying international routes.
The retirement of this twin-engine aircraft also represents a historic milestone on a national scale. A decade ago, Boeing 737-200 series aircraft were the standard for heavy cargo transport in the country; however, due to environmental and cost restrictions, this aircraft had become the last of its type operating with a Colombian commercial airline.
Among the airline’s veteran pilots, there is a consensus that flying the 737-200 demanded superior technical skill compared to today’s technologies. The absence of modern automation required crews to maintain constant attention to analog instruments and perform very precise manual management of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D engines’ thrust. Therefore, its retirement evokes a deep sense of nostalgia within the industry, shared by those who champion the era of purely mechanical aviation.
In hangars, on social media, and among pilots and aviation enthusiasts, the HK-5026 earned widespread affection under two very particular nicknames. The first, “La Mojarra”, derived from its striking paint scheme, which featured wavy red and orange lines on the vertical stabilizer and the rear of the fuselage, resembling the scale pattern of the Caribbean fish.
The second, purely technical and acoustic in nature, was “El Bulloso” (The Noisy One), christened by aircraft observers due to the characteristic thunderous sound of its older-generation engines upon takeoff.
The social impact of technological change
The retirement of the HK-5026 is strictly due to the pursuit of operational efficiency and reduced logistical costs. Despite its proven ability to land on critical and short runways, the high fuel consumption of older-generation turbines and the rising cost of maintenance components accelerated its technological replacement.
During its years based in Bogotá, the aircraft primarily served supply routes to Mitu, Inirida, Puerto Carreño, and Leticia. The change of aircraft has generated mixed expectations in the communities of the Colombian Amazon and Orinoquia regions, where the roar of its engines was synonymous with the arrival of essential supplies. Aerosucre’s commitment is to ensure that connectivity in these regions is not disrupted during the transition.
The freed-up cargo capacity will be handled entirely by twin-engine Boeing 737-300 and 737-400 aircraft equipped with CFM56 engines. The airline’s technical management confirmed in a statement that these modern models reduce fuel consumption per ton transported by more than 20% and significantly decrease the noise footprint, allowing for strict compliance with current environmental noise mitigation regulations at international airports in the region.