Iberia, on the tracks of Christopher Columbus
In 1950, Iberia openly drew a parallel between Christopher Columbus's caravels and its transatlantic aircraft. After the Civil War and Spain's neutrality during World War II, the airline turned toward Spanish-speaking America.
This plan follows the brochure's main branches: Madrid, Azores, Bermuda, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Trinidad, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.
Spanish aviation looks toward the New World.
Connect Madrid to the Americas through transatlantic stages.
Four-engine aircraft suited to postwar long legs.
Fuel, weather, tailwinds and oceanic stops.
Understanding the flight
Iberia's brochure does not hide its symbolic ambition: aircraft replace caravels, and South America becomes Spain's natural continuation.
The route is demanding because several legs go far beyond regional flying. The DC-4 requires real fuel management.
Before departure
- Set RPM, speed and altitude on the DC-4 before long branches.
- On Madrid - Azores - Bermuda, monitor winds and consumption.
- Split North America, Caribbean and South American lines separately.
- Keep credible transatlantic weather, but avoid blind arrivals.
Suggested route
Madrid, Azores and Bermuda
Barajas, Santa Maria and Bermuda form the great oceanic threshold.
LEMD → LPAZ → TXKF
Caribbean and Mexico
Havana, Mexico City, San Juan and Caracas provide the Hispanic-Caribbean gateways.
TXKF → MUHA → MMMX → TJSJ → SVMI
South Atlantic
Las Palmas, Sal, Trinidad, Natal, Montevideo and Buenos Aires shape the South American arc.
SVMI → GCLA → GVAC → TTPP → SBNT → SUMU → SAEZ
Eastern extensions
Links toward Rome, Tel Aviv, Karachi, Calcutta and Manila place Iberia inside a wider ambition.
LEMD → LIRA → LLBG → OPKC → VECC → RPLL
Experience tips
This page works very well as a line log: record winds, remaining fuel and local times.
The Columbus parallel is strong, but keep a modern aviation reading: engines, weather, radios and endurance.
Copyright Michel Lagneau 2013