Campo da aviação - a história pela fotografia: da criação de um aeroclube ao primeiro voo da linha aérea Caxias do Sul/São Paulo (1941/1988)

Abstract

The present work investigates the history of the air club/airport in the city of Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul state, in Brazil, using as a starting point a photographic file provided by the institution. The file covers the period of the institution creation until the first flight of a flight company that connected a countryside city to the capital of another state (1941/1988). The investments in the aviation sector in Brazil started late, even with the enthusiasm of the Brazilians who had performed tests with aircrafts, amateurly, in the first decade of the 20th century. The foundation of the Aero Clube do Brazil (Brazilian Air Club) was in the beginning of the second decade, and the Brazilian aviation sector only received government investments in the period between wars, more precisely during the government of president Vargas, with the instauration of the Estado Novo (New State) 1937/1945, when there was a political campaign for National Aviation. The air club in Caxias do Sul was one many constructions made during Estado Novo, at this time the journalist Assis Chateaubriand arises in the aviation politics scenario with the National Campaign for Aviation with the slogan "Deem asas ao Brasil" (Give wings to Brazil). The campaign has the rule for private companies to donate aircrafts to the air clubs around Brazil. The air club in Caxias do Sul received its first airplane, a Piper Cruiser PA-11-PP TODA, called "Duque de Caxias", on August 24th 1941, also the date of its inauguration, the first airplane donated in the campaign. With the end of the Estado Novo the incentives for aviation decrease, but the air club in Caxias do Sul continues its program to graduate pilots since 1942. In 1952, the air club in Caxias do Sul changes its address, extinguishing its headquarters in the district of Cinquentenário, moving to its current address in the district of Salgado Filho. In the 1960's the air club supported the Legalista (Legal) movement, but in this same period the Military took power, deposing the elected president João Goulart. The Military Regime was a setback for Brazilian aviation, especially for the air clubs. The main hall of Caxias do Sul and the Rio Grande do Sul state government, from 1970's on, united to invest in the air club/airport, paving the lane to receive the president Médici. In this same period the airport was named Hugo Cantergiani during a meeting at the Chamber of Councilmen, and in 1980 the air club/airport got new investment, from the state and the main hall, to turn it into an intercity airport. In the last chapter there will be a card game with images of the Air Club. Therefore, this paper tells the history of the aviation in the city of Caxias do Sul, and the characters that are and were part of a life style, it also creates an opportunity for other scholars to get interested in the topic to contribute with further research, especially regarding women in the aviation sector. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]