Available evidence indicates this block was used almost completely, with only two identities unaccounted for to the present day (LV-AXB and LV-AXK). “Alfa X-Ray” registrations started being used in the 1980’s, went into reserve in the 1990’s and revived in the first five half of the early 2000’s. Most of the block’s earliest allocations (entered in the late 1980’s) were registered to local manufacturer Chincul (a Piper licensee), a distinguishing feature in this registrations range and a testimony of days long-gone for the local aircraft manufacturing industry. Another distinctive feature in the block is that, although Argentine Register regulations ban the repeated use of a given registration, two identities in this block were also (strangely) used twice: LV-AXG and LV-AXP. Originally, they were allocated briefly to Piper Pawnee crop sprayers built by Chincul in Pocito (San Juan) and eventually exported to Brazil. A decade and a half later, however, the registrations were re-used by another pair of crop-sprayers; but this came from foreign, rather than national, manufacturers Cessna (USA) and Pezetel (Poland).
The block contains only three commercial air transport individuals and all of them are worthy of note. As the 1980’s drew to a close, Swedish manufacturer SAAB managed to enter two of their regional SF-340A commuters into the Argentine register (LV-AXV and LV-AXW) by selling them to provincial airlines Transportes Aéreos Neuquén (TAN) and Líneas Aéreas Entre Ríos (LAER). Shortly after the turn of the century, Aerolíneas Argentinas registered its second of three “Queen of the Skies” Boeing 747-400s (LV-AXF); which coincidentally became the last Jumbo Jet flying commercially under Argentine markings (see So long, Jumbo). At least two different sources also identify an Aeroposta Argentina Junkers Ju-52 as being allocated the above mentioned LV-AXB slot in the 1930s, but confirmation (either formal or photographic) will be appreciated. Outstanding general aviation items include Argentina’s first HB-350 Esquilo (LV-AXT), Helicópteros Marinos’ third and last Aerospatiale Dauphin (LV-AXY), Aeroclub Rivadavia’s aerobatic Bellanca Decathlon (LV-AXJ) and one of the few “ugly-ducklings” of the Weatherly family (LV-AXX).
| LV-AXA | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Maule M-4-220C Strata Rocket |
| Serial number (c/n) | 2030C | |
| Last known owner | ||
| Registered | Nov 1986 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Robert Domandl | |
| LV-AXB | ||
| Manufacturer, type and model | Junkers Ju-52 | |
| Serial number (c/n) | 6800 | |
| Last known owner | Aeroposta Argentina | |
| Registered | Unconfirmed | |
| Fate | Believed not taken up, to LV-ZIG in 1950. | |
| Remarks | Named “Ibaté” | |
| LV-AXC | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-25-235 Pawnee |
| Serial number (c/n) | AR25-8656001 | |
| Last known owner | E. J. Pancello | |
| Registered | Oct 1986 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: vía Francisco Halbritter | |
| LV-AXD | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Air Tractor AT-502B |
| Serial number (c/n) | 0694 | |
| Last known owner | Secretaría General de la Gobernación de Córdoba | |
| Registered | Aug 2008 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Horacio Clariá | |
| LV-AXE | ||
| Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-25-235 Pawnee | |
| Serial number (c/n) | AR25-8656003 | |
| Last known owner | Chincul S.A.C.A.I.F.I. | |
| Registered | Oct 1992 | |
| Fate | Exported to Brazil Feb 1995 as PT-OVJ | |
| Remarks | ||
| LV-AXF | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Boeing 747-475 |
| Serial number (c/n) | 24895 (line number 837) | |
| Last known owner | Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A. | |
| Registered | Sep 2004 | |
| Fate | Last scheduled service Feb 2012 | |
| Remarks | Photo: Rafael Reca | |
| LV-AXG | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-25-235 Pawnee |
| Serial number (c/n) | AR25-8656005 | |
| Last known owner | Chincul S.A.C.A.I.F.I. | |
| Registered | Mar 1988 | |
| Fate | Exported to Brazil as PT-OMW | |
| Remarks | Photo: Carlos Ay | |
| LV-AXG #2 | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Cessna A188B Agwagon |
| Serial number (c/n) | 188-02444T | |
| Last known owner | Aaxod S.A. | |
| Registered | Oct 2004 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Fabián Pesikonis | |
| LV-AXH | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-28-181 Archer II |
| Serial number (c/n) | AR28-8690061/AR-0672 | |
| Last known owner | Centro Universitario de Aviación (La Matanza, Buenos Aires) | |
| Registered | Nov 1986 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Carlos Ay | |
| LV-AXI | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-28-181 Archer II |
| Serial number (c/n) | AR28-8690062/AR-0673 | |
| Last known owner | Aeroclub Olavarría (Buenos Aires) | |
| Registered | Dec 1986 | |
| Fate | W/o González Chávez (Buenos Aires) Feb 1991 | |
| Remarks | Photo: Carlos Ay | |
| LV-AXJ | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Bellanca 8KCAB |
| Serial number (c/n) | 633-80 | |
| Last known owner | Aeroclub Rivadavia (Mendoza) | |
| Registered | Dec 1986 | |
| Fate | W/o Rivadavia (Mendoza) Apr 1991 | |
| Remarks | Photo: Martin Kubo | |
| LV-AXL | ||
| Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-28-161 Warrior II | |
| Serial number (c/n) | AR28-16006 | |
| Last known owner | Aeroclub Argentino (San Justo, Buenos Aires) | |
| Registered | Apr 1987 | |
| Fate | W/o San Justo (Buenos Aires) Jul 1987 | |
| Remarks | ||
| LV-AXM | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-28-161 Warrior II |
| Serial number (c/n) | AR28-16007 | |
| Last known owner | S. A. Disanti | |
| Registered | Jun 1987 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: vía Francisco Halbritter | |
| LV-AXN | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Cessna 525 Citation Jet |
| Serial number (c/n) | 525-0327 | |
| Last known owner | Royal Air S.A. (Royal Class) | |
| Registered | Jan 2005 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: DAD – Baires Aviation Photography | |
| LV-AXO | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Beechcraft B200 Super King Air |
| Serial number (c/n) | BB-1877 | |
| Last known owner | Facchini Servicios Aéreos S.A. | |
| Registered | Sep 2004 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Rafael Reca | |
| LV-AXP | ||
| Manufacturer, type and model | Chincul/Piper PA-A-25-235 Pawnee | |
| Serial number (c/n) | ||
| Last known owner | Chincul S.A.C.A.I.F.I. | |
| Registered | ||
| Fate | Exported to Brazil | |
| Remarks | ||
| LV-AXP #2 | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | PZL 106BT-601 Turbo Kruk |
| Serial number (c/n) | 10900242 | |
| Last known owner | Alagro Fumigaciones S.R.L. | |
| Registered | Sep 2004 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Walter Esmoris | |
| LV-AXR | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Cessna A188B Agwagon |
| Serial number (c/n) | 188-02880T | |
| Last known owner | Aaxod S.A. | |
| Registered | Oct 2004 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Marcelo W. Miranda | |
| LV-AXS | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Air Tractor AT-502B |
| Serial number (c/n) | 502B-0692 | |
| Last known owner | O. F. Díaz Ferrari | |
| Registered | Sep 2004 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Marcelo W. Miranda | |
| LV-AXT | ||
| Manufacturer, type and model | Helibras HB-350B Esquilo | |
| Serial number (c/n) | HB-1070/1704 | |
| Last known owner | Panli Aviación S.A. | |
| Registered | Feb 1987 | |
| Fate | W/o Yaconda (Bolivia) Apr 1988 | |
| Remarks | ||
| LV-AXU | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Cessna A188B Agwagon |
| Serial number (c/n) | 188-02895T | |
| Last known owner | Aero Pampa S.R.L. | |
| Registered | Nov 2004 | |
| Fate | ||
| Remarks | Photo: Gonzalo Carballo | |
| LV-AXV | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Saab SF-340A |
| Serial number (c/n) | 340A-094 | |
| Last known owner | Transportes Aéreos Neuquén S.A. | |
| Registered | Sep 1987 | |
| Fate | Returned to SAAB Oct 2000 as N94BN | |
| Remarks | Photo: SAAB | |
| LV-AXW | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Saab SF-340A |
| Serial number (c/n) | 340A-106 | |
| Last known owner | Líneas Aéreas Entre Ríos S.E. | |
| Registered | Nov 1987 | |
| Fate | Returned to SAAB Sep 1989 as SE-FOG | |
| Remarks | Photo: Enrique Argento | |
| LV-AXX | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Weatherly 620 B |
| Serial number (c/n) | 1595 | |
| Last known owner | E. E. Cuellar | |
| Registered | Sep 2004 | |
| Fate | Crashed “El Algarrobal” Settlement (Salta) Feb 2005 | |
| Remarks | Photo: Michael Magnusson | |
| LV-AXY | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Aerospatiale SA-365C-2 Dauphin II |
| Serial number (c/n) | 5073 | |
| Last known owner | Helicópteros Marinos S.A. | |
| Registered | Jun 1987 | |
| Fate | Cancelled May 1988 | |
| Remarks | Photo: Jorge Núñez Padín | |
| LV-AXZ | ||
 |
Manufacturer, type and model | Hawker Siddeley HS-125-400B |
| Serial number (c/n) | 25251 | |
| Last known owner | Nemiro S.R.L. | |
| Registered | Jun 1987 | |
| Fate | Exported to Uruguay as CX-BVD | |
| Remarks | Photo: Christian Amado |
Fuentes: Aeropuerto Sauce Viejo (blog extraoficial), Airlife’s General Aviation (por R. W. Simpson, Airlife Publishing, Inglaterra, 1995), Airliners, Alparamis, Asociación Evangélica “Asamblea del Dios” (Salta), C. Cal et al: Aviación Naval Argentina (SS&CC Ediciones, Argentina, 1984), M. Magnusson & Gabriel Pavlovcic: Registro Completo de Aeronaves Civiles de Argentina 1938-2011 (Tomo 1, Ediciones Argentinidad, Argentina, 2012), R. W. Simpson: Airlife’s General Aviation (Airlife Publishing, Inglaterra, 1995). La versión original de esta historia se publicó en Pista 18 el 29 de septiembre de 2008.
