SNETA

SNETA (Syndicat National d'Etude du Transport Aérienne) is a former Belgian airline which operated from 1919 to 1923 in order to pioneer commercial aviation in Belgium. In 1923 it ceased operations and merged into the national carrier SABENA.

History

The company was founded on 31 March 1919 by Georges Nélis with the support of King Albert I of Belgium. It operated from the airfield at Haren and flew to London, Paris and Amsterdam. Amongst the pilots of SNETA was Ivan Vasilyevich Smirnov. It's initial fleet was made up out of surplus planes from the First World War. The company used British, French and German planes:

• 3 Breguet 14
• 3 De Havilland Airco DH.9
• 3 Rumpler C.IV.

Later the company acquired also Farman F.60 Goliaths and Fokker D.VIIs.

In 1921 the company started operating in the Belgian Congo through its subsidiary CENAC (Comité d' Etude pour la Navigation Aérienne du Congo) flying to Matadi, Leopoldville and Stanleyville using the Lévy-Le Pen.

On 27 September 1921 a wooden hanger burned out destroying 7 of SNETA's 23 airplanes.

References

• Tillo Behaeghe, Aimé Behaeghe, De eerste piloot in Centraal Afrika, Hangar Flying, Grimbergen, 2008
• Weather & Avation Page - SNETA
• SNETA Timetables and Prices