Md.

Azizul Bari
Cosara
An aviation company which will remain
the adventure of one man: Maurice Loubire
COSARA
5 to !" #urc Street
$now %& %u'n ()hi*p +
Sai)on
Turc Street is located near the Saigon River between the even side of Catinat Street
and the Rigault de Genouilly Square.

Marseilles Sai)on
On the steamer ,Le Cap -arella,
In 1929 aurice !oubi"re# a native of arseilles# boarded the $Ca% &arella'# a
stea(er of the $Chargeurs R)unis'# a *rench Stea(shi% co(%any# to do his (ilitary
service in Indochina.

+e was assigned to the Colonial ,rtillery Regi(ent in +anoi. +e learned &ietna(ese
and then beca(e an inter%reter for the C,R.
,fter seventeen years in business with Socony-Safcat.
#he #on.in /a)odas

Standard .il and the / Co(%toirs G)n)rau0 de !1Indochine 2 %ulled off a
(asterstro3e when he obtained by hi(self an order for a hundred / 4erliet-
Ga5obois 2 truc3s for the CGI. ,t the ti(e# gasoline was (ore than rationed and
vehicles ran on charcoal gas and rice alcohol to re%lace %etrol. The renewal of
hostilities forced aurice !oubi"re to leave the co(%any to ta3e u% his %ost at the
Colonial ,rtillery Regi(ent.
In Se%te(ber 1962 he started his own co(%any7
8!es Co(%tiors des Industries !ocales8# a business %roviding su%%lies and food to the
ar(y troo%s.
*ive years later# considering the events and difficulties in resu%%lying in a ti(ely
(anner the troo%s scattered all over the country with fresh food# aurice !oubi"re
starts thin3ing about ta3ing advantage of the nu(erous unused s(all air%orts built
by the 9a%anese. +e therefore %lans to acquire an air%lane for the trans%ort of freight
on de(and.
.n Se%te(ber 9th# 196:# he %uts down his statutes to the Cha(ber of Co((erce in
Saigon and thus transfor(s his first business into a cor%oration with a ca%ital of one
hundred thousand %iasters. +e %rovides seventy-five thousand# and his associate#
one of his &ietna(ese friends# adds twenty-five thousand..
C.S,R, ;Co(%toirs Saigonnais de Ravitaille(ents< is born.
The offices are at Turc Street in Saigon.
#he head0uarters on #urc Street

Cosara
= to 1># Turc Street
Saigon
Tel 7 C,.=?6# 21.>=: and 21.1>1
This is one of the first civil aviation co(%anies in Indochina to assure do(estic lines
over the rebellious territories.
Se%te(ber 1st# 196:# C.S,R, leases a first 9un3ers =2 fro( the ST, ;Soci)t)
Transatlantique ,)rienne# o%erating in ,frica but whose headquarters are in @aris<.
They obtain %er(ission fro( the director of Civil ,viation in Indochina# Colonel !afon#
to o%erate an air trans%ort service to haul freight on de(and# resu%%ly foodstuffs#
shi%%ing# and charter shi%s and river and air trans%ort with an e0ce%tion for
%assengers on the following lines7
- Saigon Soctrang# return tri%
- Saigon @hno(-@enh# return tri%
- Saigon !aos# trans%ort of %assengers is authori5ed without conditions.
#he passen)er hall of COSARA on #urc Street" Sai)on

,t year1s end a second 9u=2 is leased fro( the sa(e co(%any. ST, acquires several
shares in C.S,R,.
These 9u=21s are %ro%eller-driven air%lanes with a load ca%acity of two tons and their
cruising s%eed is three hundred 3ilo(eters %er hour.
COSARA1s truc.s
The branch of the food resupply business to the troops stays busy with 5 trucks going full
blast. Additionally, COSARA sets up road links between the city center and the airports
for goods and travelers with !"sobloc# trucks, for which it is the sole agent in the $ar%
&ast'
(The Airplane on the Road(, nice na)e for transportation.
#he Airplane on the Road

, few (onths later# C.S,R, as3s the +igh Co((isioner for Civil ,viation to the
%er(ission to %urchase two Aa3otas due to the great de(and for cargo trans%ort.
@er(ission is granted on 12BC2B196? on the condition that an Indochina branch be
established so that the equi%(ent would serve only the local econo(y. It was doneD
The ca%ital of C.S,R, increases to five hundred thousand %iasters while retaining
the E - F between aurice !oubi"re and his associate.
The 8 Soci)t) Transatlantique ,)rienne d1G0trH(e-.rient 8 ;ST,G.< is born and
beco(es the aviation branch of C.S,R,.
r. !oubi"re is the (anager while re(aining the CG. of C.S,R,# General Girier#
already the ad(inistrator of the ST,# beco(es the technical advisor to ST,G.# and
eyer is the Chief @ilot. @h. +o) re(ains the co((ercial (anager.
*or its ST,G. branch# C.S,R, requests authori5ation to fly over Indochina# once
again for freight and %assengers. Colonel Charles !afon# still the head of Civil
,viation in Indochina# grants the request. C.S,R, beco(es the freight-hauler for
ST,G..
.ne# then two and finally three AC-> Aa3otas are %urchased fro( Swissair in
Swit5erland and ST,G. %ays off its %urchases in two years with a %ercentage on
flight hours.
COSARA1s fleet

On the left, a DC-3 Douglas-Dakota
On the right, a SO30 Bretagne
These AC->1s have a huge %otential co(%ared to the 9u=21s. They can carry thirty-
two %assengers# can haul u% to eight tons of freight# and are equi%%ed with two @ratt
I Jhitney engines. ,dditionally# they can be co(%letely stri%%ed of their interior
co(fort features for troo% trans%ort.
,ll would be %erfect if not for this inter(inable war...
They carry everything# full or e(%ty bas3ets# all sorts of (aterials# fowl such as
chic3ens# duc3s# geese in cages and %igs on the hoof but with dia%ers if you
%lease...# so as not to soil the floor with urine# and of course cereals K rice# wheat#
foodstuffs# coffee# and a lot of other bales of a%%ro0i(ate content.
Lew sto%s a%%ear on the route (a% 7 Saigon K Tourane K+ue K +anoi K @hno( @enh
K Tranninh K +ue - Soctrang.
C.S,R, re(ained a business of su%%lies and food for troo%s and branched out into
%ublic trans%ortation on the Tan Son Lhut and Cholon with five 8Isoblocs8 for
su%%lying ar(a(ents shi%s# four buses and four touring cars also are added to the
already i(%ressive %ar3 of 8,ir%lanes of the Road8.
The staff of both co(%anies C.S,R,BST,G. is now quite nu(erous and the
(isdeeds of war aren1t hel%ing things.
r. !oubi"re innovates by building houses reserved for the( and their fa(ilies. .
In 1969 C.S,R, builds an air o%erations base at Tan Son Lhut air%ort# with a stoc3
of s%are %arts and a re%air sho% for the (aintenance of its fleet. It (oves its
headquarters to Aalat# at Lo. ># Graffeuil ,venue.
It beco(es the contract su%%lier for the Chargeurs R)unis of the erchant arine as
well as for the Co((ission des .rdinaires of Tourane. ,ll shares of ST, are bought
bac3 by C.S,R, which beco(es the (aMor stoc3holder in its co(%anies
;C.S,R,BST,G.<.
The ST,G. Co(%any# still headquartered in Saigon# changes its status as a !.!.C. to
a cor%oration. It also changes its deno(ination and beco(es the ,ir Trans%ort
Co(%any of the *ar-Gast ;Soci)t) des Trans%orts ,)riens d1G0trH(e-.rient<. Its
already-3nown logo# ST,G.# is not changed# however its ca%ital is changed and now
e0ceeds two (illlions si0 hundred thousand %iasters ;a %iaster is worth seventeen
francs at the ti(e< and the distribution of shares includes ,ir *rance with this new
status.
Sur%risingly# it1s the C.S,R, logo which will be retained forever# as well as the
headings on all (ail whether concerning one or the other co(%any# for the eight
years of its e0istence in Indochina. .
*inally# after (any# (any requests# the authori5ation to trans%ort %assengers
8officially8 in addition to cargo is granted. They were doing it anyway# but 8on the
sly8. , new air route a%%ears7 Saigon- @hno( @enh K Soctrang K @hanThiet KTourane
-+ue- &ientiane -Aalat.
@rince Savang !uang @rabang agrees to be a (e(ber of the board of ST,G. to
re%resent the !aotian grou%.
C.S,R, requires the services of ,ir *rance in the event of a shortage of its own
%lanes. ,ir *rance has trouble assuring its connections# and C.S,R, would li3e to
use the o%en slots# but the (ono%oly of the (aMor co(%any %revents this. In the
end# ad(iral +)brard# re%resenting ,ir *rance endorses C.S,R, for scheduled flights
on nearly all the do(estic routes in Indochina# e0ce%t those said to be long-haul
such as Saigon K +anoi# and Saigon K +ai%hong.
It is only as of 19=C that C.S,R, is able to use these two (ain routes.
#he COSARA staff
On the left the crew of a COSARA airplane.
On the right, Maurice ou!i"re, white shirt, gre# trousers $legs apart%, &u'ping for
&o# upon (eli)er# of his new SO30 airplane.
The war is always %resent and results in nu(erous woundedN C.S,R, %rovides its
air%lanes for the trans%ortation of the wounded.
This is an e0cer%t of a letter that colonel Cr"vecoeur sent to aurice !oubi"re# which
relates the tragic events in Indochina in these days of 1969# and s%ea3s of the
usefulness of the air trans%ort co(%anies in action7
*+n ,-.- COSARA ren(ere( a )alua!le ser)ice to the /0pe(itionar# Corps, following
an engage'ent in the )icinit# of Soctrang, it e)acuate( a large nu'!er of woun(e(,
two whole planeloa(s. 1hen the rei'!urse'ent )ouchers to were sent to #ou to
co)er the transportation e0penses, #ou returne( the' to the Co''an(er in Chief
telling hi' that #ou (i( not wish to !e pai( for the transport of woun(e( sol(iers,
!ut si'pl# wishe( to pro)i(e i'partial assistance to the /0pe(itionar# Corps an( to
show !# this si'ple gesture that #ou wishe( to participate in their efforts an( their
sacrifices.
2eneral Blai3ot has aske( 'e to e0press his thanks an( the gratitu(e of the
/0pe(itionar# Corps...
Colonel de Crvecur.
It is now 19=C.
The C.S,R,-ST,G. %air is classified 2nd a(ong air trans%ort co(%anies and enMoys
a%%roval of both the %ublic and the ,siatic co((unity# and beco(es (ore and (ore
%ros%erous.
This awa3ens and e0%oses Mealousies and latent controversies.
Gs%ecially when C.S,R, %ublishes# without awaiting (inisterial decisions# an
advertise(ent which highlights its new low rates for daily flights on the route
coveted by ,ir *rance.
COSARA advertisement
*ro( 19=1 to 19=> four new AC->s will be added to C.S,R,1s fleet. 4ut all goes
very quic3ly# and the war is still onD
C.S,R, see3s aircraft with a greater s%eed than the Aa3otas# since these are
beco(ing scarce on the (ar3etD
C.S,R,1s air%lanes as well as those of other airlines are requisitioned for troo%
trans%ort.
C.S,R, is no(inated for the Great Cross of the !egion of +onor (ilitary (edal for
services rendered7
45or transporting 630 'ilitar# passengers fro' Saigon to 7anoi in ,0 airplanes on
,0, ,,, ,6 Dece'!er ,-8, with 69 passengers !# DC-34.
In 19=2 a C.S,R, AC-> Aa3ota is shot down by the &iet inh at @han ThietN there
were only inMuries.
,t this ti(e it is very difficult# if not i(%ossible# to find AC-> Aa3otas in good
condition on the (ar3et. C.S,R, obtains authori5ation to o%erate two S.>C
4retagne which were added to the fleet on 26 9uly# 19=2.
*rench-(ade# these aircraft are not favored by the airlines.
They are twin-engine# @ratt I Jhitney# seating 6> %assengers in two rows. They are
%ressuri5ed# the e%ito(e of lu0ury# the s%acious holds have a ca%acity of 19 tons of
%ayload and their s%eed is 6CC O(Bh.
*ollowing negotiations with the director of SLC,P. and the a%%roval of the ,ir
inistry# the contract is signed on 26 9uly# 19=2. The crews and engineers of ST,G.
arrive fro( Saigon for training at &illacoublay.
,ll %er(its are been obtained7 that of the Airector of Civil ,viation in Indochina# the
written a%%roval of the +igh-Co((issioner# that of the inisters of ,ssociated
States# Trans%ort# *inance# and ,ir# and stillQ
@ublicity for these acquisitions is gigantic for the ti(e and a%%ears in nu(erous
news%a%ers7 !e *igaro# atch# *rance-Indochine# !es ,iles# *rance .utre-er# etc.
,fter having been dee(ed $*it and good for service' by the %ilots# the two S.>C
head for Saigon# their ho(e base# with a %lanned sto% in Lice.
They are christened in this beautiful city by G(%ress La( @huong# wife of 4Ro AaS#
the last 3ing of ,nna( and G(%eror of &ietna(. The first S.>C gets the na(e 4ac
+ac# or Jhite Swan# and the second &an +uong# or @in3 Cloud. They then ta3e off
again and land in ,thens# Aa(ascus# Lew Aelhi# and Calcutta. They arrive at their
destination on ,ugust first.
These two air%lanes bring a s%eed of trans%ort that did not yet e0ist to Indochina#
and of course create friction with other co(%anies in the field.
*ro( their first flight out of Tan Son Lhut# wha(D *light %rohibition# so(e technical
defects# it would see(. @assengers and cargo had to be unloaded. Indeed# ,ir
&ietna(# which was Must founded# enMoys the (ono%oly on do(estic and long-haul
routes# which short-circuits the i((ediate use of these flying (onsters and
challenges their %rofitability with at least one hundred flight hours a (onth. ,t first
they will be used to the advantage of the (ilitary.
,fter (any considerations and letters to the a%%ro%riate authorities# the Saigon-+ue-
+anoi traffic starts u% again as well as all the other routes that C.S,R, for(erly
flew. They retain a third of all the do(estic routes.
any tons of freight are trans%orted for the (ilitary and in 19=> alone over 6: flights
are logged Must for %arachute dro%s.
4etween 19=> and the end of 19=6# two AC-> Aa3otas and five new S.>C 4retagnes
are %urchased by C.S,R,.
+ar(ony a(ong airline o%erators in the territory of Indoichina re(ains a %er(anent
issue.
Auring .%eration 8Cognac8 TCCC %eo%le would be evacuated by C.S,R,.
,fter the Geneva accords signed on 2C 9uly# 19=6# Indochina is divided into two
%arts at the 1:th %arallel.
In 19== C.S,R, ceases all activity. ,s a result of the country being divided in two
the airlines can no longer function.
C.S,R, sells its AC->1s to ,ir &ietna( and its S.>C1s to the *rench Lavy. It leaves
behind a base of air o%erations at Tan Son Lhut which has beco(e an International
air%ort# and this base will be used by ,ir &ietna(.
#he SO!2 3reta)ne
the fastest commercial aircraft in 4ndochina

Total nu(ber of aircraft for the C.S,R,-ST,G. co(%any7
- 2 9u=2
- : AC> Aa3otas
- : S.>C 4retagne
, total of TC#CCC hours flown and ?#9>C#CCC 3ilo(eters traveled.
- In 196: it too3 6 to = days to fly fro( Saigon to @aris# today it ta3es hardly a day.
- In 1969 it too3 6 hours 1= (in to fly fro( Saigon to +anoi..
;%er *rance .utre-(er Muly 1969<
- aurice !oubi"re did not see &ietna( again until 1991# and returned co(%letely
disenchanted# unable to recogni5e the country he had so loved.
onique !oubi"re
Sai)on airport in 565
,ll the facts of this te0t were found and drawn fro( official docu(ents.
,rchives of the inistry of Civil and ilitary ,viation.
,rchives of the inistry of the ,r(y
.verseas archives
aga5ines / !e *ana de !1,viation 2 ;The ,viation *an<# Los. 222# 22># and thos
na(ed in the te0t.
@hotos# (a%s# and advertising fro( the %ersonal collection of ona !oubi"re
@hotos of C.S,R, vehicles co(e fro( the Lational .verseas ,rchives in ,i0 en
@rovence.