Varig Varig VARIG (acronym for Viação Aérea RIo-Grandense, "Rio Grandean Airways") was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990, it was Brazil's leading airline, and virtually its only international one. In 2005, Varig went into judicial re-organisation, and in 2006 it was split into two companies – Flex Linhas Aéreas, informally known as "old" Varig, heir to the original airline and now defunct, and "new" Varig, a new company fully integrated into Gol Airlines. "Sociedade Anônima Empresa de Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense – VARIG" was the first national airline established in Brazil. It was founded on in
Indigo Airlines (American airline) approval and was granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. In its initial operations the company distributed a request for proposal to several aerospace manufacturers for a new regional business jet to eventually replace its initial aircraft. The Brazilian Embraer Legacy was a customized business jet version of the Embraer regional airline aircraft. Indigo was the first U.S. certified commercial operator of the Legacy and launched service with the then new stage 4 aircraft in 2003 in a 16-seat all business-class service. Former senior American Airlines executive and American Eagle President Peter Pappas was hired as manager, during the