volavi was born in 2005, as Aviacol.net, from the idea of two young aviation lovers and enthusiasts. Their plan was to create a Web Portal, community style, where they could gather all of the colombian aeronautical industry sectors.  Since then, volavi has had great growth in Colombia, becoming one of the most recognized websites about aviation and travel.  Nowadays, the website is run and managed by professionals in the aviation and travel industry, including pilots and aviation/travel specialized journalists. We have evolved after 15 years and now we focus on the aviation, travel and tourism industries, hence our slogan: fly · travel · live (volar · viajar · vivir in Spanish).

Our Staff

Pablo Andrés Ortega – Co-founder. Commercial pilot (currently flying the Airbus A320 as Captain for a major colombian carrier), computer and systems engineer and photography enthusiast. He is in charge of technical matters in volavi and is responsible for website maintenance and server administration.  Some of his pictures have appeared on magazines such as Avión Revue and on books as well.

Andrés Ramírez – Co-founder (retired from the project in 2018). Commercial pilot, aviation photographer and enthusiast.  He has lived in 4 different countries and three different continents, and visited more than 30 (hopefully more in the future), always pursuing aviation related objectives and learning about aviation and travel as much as he can doing it, he enjoys trying different airlines, airports and airplanes.  Some of his pictures have appeared in aviation magazines around the world, Scramble and Avión Revue, Airline Magazine and on various books on aviation related matters from different publishers.  He was the colombian correspondent for FLAP Magazine from Brazil until 2013, having written articles and published pictures there.

Nicolás Sánchez – Commercial Director. Network marketing and commercial consultant.  He has worked for more than 10 years in the well being and health sectors with a japanese multinational.  He brings all this experience and his love and fascination with the aviation and travel industries to volavi as our Commercial Director.

Javier Franco – Journalist (retired from the project in 2017), worked as correspondent and aviation photographer since 2006.  He has written articles for several magazines around the world including Scramble, Flieger Revue, Avion Revue, Revista Aeronáutica, among others.  He has held correspondent work with the Colombian Air Force, and covered events for volavi in Panama, USA, Chile, France and other countries. 

Colombian aeronautical tradition is extensive and rich in contents, being the oldest and one of the most consolidated ones in Latin America. It is also one of the oldest in the world. Aviation has been part of Colombia’s development and growth since 1919, making it part of Colombian people’s history and lives since very early in the past century and creating a strong relationship between the colombian people and aviation. That’s why they say that Colombia went straight from the mule to the airplane! With this also comes a passion for travel and tourism, industries we have started to cover since 2020.

Our commitment and Services

volavi’s main purpose is to provide the community, in Colombia and the world, with a Web site to find information and content related to the aviation, travel and tourism industries.

In 2020 we celebrate 15 years of continuous presence on the Internet, consolidating our position as one of the most important and recognized Aviation websites in Colombia and one of the most important ones in the region (Latin America). With our new endeavours, we aim at also becoming a reference point for the travel and tourism industries in the region.

volavi Consolidated

volavi has been able to consolidate its position, after more than 15 years of operation and continuous presence on the Internet, as an important aviation reference in Colombia and the region, and as an independent media outlet with an important each in aviation related content in the country. Since 2020 we work to expand these achievements to the travel and tourism industries.

Throughout the years, we have been invited to important events for the aeronautical industry, locally and internationally, and have forged trust relationships with the main players of the region’s aeronautical industry, including authorities, airlines, regulatory agencies, companies, and other institutions.

volavi has made presence in important aviation milestones during the past years and our commitment is to keep the hard work to provide our community with relevant, up to date, and accurate information.

During the last years we have been part of these important events, some of which we have participated exclusively as the only colombian media invited.

-Locally:

  • Armenia Airshow (2009).
  • Delivery of Avianca’s  Airbus fleet (A330 – A320).
  • Delivery of Tampa Cargo’s first A330 freighter.
  • Avianca’s new brand and image presentation.
  • Coverage of all versions of F-AIR in Rionegro.
  • Seminars and events hosted by ATAC.
  • Events hosted by OPAIN.
  • Events hosted by Aerocivil.
  • Events and press conferences hosted by major national and international carriers: Avianca, LAN Colombia (LATAM), Copa Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Interjet, Aeromexico.

-Internationally:

  • Invitation by Airbus to visit their factory in Toulouse, France. (2015 – Exclusive invitation – Only Colombian media to assist.)
  • Invitation by LATAM Airlines to LATAM Legacy “Legado LATAM” event, held in Santiago de Chile and Sao Paulo. (2015 – Exclusive invitation – Only Colombian media to assist).
  • Invitation by LATAM Airlines to their cargo distribution center in Miami, FL, USA. (2015)
  • Invitation by Gulf Coast Avionics to Sun N Fun International Fly-in and Expo in Lakeland, FL, USA. (2014)
  • Invitation by Ecuador Aviation Photography and New Mariscal Sucre Airport to UIO Spotting event 2 in Quito, Ecuador. (2016 – Exclusive invitation – Only Colombian media to assist. 2018)
  • Invitation by Mexico Air Spotters to different spotting events in Mexico City. (2013 – 2014)
  • FIDAE versions 2012, 2014 and 2016.
  • TAM Airbus 350 presentation flight from Sao Paulo to Manaus. (2015 – Exclusive invitation – Only Colombian media to assist.)

volavi looking forward

As we navigate the half of our second decade, we are looking forward to continue building this legacy by improving and enhancing user experience, leaning our design and improving our processes.  

Additionally, since 2020, we have expanded our content offer to cover travel and tourism industries as well. Keeping loyal to our inception (aviation), we will also provide insights on the world of travel and tourism, now enticing not only those inclined to aviation and its inner workings, but also those with an interest on the whole experience of going places and getting to know the world.

With renewed energy, and a new website, we look forward to fulfilling all this and continue to be the choice of thousands of readers each month.