Paul Lewis/MIAMI
Recently merged cargo carriers Fine Air and Arrow Air are looking to acquire freighters to replace their McDonnell Douglas DC-8-50s.
The newly amalgamated company intends to acquire eight freighters by the middle of next year to replace an equal number of Fine Air's DC-8-50Fs. Both companies continue to operate under their own names. Interest is mainly focused on a freighter version of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, or preferably the -40, with an engine optimised for hot-and-high operations.
"We're looking for an aircraft with an eight to eight-and-half-hour range to connect Latin America directly with Africa, Europe and more points in the USA. The DC-10-40 offers better yield management," says Arrow Air president, Guillermo Cabeza.
Although the Miami-based operator already operates four Lockheed L1011-200 TriStar freighters, the acquisition of additional TriStars does not appear to be favoured. According to Cabeza, it has suffered from poor engine dispatch reliability, which at one stage dropped as low as 70% as the result of gearbox bearing failures. The problem has since been corrected.
The rest of Arrow and Fine Air's two fleets comprises 11 larger DC-8-60Fs, which it hopes to keep operating for 10 more years.
The company is looking at Lima, Peru and Panama as possible new South American hubs in the face of strong local Miami competition. It has launched a new service to Bolivia in conjunction with Lloyd Aereo Boliviano and plans to add Manaus, Brazil, by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Tampa Air Cargo is also planning to re-equip its fleet within the next three years, says president Frederick Jacobsen. The Medellin-based carrier is looking at Boeing 767-200/300Fs, 757-200Fs or 737-300Fs to replace its three DC-8-71s.
The airline wants to expand its US services beyond Miami and is looking at Atlanta, Dallas Fort Worth, Houston and Los Angeles, but this depends on the USA lifting Columbia's category 2 safety rating. It hopes to launch flights to Lima, Madrid, Manaus and expand services to Mexico.
Source: Flight International
