Atlantic Airlines expand their ATP fleet
An eighth BAE Systems ATP has been delivered from the BAE Bucharest engineering operation to Atlantic Airlines’ Coventry base. When ‘on line’, in about three months’ time, the aircraft will become the carrier’s eighth operational ATP.
“We have been delighted with the ATP,” said the airline’s managing director Russell Ladkin. “With an 8.2 tonne (78 cu/m) capacity it complements perfectly our Electra fleet (15 tonnes) and the even larger aircraft that we operate. One of the ‘planes great advantages is that no special loading and unloading equipment is required, the floor of the aircraft being of standard height. A very quick turnaround can be accomplished.”
Originally founded (as Air Atlantique) in 1969, and subject to a full management buyout in 2004, Atlantic Airlines operates a fleet of over 20 aircraft, with a further three ATPs expected to be delivered this year to bring the total fleet up to the 11 originally planned. It is the UK’s largest independent cargo carrier.
Some 67 ATPs were built by BAE in the late 1980s, most of them going to British Airways. The aircraft was the final development of the successful Avro 748. Virtually all are still in airline service, the vast majority converted to freighters.
“Our ATPs are configured to operate either as fully containerised aircraft with Atlantic Airlines own handling system and containers (which can also be used in the Electras) or as a fully bulk loaded aircraft with a vertical transverse net configuration, providing up to a maximum of nine individual loading zones,” Mr Ladkin pointed out. “In either configuration, bulk or containerised the Atlantic Airlines layout offers the greatest available volume on this aircraft type to our customers.”
The initial door conversion for the Atlantic Airlines aircraft is undertaken by BAE in Bucharest with a large freight door being installed. It is then ferried to Coventry with the interior stripped out.
Out goes the wiring that was used for the passenger systems but in comes new smoke detectors and lighting that are required for the cargo compartment Class E modification. Longitudinal supports and seat tracks are added along the full length of the cabin to allow installation of cargo segregation nets for bulk loading. All the cabin windows are removed, replaced with metal blanks and reinforcing doublers are added to the forward fuselage as well as structure for a 9G structural net and smoke curtain.
The whole cabin is trimmed out with cargo bay liner and sealed. Finally a roller system is then installed into the floor tracks to allow the carriage of containers which allows unrivalled turnaround times of 20 minutes to be achieved on this class of aircraft.
This whole process takes only 12 weeks and involves the manufacture and installation of over 2,000 additional structural parts.
For more information please contact:
Tony Auld, CEO Atlantic Airlines
024 7688 2631 tonyauld@atlanticairlines.co.uk
or
Russell Ladkin, md Atlantic Airlines
07733 100457 russellladkin@atlanticairlines.co.uk
or Malcolm Ginsberg Tel: 01707 665454 malcolm@ginsberg.co.uk