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Avianca Cargo

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Avianca Cargo
IATA ICAO Call sign
QT TPA TAMPA
FoundedMarch 11, 1973; 51 years ago (1973-03-11)
(as Tampa Cargo)
Commenced operationsMay 28, 2013; 11 years ago (2013-05-28)
(as Avianca Cargo)
HubsBogotá
Secondary hubs
SubsidiariesAeroUnion
Fleet size7
Destinations25
Parent companyAvianca Group
HeadquartersMedellín, Colombia
Key peopleGabriel Oliva (CEO)
Founder
  • Luís H. Coulson
  • Capt. Juan Fernando Mesa
  • Capt. Orlando Botero Escobar
  • Capt. Anibal Obando Echeverri
Websitewww.aviancacargo.com

Avianca Cargo (formerly Tampa Cargo - Transportes Aereos Mercantiles PanAmericanos S.A.) is a cargo airline based at José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, Colombia. It is an all-cargo airline transporting flowers from Latin America to Miami, as well as general cargo throughout the Americas.

History

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A Tampa Cargo Douglas DC-6A at Miami International Airport in 1975

The airline was established on March 11, 1973, by Luís H. Coulson, Captain Juan Fernando Mesa, Captain Orlando Botero Escobar, and Captain Anibal Obando Echeverri. It commenced operations with a Douglas DC-6A, which formed part of the initial acquired fleet. These were retired in the early 1980s.[1]

After overcoming several crises due to drug trafficking problems in one of its aircraft, in 1988, Tampa Cargo decided to renew its fleet by bringing Douglas DC-8s with the most modern technology of its time, including GPS positioning systems and CFM engines.

Martinair signed an agreement to acquire a 40% stake in Tampa Cargo in 1996, which was later increased to 58% in 2003.

On July 26, 2003, the company inaugurated its Maintenance Hangar in Rionegro-Antioquia, and the new route to Perú was placed in operation that same year. In September 2004, Tampa Cargo started its fleet renovation by incorporating the Boeing 767-200ER.[2]

Avianca acquired a 100% stake in Tampa Cargo in July 2008.[3]

On February 1, 2010, Tampa Cargo was advised that after concluding the regulatory approval and the approval of competencies required to concrete the union announced in October 2009, Synergy Group, the owner of Avianca, and Kingsland Holding Limited, the owner of Grupo TACA, signed the Agreement through which the closing that started up the strategic union of their businesses was made official, and that the name of the strategic union was AviancaTaca Holding. Then, the holding created the Cargo Vice-Presidency to which Tampa Cargo and its cargo aircraft fleet belong, naming Tampa Cargo the administrator of the Avianca and Taca commercial aircraft capacity.

On September 27, 2011, Avianca ordered four Airbus A330-200Fs to replace the existing Tampa Cargo fleet, with deliveries to commence in December 2012. This made Tampa Cargo the first A330F operator in Latin America.[4]

The airline was rebranded as Avianca Cargo on May 28, 2013.[5]

Destinations

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A Tampa Cargo Boeing 707-320C at Miami International Airport in 1992
A Tampa Cargo Boeing 767-200ER/BDSF at the Old Mariscal Sucre International Airport in 2008

Avianca Cargo operates to the following destinations:[6]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
Argentina Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport
Barbados Bridgetown Grantley Adams International Airport Terminated
Belgium Brussels Brussels Airport Terminated
Brazil Campinas Viracopos International Airport [7]
Curitiba Afonso Pena International Airport
Florianópolis Hercílio Luz International Airport [8]
Manaus Eduardo Gomes International Airport
Vitória Eurico de Aguiar Salles Airport [7]
Chile Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
Colombia Barranquilla Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport
Bogotá El Dorado International Airport Hub
Medellín José María Córdova International Airport Hub
Costa Rica San José Juan Santamaría International Airport
Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Las Américas International Airport
Ecuador Guayaquil José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport
Quito Mariscal Sucre International Airport
El Salvador San Salvador El Salvador International Airport
Guatemala Guatemala City La Aurora International Airport
Mexico Mérida Mérida International Airport Terminated
Mexico City Mexico City International Airport
Netherlands Amsterdam Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Nicaragua Managua Augusto C. Sandino International Airport
Panama Panama City Tocumen International Airport
Paraguay Asunción Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
Ciudad del Este Guaraní International Airport
Peru Lima Jorge Chávez International Airport
Puerto Rico San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Terminated
Spain Zaragoza Zaragoza Airport Terminated
United States Dallas/Fort Worth Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Terminated
Miami Miami International Airport Hub
Uruguay Montevideo Carrasco International Airport
Venezuela Caracas Simón Bolívar International Airport Terminated
Valencia Arturo Michelena International Airport Terminated

Fleet

[edit]

Current

[edit]
An Avianca Cargo Airbus A330-200F approaching Toulouse–Blagnac Airport in 2013

The Avianca Cargo fleet consists of the following aircraft as of May 2024.[9][10]

Avianca Cargo fleet
Aircraft In
service
Orders Notes
Airbus A330-200F 6
Airbus A330-200P2F 2 To be converted from 2024 to 2025.[11]
Airbus A330-300P2F 1 1
Total 7 3

Former

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The airline previously operated the following aircraft:[12][13]

Avianca Cargo former fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Boeing 707-320C 8 1979 1999
Boeing 767-200ER/BDSF 6 2004 2014
Boeing 767-300ERF 1 2011 2015 Transferred to All Nippon Airways
Canadair CL-44 1 1985 1986
Douglas DC-6A 1 1975 1982
Douglas DC-6B 1 1973 1982
Douglas DC-8-55CF 1 1992 1992 Leased from Agro Air
Douglas DC-8-63F 1 1989 1991
Douglas DC-8-71F 5 1992 2007

Accidents and incidents

[edit]
The DC-8-63F, HK-3490X, returning to Miami International Airport after its cargo door opened
  • On October 9, 1994, a Boeing 707-320C (registered HK-3355X) was flying from São Paulo to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. When climbing, the second hydraulic pump light of the engine 3 illuminated. The leak couldn't be stopped and the aircraft returned to São Paulo. The nosegear didn't extend and the main gear didn't lock down and the aircraft slid during the emergency landing. None of the 5 occupants on board were killed.[16]
  • On February 4, 2007, a Douglas DC-8-71F (registered HK-4277), operating a cargo flight to Miami, veered to the right during landing approach. The pilot thought it may have been due to a crosswind, but he soon realized that the right main landing gear had collapsed. The NTSB post-accident investigation later determined that the aircraft's landing gear had collapsed due to improper torque of a landing gear lockbolt by company maintenance personnel during landing gear installation. None of the 3 occupants on board were killed, while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.[17]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ Eastwood, 2007, p. 302
  2. ^ "Tampa Cargo". old.tampacargo.com.co. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  3. ^ "Avianca buys Tampa Cargo". Joc.com. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
  4. ^ The news at Airbus
  5. ^ "TAMPA Cargo now renamed to Avianca Cargo". www.ch-aviation.com. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  6. ^ "Avianca Cargo Netowrk". Aviancacargo.com. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Damian Brett. "Avianca Cargo expands with new Brazil flight". Aircargonews.net. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  8. ^ Jaishankar Chigurula. "Avianca Cargo Expands Connectivity to Brazil with New Route". Expresshealthcaremgmt.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  9. ^ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2019): 12.
  10. ^ "Avianca Cargo Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  11. ^ Robert Luke. "Avianca to add four A330P2Fs by 2025". Cargofacts.com. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  12. ^ "TAMPA Cargo Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  13. ^ "TAMPA fleet". aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  14. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  15. ^ "Incident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  16. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved August 23, 2007.
  17. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved August 23, 2007.
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