Air Foyle HeavyLift
Encyclopedia
For the Australian Cargo Airline see: HeavyLift Cargo Airlines
Air Foyle HeavyLift was an aviation company based in Bishop's Stortford
, United Kingdom
. It specialized in heavy air cargo services. It was the worldwide sales agent for Antonov Airlines
of Kiev
, Ukraine
. This relationship ceased in June 2006 and Antonov Airlines now operates a joint venture marketing company Ruslan International with Volga-Dnepr
JS Cargo Airlines of Russia.
Air Foyle started operations as an executive air charter company with one Piper Aztec
aircraft in 1978. It grew its fleet of Aztec, Navajo and Chieftain aircraft by carrying passenger, cargo and aerial survey flights. In 1979 it pioneered the overnight carriage of courier traffic between the UK and Europe operating a nightly flight between Luton and Brussels for Skypak (later a TNT company). In 1985 it started providing larger cargo aircraft to TNT
, by then its principal cargo customer, using wet leased Handley Page Dart Herald
aircraft operating nightly from Birmingham to Nuremberg and Hannover and these were later replaced by a BAC One-Eleven
jet cargo aircraft and then by a Boeing 737-200QC
aircraft wet leased from Aer Lingus
. When TNT announced that it would order 72 British Aerospace 146 aircraft converted to freighters, Air Foyle won the contract to operate these aircraft on behalf of TNT, then an Australian company. This operation commenced in May 1987 with one BAe 146 aircraft and rapidly expanded to ten such aircraft which Air Foyle then operated for thirteen years for TNT on a nightly schedule from various airports in the UK and mainland Europe into TNT's hub in Cologne and later Liège
.
In 1985 Air Foyle took delivery of the first production Edgley Optica
OA7 aerial observation aircraft. Subsequently while being operated by Hampshire Police this aircraft was tragically destroyed in a fatal accident.
In 1994 Air Foyle won a contract to operate one Lockheed L-100 Hercules and one Ilyushin Il-76
aircraft on permanent 24/7 standby for Oil Spill Response Ltd, to provide immediate response on a worldwide basis in the event of a major oil spillage.
Adopting the TNT aircraft management principle, Air Foyle and then its sister passenger airline Air Foyle Passenger Airlines operated a variety of aircraft including Boeing 737-200, 737-300, 727-200, Airbus A320 and A300 for a number of airline and virtual airline customers including EasyJet
, Sunseeker, Sabre, Virgin Express
, Debonair
, Color Air
, and Air Scandic
from 1993 until 2000.
heavy cargo aircraft.
Between 1998 and 2000 Air Foyle bid an AN-124 solution for the Ministry of Defence
Short-Term Strategic Airlift (STSA) procurement. After a protracted procurement process, Ministers in the Ministry of Defence chose a very much more expensive Boeing C-17 solution. Air Foyle believed it had been misled during the procurement process about the basis for decision on the procurement. The Comptroller and Auditor General
's later concluded that the procurement process was "that the Department has not fully followed its own preferred practice in evaluating the Short Term Strategic Airlift proposals, but there is no evidence of illegality."
In July 2001 Air Foyle HeavyLift became the worldwide General Sales Agent of the Antonov Design Bureau of Kiev, a function previously held from July 1989 by Air Foyle, one of the two 50% shareholders in Air Foyle Heavylift. Air Foyle Heavylift was not only responsible for the sales and marketing of charters and leases of Antonov's fleet of Antonov An-124-100
, Antonov An-225
and Antonov An-22
heavylift cargo aircraft, but also for their complete commercial and operational management.
Antonov terminated the joint venture on 30 June 2006 to allow it to pursue a joint marketing venture with its erstwhile Russian competitor Volga-Dnepr
under the name Ruslan International, in which it has a 50% stake.
Air Foyle and Air Foyle HeavyLift ceased trading in July 2006 and it is anticipated will be closed in 2009.
AFH closed for business on 31 July 2006.
Heavylift Cargo Airlines
For the former UK Cargo Airline see: Air Foyle HeavyLiftHeavylift Cargo Airlines Pty Ltd is a cargo airline headquartered in Sydney, Australia. It started operations in 2004 and operates scheduled and charter cargo services. Its main base is Brisbane Airport...
Air Foyle HeavyLift was an aviation company based in Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It specialized in heavy air cargo services. It was the worldwide sales agent for Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...
of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. This relationship ceased in June 2006 and Antonov Airlines now operates a joint venture marketing company Ruslan International with Volga-Dnepr
Volga-Dnepr
Volga-Dnepr Airlines, LLC is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services, but specialises in outsize cargo operations using the world's largest fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. It is a world leader in the global market for the movement of...
JS Cargo Airlines of Russia.
History
Air Foyle HeavyLift was established in February 2001 and started operations in October 2001. It was formed as a joint venture between Air Foyle (established on 3 May 1978) and HeavyLift Cargo Airlines (founded as TAC HeavyLift on 31 October 1978). The latter ceased operations in its own right, but the joint venture continued to operate successfully. The company was owned by Air Foyle (50%) and HC Holdings (50%). The company's Chairman and joint CEO was Christopher Foyle, also Chairman of Foyle's bookshop.Air Foyle started operations as an executive air charter company with one Piper Aztec
Piper Aztec
-Accidents and incidents:*On 18 April 1974, Aztec G-AYDE was involved in a ground collision with BAC One-Eleven G-AXMJ at London Luton Airport after the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without clearance. He was killed and his passenger was injured...
aircraft in 1978. It grew its fleet of Aztec, Navajo and Chieftain aircraft by carrying passenger, cargo and aerial survey flights. In 1979 it pioneered the overnight carriage of courier traffic between the UK and Europe operating a nightly flight between Luton and Brussels for Skypak (later a TNT company). In 1985 it started providing larger cargo aircraft to TNT
TNT N.V.
TNT N.V., more commonly known as TNT, is an international express and mail delivery services company with headquarters in Hoofddorp, Netherlands. In the Netherlands, TNT operates the national postal service under the name TNT Post. The group also offers postal services in eight other European...
, by then its principal cargo customer, using wet leased Handley Page Dart Herald
Handley Page Dart Herald
The Handley Page Dart Herald was a 1950s British turboprop passenger aircraft.-Design and development:In the mid 1950s the Handley Page Aircraft Company developed a new fast short-range regional airliner, intended to replace the venerable Douglas DC-3, particularly in third-world countries...
aircraft operating nightly from Birmingham to Nuremberg and Hannover and these were later replaced by a BAC One-Eleven
BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
jet cargo aircraft and then by a Boeing 737-200QC
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
aircraft wet leased from Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
. When TNT announced that it would order 72 British Aerospace 146 aircraft converted to freighters, Air Foyle won the contract to operate these aircraft on behalf of TNT, then an Australian company. This operation commenced in May 1987 with one BAe 146 aircraft and rapidly expanded to ten such aircraft which Air Foyle then operated for thirteen years for TNT on a nightly schedule from various airports in the UK and mainland Europe into TNT's hub in Cologne and later Liège
Liège Airport
Liège Airport , also called Liège-Bierset, is an important cargo airport in Belgium. It was at the end of 2009 the 8th biggest cargo airport in Europe...
.
In 1985 Air Foyle took delivery of the first production Edgley Optica
Edgley Optica
- See also :- External links :** *...
OA7 aerial observation aircraft. Subsequently while being operated by Hampshire Police this aircraft was tragically destroyed in a fatal accident.
In 1994 Air Foyle won a contract to operate one Lockheed L-100 Hercules and one Ilyushin Il-76
Ilyushin Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
aircraft on permanent 24/7 standby for Oil Spill Response Ltd, to provide immediate response on a worldwide basis in the event of a major oil spillage.
Adopting the TNT aircraft management principle, Air Foyle and then its sister passenger airline Air Foyle Passenger Airlines operated a variety of aircraft including Boeing 737-200, 737-300, 727-200, Airbus A320 and A300 for a number of airline and virtual airline customers including EasyJet
EasyJet
EasyJet Airline Company Limited is a British airline headquartered at London Luton Airport. It carries more passengers than any other United Kingdom-based airline, operating domestic and international scheduled services on 500 routes between 118 European, North African, and West Asian airports...
, Sunseeker, Sabre, Virgin Express
Virgin Express
N.V. Virgin Express S.A. was an airline created within the Virgin Group. It operated flights mainly to southern Europe from its hub at Brussels Airport. Ticket sales were mainly through the Internet...
, Debonair
Debonair (airline)
Debonair was a British airline operating mainly from London Luton Airport offering flights to and from Spain, France, Germany and Italy. It ceased operations in October 1999.-History:...
, Color Air
Color Air
Color Air AS was the first Norwegian low-cost airline. It operated from Oslo Airport, Gardermoen in 1998 and 1999 with a fleet of three Boeing 737-300 aircraft. Color Air was a brand extension of Color Line, which shared a common owner in the Olav Nils Sunde-controlled Color Group...
, and Air Scandic
Air Scandic
Air Scandic was an airline from Jersey, Channel Islands, operating charter flights for various UK tour operators, most of which out of Manchester Airport.- Fleet :Over the years, Air Scandic operated the following aircraft types:...
from 1993 until 2000.
Soviet deal
In 1989, following two years of negotiations with the Soviets, Air Foyle became the worldwide General Sales Agent of the Antonov Design Bureau of Kiev and became responsible for the marketing and sales and commercial and operational management of Antonov's fleet of AN-124Antonov An-124
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a strategic airlift jet aircraft. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft...
heavy cargo aircraft.
Between 1998 and 2000 Air Foyle bid an AN-124 solution for the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
Short-Term Strategic Airlift (STSA) procurement. After a protracted procurement process, Ministers in the Ministry of Defence chose a very much more expensive Boeing C-17 solution. Air Foyle believed it had been misled during the procurement process about the basis for decision on the procurement. The Comptroller and Auditor General
Comptroller and Auditor General
Comptroller and auditor-general is the abbreviated title of a government official in a number of jurisdictions, including the UK, the Republic of Ireland, India, and China....
's later concluded that the procurement process was "that the Department has not fully followed its own preferred practice in evaluating the Short Term Strategic Airlift proposals, but there is no evidence of illegality."
In July 2001 Air Foyle HeavyLift became the worldwide General Sales Agent of the Antonov Design Bureau of Kiev, a function previously held from July 1989 by Air Foyle, one of the two 50% shareholders in Air Foyle Heavylift. Air Foyle Heavylift was not only responsible for the sales and marketing of charters and leases of Antonov's fleet of Antonov An-124-100
Antonov An-124
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a strategic airlift jet aircraft. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft...
, Antonov An-225
Antonov An-225
The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a strategic airlift cargo aircraft, designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the 1980s. It is the world's heaviest aircraft. The design, built in order to transport the Buran orbiter, was an enlargement of the successful An-124 Ruslan...
and Antonov An-22
Antonov An-22
The Antonov An-22 Antei was the world's heaviest aircraft, until the advent of the American C-5 Galaxy and later the Soviet An-124. Powered by four pairs of contra-rotating turboprops, the design remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft...
heavylift cargo aircraft, but also for their complete commercial and operational management.
Antonov terminated the joint venture on 30 June 2006 to allow it to pursue a joint marketing venture with its erstwhile Russian competitor Volga-Dnepr
Volga-Dnepr
Volga-Dnepr Airlines, LLC is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services, but specialises in outsize cargo operations using the world's largest fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. It is a world leader in the global market for the movement of...
under the name Ruslan International, in which it has a 50% stake.
Air Foyle and Air Foyle HeavyLift ceased trading in July 2006 and it is anticipated will be closed in 2009.
AFH closed for business on 31 July 2006.