Centurion Air Cargo
Encyclopedia
Centurion Air Cargo is a cargo airline
with its headquarters in Building 706 on the grounds of Miami International Airport
in unincorporated
Miami-Dade County
, Florida
, USA
. It operates all-cargo services to Central America
and South America
, serving 16 scheduled destinations. It specializes in carrying seafood, vegetables, flowers and horses to and from Latin America
. Its main base is Miami International Airport.
was established in 1985. It was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of Challenge Air Transport, but this connection was severed in 1986. In June 1999, United Parcel Service
agreed to buy the assets of Challenge Air Cargo, excluding the company's name and air operator's certificate. In 2001, Challenge Air Cargo was renamed to 'Centurion Air Cargo'. Centurion Air Cargo was then formed in July 1999, taking over the operating certificate
of Challenge Air Cargo.
After years of service, Centurion Air Cargo was purchased by AMC, and continues to operate successfully as a sister company to Cielos Airlines
and Master Top Airlines
.
In April 2010 it was announced Centurion Air Cargo would be attempting to take over some of the routes assets of struggling MatlinPatterson subsidiary Arrow Cargo. This acquisition and sale of Arrow Cargo would not include any provisions for the employees of the company according to the private equity
firm's representatives.http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2010/04/12/daily12.html
from OMEGA
/Finova from Japan Airlines
. Some were stored away after 2000.
Two newly acquired former Alitalia
MD-11 combis recently joined the fleet.
Cargo airline
Cargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
with its headquarters in Building 706 on the grounds of Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It operates all-cargo services to Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, serving 16 scheduled destinations. It specializes in carrying seafood, vegetables, flowers and horses to and from Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. Its main base is Miami International Airport.
History
The airlineAirline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
was established in 1985. It was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of Challenge Air Transport, but this connection was severed in 1986. In June 1999, United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
agreed to buy the assets of Challenge Air Cargo, excluding the company's name and air operator's certificate. In 2001, Challenge Air Cargo was renamed to 'Centurion Air Cargo'. Centurion Air Cargo was then formed in July 1999, taking over the operating certificate
Operating certificate
Operating certificate is a category of license issued by a government agency allowing an individual or company to provide a controlled type of service. These certificates are generally issued for a limited time period...
of Challenge Air Cargo.
After years of service, Centurion Air Cargo was purchased by AMC, and continues to operate successfully as a sister company to Cielos Airlines
Cielos Airlines
Centurion Air Cargo, commonly known by its old name Cielos del Peru, is a cargo airline based in Callao, Lima, Peru. It operates scheduled, ad hoc and contract charter domestic and international cargo services. Its main base is Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima.- History :The airline was...
and Master Top Airlines
Master Top Airlines
Master Top Airlines is a Brazilian cargo airline. It operates scheduled cargo services between São Paulo and Manaus and beyond Manaus to Bogotá and Miami. It also operates charters. Master Top is based at São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and started operations in 2006.-Fleet:The Master...
.
In April 2010 it was announced Centurion Air Cargo would be attempting to take over some of the routes assets of struggling MatlinPatterson subsidiary Arrow Cargo. This acquisition and sale of Arrow Cargo would not include any provisions for the employees of the company according to the private equity
Private equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
firm's representatives.http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2010/04/12/daily12.html
Boeing 707
During 1998 and 1999, Challenge Air Cargo received 3 Boeing 707-300CsBoeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
from OMEGA
OMEGA
OMEGA is the premier counter-terrorism unit of Latvia. Founded in 1992, OMEGA cooperates with many other counter-terrorism units over the world. Its equipment and weaponry includes the Heckler & Koch MP5, the HK G36C and the Walther P99....
/Finova from Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines
is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...
. Some were stored away after 2000.
Fleet
As of November 2008 the Centurion Air Cargo fleet includes:- 4 McDonnell Douglas MD-11F
Two newly acquired former Alitalia
Alitalia
Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. , in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier...
MD-11 combis recently joined the fleet.
Retired Fleet
- 2 Boeing 707-300CBoeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
- 3 Boeing 757-200PFBoeing 757The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
- 2 DC-8-63FDouglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
- 1 DC-8-73FDouglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
- 4 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30FMcDonnell Douglas DC-10The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...