Alpine Air Express (AIP, Provo) has so far invested over USD5 million to create the Alpine Super Freighter, or Beech 1900D(Super Freighter), a modified Beech 1900D passenger aircraft.
The company owns the rights to the supplemental type certificate (STC) to convert the Beech Aircraft Corporation turboprop into the Alpine Super Freighter, which it describes as “the largest single-pilot cargo aircraft in the world” and gives the carrier "a competitive edge," chief executive Michael Dancy told the UK magazine Transportation & Logistics International.
“Our primary customer, UPS Airlines, for instance, was operating two aircraft on many routes to meet growing e-commerce demand, but we can now use the Super Freighter on busy routes to reduce the cost per cubic metre. Having gained an STC from the FAA, we’ve also received approval from Transport Canada and EASA to utilise this aircraft in Canada and across Europe,” he added.
In a statement to ch-aviation, Alpine Air Express confirmed it owns a fleet of 81 aircraft, including thirty-two 1900D models, of which twenty-eight have been converted into cargo. “We have the remaining as feedstock for future conversions,” Dancy said. The rest of the fleet comprises thirty-two Beech 1900Cs, fifteen Beech 99s, and two Beech King Airs.
