Avianca Cargo

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.

Avianca Cargo
IATA ICAO Callsign
QT TPA TAMPA
FoundedMarch 11, 1973 (as Tampa Cargo)
HubsEl Dorado International Airport
Secondary hubs
SubsidiariesAeroUnion
Fleet size6
Destinations23
Parent companyAvianca Group
HeadquartersMedellín, Colombia
Key people
  • Kurt Schosinsky (Managing Director)
  • Carlos Arango (Commercial Director)
  • Ivan Galindo (Operations Director)
  • Santiago Martinez (Flight Operations Director)
  • Leonardo Carrillo (Director of Income Optimization)
Websitewww.aviancacargo.com

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

The airline was established in March 11, 1973 by Luís H. Coulson along with 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 fleet that was acquired. 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.

Avianca acquired a 100% stake in Tampa Cargo in 2008.[2]

On February 1, 2010, Tampa Cargo was advised that after concluding the regulatory approval and the approval of competences required to concrete the union announced in October 2009, Synergy Aerospace, 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. Then, the AviancaTaca Group 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.[3]

The airline was re-branded as Avianca Cargo in May 28, 2013.[4]

Destinations
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:[5][6]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
 ArgentinaBuenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International Airport
 BarbadosBridgetownGrantley Adams International AirportTerminated
 BelgiumBrusselsBrussels AirportTerminated
 BrazilCampinasViracopos International Airport
 BrazilCuritibaAfonso Pena International Airport
 BrazilManausEduardo Gomes International Airport
 ChileSantiagoArturo Merino Benítez International Airport
 ColombiaBarranquillaErnesto Cortissoz International Airport
 ColombiaBogotáEl Dorado International AirportHub
 ColombiaCaliAlfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport
 ColombiaMedellínJosé María Córdova International AirportHub
 Costa RicaSan JoseJuan Santamaría International Airport
 Dominican RepublicSanto DomingoLas Américas International Airport
 EcuadorQuitoMariscal Sucre International Airport
 EcuadorGuayaquilJosé Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport
 GuatemalaGuatemala CityLa Aurora International Airport
 MexicoMexico CityMexico City International Airport
 NetherlandsAmsterdamAmsterdam Airport Schiphol
 PanamaPanama CityTocumen International Airport
 ParaguayAsunciónSilvio Pettirossi International Airport
 ParaguayCiudad del EsteGuaraní International AirportTerminated
 PeruLimaJorge Chávez International Airport
 Puerto RicoSan JuanLuis Muñoz Marín International AirportTerminated
 SpainZaragozaZaragoza Airport
 United StatesDallasDallas/Fort Worth International Airport
 United StatesMiamiMiami International AirportHub
 UruguayMontevideoCarrasco International Airport
 VenezuelaCaracasSimón Bolívar International AirportTerminated
 VenezuelaValenciaArturo Michelena International AirportTerminated

Fleet

Current fleet
An Avianca Cargo Airbus A330-200F approaching Toulouse–Blagnac Airport in 2013

The Avianca Cargo fleet consists of the following aircraft as of May 2020.[7][8]

Avianca Cargo fleet
Aircraft In
service		 Orders Notes
Airbus A330-200F 6 —
Total 6 —

Former fleet

The airline previously operated the following aircraft:[9][10]

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 Air Japan
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
The aircraft, HK-3490X, returning to Miami International Airport after its cargo door opened
  • On December 14, 1983, a Boeing 707-320C (registered HK-2401X) crashed into a factory after taking off from Medellín's Olaya Herrera Airport. The cause of the accident was a failure on engines 3 and 4 by foreign objects during the initial ascent. All 3 crew members on board died, plus 22 on the ground.[11]
  • 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.[13]
  • 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 said that it may have been due to a crosswind. The aircraft's landing gear collapsed when touchdown the runway. None of the 3 occupants on board were killed, while the aircraft was damaged beyond repairs.[14]

See also

References
  1. Eastwood, 2007, p. 302
  2. "Avianca buys Tampa Cargo". Joc.com. Retrieved April 7, 2008.
  3. The news at Airbus
  4. "TAMPA Cargo now renamed to Avianca Cargo". www.ch-aviation.com. Retrieved May 30, 2013.
  5. "Freighter Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  6. "Avianca Cargo Network". Avianca Cargo. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  7. "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2019): 12.
  8. "Avianca Cargo Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  9. "TAMPA Cargo Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  10. "TAMPA fleet". aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  11. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  12. "Incident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  13. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved August 23, 2007.
  14. "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved August 23, 2007.

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