A Sample Feature From Aviation News

Atlantic Airlines - Cargo Haulers from Coventry

Above: Still the backbone of the Air Atlantique Group, the Lockheed Electra has proved a reliable, long-legged freighter, despite its age and the jet-powered types flown by some of the competition. (Photo, Denis Calvert).

Under the chairmanship of Mike Collett, regarded as one of the few leaders in the commercial world with a sense of history, the Coventry-based Air Atlantique Group is embarking on a number of new ventures including its first operation with jet-powered freighters. Coinciding with the start of scheduled low-fare airline operations at this Midlands airport, the Editor reports on what could be the beginning of a resurgence of interest in the airport and a new chapter in the story of the Atlantique Group.

‘WE have no immediate plans to replace the Electras and unless an unforeseen problem arises, we expect the type to remain flying for some years to come,’ said Tony Auld, chief executive of Atlantic Airlines. ‘Concerning the DC-6s, these are still profitable workhorses’ according to Auld, ‘but we see the end in sight for their operation, due mainly to the reduction in the availability and use of Avgas. The fuel burn is also higher than on the Electras and of course, noise is now a problem for the type’. In an age when showing any enthusiasm for aircraft is generally frowned upon in the airline industry, it comes as a surprise to hear the workforce talk endearingly about their charges, but despite such air-mindedness, any sentimentality expressed rapidly evaporates when the subject of economics and running a viable cargo operation is discussed. In an industry where change is almost a pre-requisite for survival, Atlantic’s retention of the Lockheed prop-jet indicates that the aircraft continues to operate profitably. For example, an Electra has the same capacity as a cargo-configured Boeing 737-300 and cruises at the same speed - 300-320kt. The first Electra, G-LOFA, was accepted into service in November 1993, the fifth, sixth and seventh aircraft being acquired during the summer of ’98 and the eighth and ninth during early-2000, examples originating from operators in the USA, Norway and Alaska. Eight are currently flying, of which two have long-range tanks for non-stop UK-US transatlantic flights and three airframes are available as a spares resource. A ninth example is being worked on for a return to flight in mid to late-summer. The fleet still conducts flights for the nearby motor industry around Coventry as well as operating contracts for companies such as TNT and DHL. While Atlantic remains committed to these freighters, it is flexible enough to view other ways of tapping into the freight market, hence the decision to undertake jet services from mainland Europe.

Above: The smart Piper Seminole, G-GAFT, was delivered to AFT in 2003 for twin training and later this year should be joined by two Diamond Twin Stars. (Photo, AFT).

The Russian connection

The aircraft concerned in this latest venture is the Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4-powered Tupolev Tu-204-120C and Atlantic Airlines is wet-leasing two of these 27-ton capacity aircraft from Sirocco Aerospace. These aircraft will be dedicated to charter work for TNT Express out of that company’s European Express Centre at Liége and operated on behalf of Atlantic by Cairo Aviation. The Tu-204 has been a slow-starter in the West since it received Russian certification in July 1997, but the Egyptian Kato Group ordered 13 with 17 more on option for leasing on the cargo market and by all accounts it has proved a reliable workhorse. Tupolev is undertaking the JAA Certification for the type with the aim of clearing it during 2004. Atlantic’s managing director, Russell Ladkin, commented, ‘For some time we have been looking towards the future of the airline and the possibilities of operating larger aircraft. With its 13-14 pallet, 27-ton capacity the Tu-204 is very much a competitor of the Boeing 757 and adds another market to our operation. The addition of these first two [aircraft] is an important step forward for us and indicates the direction in which we wish to progress our business’.

The airline is also preparing to lease two Antonov An-74 rear-loading freighters. These will operate on an ad hoc basis supplementing the present fleet of Electras. The type will be no stranger to the UK as Channel Express wet-leased an Estonian example from Enimex in 2002.

While many British airlines have come and gone over the last 30 years or so, the Atlantique Group has survived to buck the trend in an industry which is highly susceptible to economic change. Founded as General Aviation Services in Jersey in 1969, the current name was adopted in June 1977 when the company launched charter flying with a fleet of DC-3s. These aircraft formed the backbone of Atlantic Cargo and Atlantic Airways through the 1980s, supplemented by two DC-6s and establishing its UK headquarters at Coventry Airport. In Spring 1998, now equipped with Electras and the residue of the older types, Atlantic Cargo and Atlantic Airways were merged to form Atlantic Airlines, one of 11 companies within the Air Atlantique Group.

ATR and the lighter side

While the acquisition of a former American Eagle ATR42 for use by Highland Airways proved less than rewarding, this successful Scottish operator is part of the Atlantic Group and offers scheduled flights between Glasgow Inverness, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Benbecula, using three BAe Jetstreams and a Reims Caravan II. The ATR42 has moved south and is now based at Coventry and flies under the Atlantic Express banner in both passenger and cargo modes.

As new types arrive, so the older aircraft are withdrawn. Air Atlantique’s fleet of nine Douglas DC-3s has now diminished in number to four with one still having a public transport certificate for pleasure flights, another contracted to Thales for radar research and a third retaining a back-up oil-spill spraying capability, if required. The latter task is now the province of an Electra and this is under UK Government contract to fly at short notice to any marine emergency around the UK coast and if called upon, off the coastline of mainland Europe.

Above: Now sporting the full house colours of Atlantic Express, ex-American Eagle ATR42 G-IONA is based at Coventry to undertake passenger and cargo charters. (Photo, Atlantique Group).

Flying the Electra

Above: The airline undertakes all the maintenance on its Electra fleet. This is G-LOFB, one of the eight in service. Below: Last year, these two ‘spares’ were parked at Coventry, one from Reeve Aleutian and the other in DHL colours with a rudder in Fred Olsen markings. (Photo, Av News).

Russell Ladkin is Managing Director of Atlantic Airlines, having joined the company as a sponsored pilot trainee. Besides the Electra he has flown most of the other types owned and operated by the Atlantique Group, including the Citation. Two years ago he gave up flying for a desk job, just as exhilarating in its own way he tells us. Here he gives us some thoughts on the operation of the Lockheed L188 Electra, a type of aircraft that first flew in December 1957. ‘In comparison with other turboprop aircraft the Electra is quite large and has a maximum certified take-off weight of just over 52 tonnes. However, despite her age and size the Electra is certainly no lumbering old lady. Her four Rolls-Royce Allison engines each develop some 4,000hp and, in order to adsorb this power, the aircraft is equipped with propellers of a diameter in excess of 13ft and weighing around half-a-tonne each. It is of course also the propellers that give the aircraft it’s most distinct handling characteristics and that separate its performance most markedly from that of a jet aircraft. With some 80% of the wing surface area being directly exposed to prop wash this ensures that increasing the power setting of the engines immediately translates into increased airflow over the wing and therefore lift and this is of enormous assistance to the pilot. In fact we colloquially referred to the power levers (throttles) as ‘lift levers’ as pushing them forward gave the immediate impression of riding in a high-speed elevator. The Electra is a complicated aircraft from a technical standpoint and some of its systems were revolutionary in their day but mechanically tremendously complex. I certainly remember spending many long evening hours during my conversion to the Electra desperately trying to understand how the mechanics of the propeller system actually worked! The flying control surfaces of the Electra are hydraulically boosted to ensure that the effort required by the pilot to move them in flight is reduced. This system works extremely well and the Electra really can be flown very comfortably by holding the control column only between the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Since we introduced the type we have updated the cockpit to allow operation with only two pilots (the original aircraft also required a flight engineer) and have fitted a modern navigation and communications suite that enable us to fly non-stop transatlantic cargo charters. Every pilot that I have ever met that flew the Electra speaks very fondly of it. It was the last of an era before jet aircraft came to dominate the market and the very fact that here in Europe it continues to fly both reliably and economically, while its successors such as the Boeing 727 have been retired, is fair testimony indeed to the original Lockheed design and the Electra itself. Allison have become Rolls-Royce and the British company, based at Derby, as still today proud to be associated with one of the greatest aircraft of all time.’

For the rest of this article please see the March 2004 issue.