Poland-based SprintAir has added its first ATR 72-500 to its fleet. The carrier confirmed to Cargo Facts that the newly acquired aircraft (686, ex-HOP) is being converted into freighter configuration at its own maintenance facility in Warsaw (WAW) [FATs 005578-005579].
SprintAir said it had selected unit 686 after an “extensive” market search for a good candidate ATR 72-500, a process that started in May. The aircraft, being converted under the STC of AKKA’s Aeroconseil subsidiary, is expected to be completed imminently and is scheduled to begin service around mid-September.
SprintAir appears to be expediting the conversion of unit 686; the aircraft had been stored at Toulouse Francazal Airport, where ATR has a maintenance facility, since January, and only made its way to WAW on Aug. 20. Aeroconseil confirmed to Cargo Facts it delivered the conversion kit mid-August and that the conversion process normally takes around two months since additional heavy maintenance is usually carried out in tandem. The conversion can otherwise be completed in around thirty days.
Since mid-March, SprintAir has sustained its scheduled ACMI operations for its express customers, with only limited availability for ad-hoc charters. The carrier said its ability to maintain these operations had won it new long-term contracts.
SprintAir also told Cargo Facts it plans to add another ATR 72 freighter in the weeks ahead. The carrier converted its single passenger-configured ATR 72-202 (441) into a freighter in December 2019, for a total of five ATR 72-202Fs and one ATR 72-212F, as well as around ten Saab 340As.
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