Pionair Australia continues commitment to BAe 146 freighters

Pionair Australia continues to expand its quad-engine jet operations and has added a third BAe 146-300QT freighter to its air operator certificate (AOC). The 1990-vintage unit E3153, which was ferried from Entebbe (EBB) to Cranfield Airport in the U.K. on Dec. 9, will begin service in March 2023, Pionair told Cargo Facts . [caption id="attachment_56860930" align="alignright" width="450"] Pionair already operates two BAe 146-300QTs. (Photo/Pionair Australia)[/caption] Pionair CEO Steve Ferris told Cargo Facts that the airline’s current fleet of BAe 146 freighters operate for Qantas, FedEx, Australia Post and Toll, but unit E3153 will be used for new opportunities to meet growing demand. Ferris also added that the airline is fully committed to operating its BAe 146-200QTs and -300QTs for years to come, while any new freighter types Pionair may consider would be driven by the needs of its customers. When evaluating the new Embraer conversions as a potential option for Pionair, Ferris said he believes they offer no major advantage over the BAe 146 other than that they are newer and require less maintenance. Pionair purchased three BAe 146-300QT freighters in September 2019 from Germany-based WDL Aviation, with the first (E3150) beginning ACMI service in December that same year for Qantas Freight. Excluding unit E3153, Pionair now has two BAe 146-300QTs, two BAe 146-200QTs and two BAe 146-200QCs in service. Meanwhile, Alaska-based Everts Air Cargo in September added the British Aerospace freighter to its fleet after finalizing a deal for three ex-Jota Aviation BAe 146-300QTs (E3182, E3186 and E3168). Cargo Facts EMEA, the essential event for stakeholders in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, will take place live Feb. 6-8 in Dubai. Register today to take advantage of early-bird pricing.

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