Kalitta Air

Kalitta Air

IATA K4 ICAO CKS Callsign CONNIE
Founded	2000
Commenced operations	November 2000
Hubs	Newark Liberty International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Los Angeles International Airport Brussels International Airport Hong Kong International Airport
Fleet size	22[1]
Destinations	Worldwide
Headquarters	Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, USA
Key people	Conrad Kalitta
Website	www.kalittaair.com

Kalitta Air is an American cargo airline headquartered in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, United States.^[2][3] It operates international scheduled and ad-hoc cargo charter services. Its main base is Willow Run Airport near Ypsilanti.^[4]

History

In 1967 Conrad "Connie" Kalitta began a business carrying car parts using a twin engine Cessna 310 that he piloted himself. It became American International Airways. AIA started flying in 1984 using Boeing 747, Lockheed L-1011, Douglas DC-8, Twin Beech and Learjet aircraft, for air freight, air ambulance and charter passenger operations. In 1990 and 1991 AIA flew 600 missions in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm. In 1997, AIA merged with Kitty Hawk Inc. and Conrad Kalitta resigned to start Kalitta Leasing (buying, selling and leasing large aircraft). In April 2000, Kitty Hawk International (the former AIA) ceased operations. Kalitta decided to rescue it and the new airline, Kalitta Air, began operations in November 2000, using the operating certificate and assets of the former airline.

Kalitta Air operates a large repair facility at Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in Iosco County, Michigan, United States.

Destinations

Kalitta Air Boeing 747 landing at Schiphol

The airline provides domestic and international scheduled or on-demand cargo service and support for the requirements of the Department of Defense Air Mobility Command.^[5][6]

In January 2003, Kalitta Air announced the start of scheduled cargo flights from the US to Europe. The freighters on this service operate from JFK (John F. Kennedy Airport, New York, USA) EWR (Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, USA)^[5] and ORD (O’Hare, Chicago, USA) to AMS (Schiphol, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and EMA (Nottingham East Midlands Airport, England). The airline flies scheduled cargo operations between the US and Hong Kong, US and Korea (for Asiana), Los Angeles and Honolulu . Additionally, airline operates ACMI charters for other airlines.^{[citation needed]} Liège Airport is also used as a regular refueling stop on New York City - Middle East routes, and in the Caribbean Norman Manley International Airport

Fleet

As of October 2008 the Kalitta Air fleet includes^[1]:

Historical fleet of American International Airways

Fleet in 1997:^[7]

• 2 - Boeing 727-100F
• 13 - Boeing 727-200F
• 8 - Douglas DC-8-50F
• 5 - Douglas DC-8-61F
• 4 - Douglas DC-8-62F
• 2 - Douglas DC-8-63F
• 2 - Lockheed L-1011-200 TriStar in all coach passenger configuration seating 354
• 6 - Lockheed L-1011-200F TriStar
• 2 - Boeing 747-100 in all coach passenger configuration seating 476
• 3 - Boeing 747-100F
• 3 - Boeing 747-200F

Incidents

Boeing 747 N704CK at the end of the runway of Brussels Airport in 2008

• On August 18, 1993, a Kalitta Air Douglas DC-8-61 (N814CK), with three crew members on board struck level terrain 1400 feet west of the approach end of the runway while landing at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The aircraft approached from the south and was making a right turn for runway 10 with an increasing angle of bank in order to align with the runway. At 200–300 feet AGL the wings started to rock towards wings level and the nose pitched up. The right wing appeared to stall, the aircraft rolled to 90-degree angle of bank and the nose pitched down. Probable cause of the accident attributed primarily to the impaired judgment, decision-making, and flying abilities of the captain and flight crew due to the effects of fatigue resulting from extended flight/duty hours.
• On October 20, 2004, Kalitta Air Boeing 747 (N709CK), with five crew members onboard, experienced mechanical difficulties with one of the four engines and diverted to land safely at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. No one was injured. It was discovered after landing that the number 1 engine had separated from the airplane as it climbed through 16,000 feet over Lake Michigan.^[8] The engine was later recovered for inspection.

• During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict Kalitta Air made weapon resupply flights from the US to Israel, via Prestwick Airport in Scotland for refueling, without authority from the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority. Scotland's Crown Office considered, but eventually decided against, prosecuting Kalitta Air for two July 2006 flights carrying laser-guided bombs.^[9][10]

• On May 25, 2008, a Boeing 747-209F/SCD (N704CK serial number 22299/462)^[11][12] from the company's fleet overran runway 20 at Brussels Airport. The plane broke in three and came to a complete stop in a field bordering the runway. There were four crew members and one passenger onboard and no injuries were reported.^[13][14] The aircraft was loaded with 76 tons of goods, half of it being diplomatic mail, and was destined for Bahrain International Airport.^[15] Belgian investigators announced that the accident was caused by the decision to Reject the Take-Off 12 knots after passing V1 speed.^[16][17]

N714CK taking off from Schiphol (2006-08-14)

Wikinews has news related to:

• Boeing 747 cargo plane breaks in two after failed takeoff at Brussels Airport
• Report blames 747 crash at Brussels on bird strike
• Boeing 747 cargo aircraft crashes in Colombia, three dead

• On July 7, 2008, a Boeing 747-209B (N714CK serial number 22446/519) crashed shortly after departing from El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá at 3:55 am. The plane was en route to Miami, Florida, with a shipment of flowers. After reporting a fire in one of the engines, the plane attempted the return to the airport but crashed near the village of Madrid, Colombia. The plane's empennage hit a ranch house, killing a 50-year-old man and his 13-year-old son who lived there (a report of this crash on www.airdisaster.com indicated a third fatality on the ground). The crew of eight survived with light to serious injuries.^[18][19][20]

Popular culture

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (September 2008)

In 2007, the Mythbusters first Supersized Myths special, Episode 90, featured Boeing 747 N700CK from Kalitta Air, used to test if its jet exhaust could flip a taxi, schoolbus and small aircraft passing by behind.

A Kalitta Air airplane is shown in 2008's film Taking Chance, about a captain who accompanies the body of Chance Phelps, an American Marine soldier.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kalitta Air

• Kalitta Charters

External links

• Kalitta Air website
• Crashed Kalitta Air pictures

References