A cargo plane has been added to the fleet of Longtail Aviation.

Bermuda’s only air carrier has been focused on VIP charter business, but has branched out with a dedicated all-cargo B747-400F aircraft.

Martin Amick, chief executive officer of Longtail Aviation, said: “This is an excellent time to add a heavy-lifting cargo aircraft because the global supply chain is under duress. Additional long-range, heavy aircraft are critically needed to move medical supplies from China to the West and this new aircraft will help meet that need.”

The aircraft will be used for ad hoc cargo uplift requirements, which are in high demand due to cargo space being greatly reduced as many passenger aircraft, which also contain cargo holds, are grounded due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority announced the addition of the freighter to Longtail Aviation’s fleet and the Bermuda Aircraft Registry following approval and issuance of operations specifications.

Peter Adhemar, director of operations at BCCA, said: “The BCAA’s rigorous approval process requires Longtail Aviation to comply with a set of very stringent regulations. It is a huge achievement to both BCAA and Longtail to have added this aircraft in such a short time frame. The process involved a team of five people in operations and two people in airworthiness to complete.

“We were working to an ambitious timeline and with Covid-19 travel restrictions in place we developed innovative procedures thanks to the communication advances made available to BCAA staff working from home. This ensured that full regulatory compliance was achieved despite not holding a single face-to-face in office meeting or inspection.”

Mr Adhemar added: “As always, it has been a pleasure working with the Longtail Aviation team on this venture and we look forward to continuing our partnership and continuing to upkeep the highest standards for Bermuda-based Aviation.”