aviation

and many different marketplaces in which

we can participate.”

Jota has not entered BAE Systems’

Material and Components Repair and

Overhaul (MACRO) programme, as

according to Sessions, “there are a lot of

spares around”. Green added: “If we sign

up for these [type of] programmes, you pay

per  ight hour or per block hour or per cycle

and you have to pay for a minimum of, say,

1,500 cycles a year. We don’t know what our

utilisation is going to be. So, it’s very difficult

for us. If we were a scheduled airline we

would know by looking at the plan that all the

aircraft would average something like 1,800

cycles a year. But we don’t know that.”

The company performs its own Part

145 line maintenance. Sessions explained:

“Heavy maintenance is contracted out to

Avalon Aero, based at Cran eld. They’ve

been a good partner to us. The C-checks that

they’ve performed have always been good.”

Returning to the newly-acquired

freighters, Green expects some to go on

lengthy leases, but not all:

“We want to have an active ad hoc

market. We will also be seeking longer-term

nightly contracts, so we’ll be targeting the

mail providers throughout Europe and the

main integrators, such as DHL, UPS and

FedEx. I think Amazon will be an interesting

proposition. Online shopping is what’s

driving this cargo boom.”

On the ad hoc cargo opportunities,

there has been solid demand for one-offs

and specialist work... according to head

of marketing, Sarah Westley: “We’ve had

enquiries about transporting dolphins and

horses and more,” she said.

Green emphasised the type’s ability to

carry outsize cargo: “Not only does it have a

nice big door, it’s offset. It’s at the back and

goes into the curvature of the rear fuselage,

which means that if you have a large piece

[of cargo] it can slide straight in. We’re going

to be taking on some of the Antonovs –

de nitely. We’re going after that business.”

Sessions highlighted the BAe 146-

300QT’s position in the marketplace: “It’s

26 Aviation News incorporating Jets November 2018

Left: One of the four BAe 146-300QT freighters

bought from ASL Airlines. Bernie Baldwin

Below left: Cargo door on a BAe 146-300QT.

Bernie Baldwin