ACIA Aero Leasing has sold an ATR 72-500 LCD freighter (MSN727) to Canadian regional airline, Air Creebec.
The aircraft is the airline’s first ATR and will enter operations in December 2024, serving Air Creebec’s multiple cargo contracts throughout Canada.
Originally converted to a bulk freighter (BFC) in 2021, the aircraft has been upgraded with a Large Cargo Door (LCD) at Empire Aerospace, in Idaho.
Mark Dunnachie, senior vice president commercial, ACIA Aero Leasing, said: “The Canadian market represents multiple opportunities for the ATR platform across both passenger and cargo requirements and we see strong potential to further strengthen our customer base in this key market.
“The fact that we were able to reconfigure the aircraft from standard BFC to LCD variant, incorporating the large cargo door, maintenance and paint in under 6 months, reaffirms our leadership in the market for ATR freighter solutions.”
Air Creebec president and chief executive Tanya Pash added: “We are delighted to be taking delivery of our first ATR aircraft from ACIA Aero Leasing.
“The LCD variant will afford us greater flexibility in our cargo operations as we improve essential access to food and necessities to our remote clients in the far North. As the main airline in our region, Air Creebec needs to provide innovative solutions to our vast variety of clients.”