Provo, Utah-based cargo operator Alpine Air Express' Beech 1900D Super Freighter is being supported by StandardAero, a designated overhaul facility with distribution rights for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A family. StandardAero is delivering Alpine Air and its customers with responsive PT6A-67D support for the Super Freighter programme.

Developed through an STC by Alpine, the Super Freighter converts the Beech 1900D into a highly capable cargo aircraft with a 40 per cent capacity increase over the established 1900C freighter. Powered by the PT6A-67D, the aircraft also offers a 23 per cent range advantage over the 1900C, along with a seven per cent speed increase. Equipped with a large 62 x 25 inch rear cargo door and fitted with a new Z-track cargo system, the Super Freighter's 900 cubic ft cabin can accommodate a useful payload of 7,439 lbs.

Alpine Air secured STC certification of the Super Freighter in October 2018, and the aircraft is now in operation in support of its client base, which includes the United Parcel Service (UPS) and the US Postal Service (USPS). Alpine Air is now undertaking full-rate conversions of Beech 1900Ds to Super Freighter configuration, both for its own use and for sale to third-party operators.

President, CEO and co-owner Michael Dancy states: “We at Alpine Air are extremely excited to have completed the STC development. It took us nearly five years, with many thousands of drawings and many thousands of man hours, to complete. We believe this development will benefit the small feeder cargo industry for decades. There are several hundred Beech 1900Ds which are moving out of passenger service, and now we will be able to convert those aircraft into fully functional cargo carriers.”

StandardAero VP of sales and marketing Jason Johnson adds: “We are thrilled to be part of such a promising new cargo platform as the Alpine Super Freighter. Having supported Alpine Air's day-to-day operations for many years, we have followed the company's growth and the development of the Super Freighter programme with great interest, and were delighted to see the team successfully achieve certification last October. We look forward to continuing to provide Alpine and its customers with responsive PT6A-67D support for decades to come.”

StandardAero has four designated overhaul facilities located in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia, backed up by a global network of seven service centres and over 20 dedicated mobile repair technicians.