Everts Air Alaska (5V, Fairbanks International) has ordered three Cessna 408F SkyCouriers from Textron Aviation, President and Chief Executive Robert Everts told Cargo Facts.
The Alaskan cargo specialist becomes the third independent operator to order the type outside of a large order placed by FedEx. The logistics integrator has a firm order for 50 aircraft with a further 50 options, although instead of placing them with in-house carrier FedEx Express (FX, Memphis International), it has allocated the SkyCouriers to regional capacity providers. So far, four have been delivered to Mountain Air Cargo (MTN, Kinston) and two to Empire Airlines (EM, Coeur d'Alene Pappy Boyington), the ch-aviation fleets module shows. Independent customers for the cargo variant include Bering Air (8E, Nome) and Kamaka Air (KMK, Honolulu), both of which have already taken one unit each, and now Everts Air Alaska.
Everts Air Alaska did not respond to ch-aviation's request for more information regarding delivery timelines and whether the C408Fs are for growth or existing fleet renewal.
The Alaskan carrier operates one B727-200(F), three BAe 146-300(QT)s, one DC-9-30(CF), one DC-9-30F, one DC-9-30RC, one MD-82(SF), five MD-83(SF)s, and has one MD-88 under conversion. The bulk of its jet fleet is currently stored, with just the McDonnell Douglas converted freighters active, the ch-aviation fleets module shows. The carrier also operates twelve DC-6(F)s (including the ex-military C-118 variant), three Cessna (single turboprop) C208Bs, one C-46, and two PC-12/47s.
