Mountain Air Cargo launches first ATR 72-600 freighter

US-based express cargo carrier Mountain Air Cargo has launched its first ATR 72-600 freighter. The ATR 72-600F made its debut on March 6, flying from New Bern, North Carolina to Raleigh, North Carolina. Mountain Air Cargo said, “We are excited to provide containerised service that comes with the versatility of the new aircraft!” In August last year, Mountain Air Cargo requested US Department of Transportation (DOT) authorisation to operate large aircraft and in its application stated it planned to add an ATR-72-600F freighter to its fleet that would be used in interstate and foreign charter cargo operations under contract with FedEx. Based in Denver, North Carolina, AirT subsidiary Mountain Air Cargo provides flight and maintenance services in the eastern half of the US and the Caribbean Islands. According to last year’s US DOT application document, Mountain Air Cargo holds a 14 CFR Part 135 certificate and a 14 CFR Part 121 certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and operates 25 Cessna Caravans, 9 ATR-42s, and 9 ATR-72s on cargo flights in the US and the Caribbean, under a dry-lease agreement it has had with FedEx since 1980. Mountain Air Cargo states that it is one of seven feeder air carriers for Fedex in the US. The company also owns a 14 CFR Part 145 Repair Station in Kinston, North Carolina and performs maintenance work for itself and other commercial and government air carriers.