Wichita MRO facility leverages experience and new capacity to assist cargo carrier in expanding its operations
Wichita, KS—Yingling Aviation has announced an agreement with Alpine Air Express, an FAR Part 135 on-demand air cargo operator, to reconfigure and upgrade Beechcraft 1900D aircraft to boost the capacity, range, performance, and versatility of the Alpine Air fleet. Alpine currently has 32 Beech 1900D’s and 72 aircraft in its fleet. Yingling will utilize newly acquired facilities in 2021 to convert the airliners into cargo haulers. Work on the first aircraft is already underway in Wichita and the second aircraft arrived a few weeks ago.
“This program is a ‘win-win’ for both Alpine and Yingling,” explained Andrew Nichols, President of Yingling. “We are able to accommodate this exceptional opportunity because we have spent the past 18 months expanding facilities and upgrading our capabilities to handle this type of comprehensive program. Alpine Air has already acquired a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the conversion of the Beechcraft 1900D that boosts the capacities of the aircraft. By working together, we will help them increase their hauling capabilities and customer base in a timely and efficient manner. We will start by working on two aircraft at a time and have the capacity to add more as we gain expertise,” Nichols stated.
“This arrangement is an important next step for Alpine Air as we grow our fleet and expand our customer base,” noted Michael Dancy President and CEO of Alpine Air Express. “This cargo conversion for the Beechcraft 1900D took four years to accomplish and it’s great to have the STC approved by the FAA. Teaming with a proven provider like Yingling means we can rapidly realize the potential and leverage the competitive edge we will gain by operating the largest fleet of single-piloted cargo aircraft in the world. We will be able to ship more with less.”
“Our primary goal has always been to create a more cost-effective shipping service for our clients such as UPS, USPS, Amazon and more. With our strategic new fleet that incorporates these re-configured Beech 1900 aircraft, we can now provide more efficiency for individual shipments and at more affordable costs for us and our clients,” Dancy added.
Yingling, which has earned an outstanding reputation for refurbishing cargo aircraft over the years by updating more than 250 Cessna Caravans for Federal Express, will partner with Alpine Air to do the same for its Beech 1900 twin turboprops, utilizing the Supplemental Type Certificate granted to Alpine Air by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2020. The STC includes improvements that will contribute to impressive gains in performance and utility and offer 40% more cargo capacity than the 1900C model. The cargo conversion will feature an increase in Useful Payload to 7,439 lbs., a 23% maximum range increase to 1,356 nautical miles (NM), and a 7% speed increase, as well.
Perhaps most significant for Alpine Air Express is the inclusion of Single Pilot Aircraft Certification. “Single pilot operations will result in obvious cost savings and give us more versatility in scheduling and positioning of our fleet,” Dancy pointed out. Other key conversion features include the installation of new Z Tracks for maximum cargo loading, a new crew emergency exit, cargo netting, brackets, and clips, cargo conveyor rollers, robust floor panels and structural modifications. There will also be updates to the oxygen system, air ducts and lighting, as well as the CB and audio panels and associated placards.
About Alpine Air Express
Alpine holds a FAR Part 135 air carrier certificate, which it has maintained since 1979 as a non-scheduled, on-demand air cargo operator with forty years as a profitable business. The Company transports mail packages and other time-sensitive cargo as one of the largest regional air cargo providers in the U.S. Alpine holds multiple contracts with the United States Postal Service and the United Parcel Service, also providing cost-effective shipping for other clients such as Amazon, too. Alpine has achieved a 99+% on-time performance standard in meeting its customers’ required flight schedules. Alpine’s new cargo conversions for the Beechcraft 1900D fleet are FAA approved and will provide a more efficient aircraft for shipments, and more affordable costs for their clients. It is now the largest single piloted cargo aircraft in the world.
About Yingling
Yingling Aviation celebrates 75 Years in business in 2021 having been founded in 1946 and named the first Cessna dealer. A Cessna, Beechcraft, and McCauley Authorized Affiliate, its approximately 170 Wichita-based employees are laser focused on supporting Textron Aviation Beechcraft and Cessna Citations, turboprop, and piston aircraft models at their campus located at Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (KICT) in Wichita, Kansas. It has long been the largest independent Cessna parts supplier with two-levels of inventory on hand to support a vast network of customers. Yingling provides comprehensive support to new and legacy Textron aircraft, offering the experience and expertise of top-notch FlightSafety and factory trained technicians. Yingling benefits from unique proximity to both the Cessna and Beech factories, as well as longstanding relationships with local vendors. Comprehensive services include airframe, engines, avionics, paint, interiors, aircraft sales, aircraft management services, and 7/24/365 FBO operations with a Subway restaurant and pilot supply/gift shop. Yingling Aviation can be reached by calling (316) 943-3246 or on the web at www.yinglingaviation.com/contact/.