Centurion Air Cargo, operating as Centurion Cargo, was an American cargo airline based in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.

History

A Challenge Air Cargo Boeing 757-200PF on approach to Miami International Airport in 1992

The airline was established as Challenge Air Cargo in 1985 as a subsidiary of Challenge Air Transport. In 1986, the airline became independent of Challenge Air Transport. In 2001, following the takeover of the scheduled business by United Parcel Service a new company was formed as Centurion Air Cargo to take over the air operating certificate of Challenge.

The airline surrendered its operating certificate to the Federal Aviation Administration in June 2018, after being unable to restructure its operations after financial difficulties.

Centurion Cargo Center

The Centurion Cargo Center was a cargo terminal located at Miami International Airport, opened in 2013.

The facility comprised a 1,400,000 square feet (130,000 m2) area incorporating a 550,000 square feet (51,000 m2) warehouse with both cold and dry storage facilities.

Centurion Cargo Center was the largest privately owned, all cargo airline facility in North America before its operation was shut down.

Destinations

Centurion Air Cargo operated to the following destinations:

CountryCityAirportNotesRefs
ArgentinaBuenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International AirportHub
TucumánTeniente General Benjamín Matienzo International Airport
BrazilManausEduardo Gomes International Airport
Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport
ViracoposViracopos International Airport
ChileSantiagoArturo Merino Benítez International AirportHub
ColombiaBogotáEl Dorado International AirportHub
MedellínJosé María Córdova International AirportHub
EcuadorLatacungaCotopaxi International Airport
Hong KongHong KongHong Kong International Airport
JapanTokyoNarita International Airport
MexicoGuadalajaraMiguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport
Mexico CityMexico City International Airport
NetherlandsAmsterdamAmsterdam Airport SchipholHub
PanamaPanama CityTocumen International Airport
ParaguayCiudad del EsteGuaraní International Airport
PeruLimaJorge Chávez International AirportHub
United StatesLos AngelesLos Angeles International Airport
HoustonGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport
MiamiMiami International AirportHub
UruguayMontevideoCarrasco International Airport
VenezuelaCaracasSimón Bolívar International Airport

Fleet

A Centurion Air Cargo McDonnell Douglas MD-11F landing at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in 2011
A Centurion Air Cargo Boeing 747-400ERF taxiing at Narita International Airport in 2015

The airline fleet previously included the following aircraft:

Centurion Air Cargo fleet
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotes
BAC One-Eleven Series 400AK119861986
Boeing 707-320C319831999
Boeing 727-100119861987Leased from Air Panamá Internacional
Boeing 747-400BDSF120152017
Boeing 747-400ERF220132017
Boeing 747-400F120132015
Boeing 757-200PF319892000
Douglas DC-8-63PF219881991
Douglas DC-8-73CF119951995Leased from Southern Air Transport
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10F120062007Leased from Emery Worldwide
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30F720012010
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40F319982004
McDonnell Douglas MD-11CF220092017
McDonnell Douglas MD-11F320092018

Accidents and incidents

  • On July 7, 2008, Centurion Air Cargo Flight 164 crashed near El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, killing two people in a nearby house.
  • On October 20, 2009, Centurion Air Cargo Flight 431, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F (registered N701GC) sustained damage on landing at Carrasco International Airport. The right hand main landing gear leg was bent sideways during landing on runway 24. The crew managed to stop on taxiway A where the airplane had to be offloaded.
  • On October 13, 2012, Centurion Air Cargo Flight 425, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F (registered N988AR) sustained substantial damage while landing at Viracopos International Airport. Upon touchdown, the left landing gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded along the runway for 800 meters (2,600 ft) before stopping. The aircraft was written off afterwards. All 3 occupants on board were uninjured.

See also

  • Jones, Geoffry P. "Miami Challenge". Air International, November 1993, Vol 45 No 5. ISSN 0306-5634. pp. 241–244.

External links

Media related to Centurion Air Cargo at Wikimedia Commons