Chapman Freeborn has recently overseen the shipment of time-critical aircraft parts from Paris to Athens in a period of less than 24 hours between initial arrest and cargo delivery.
The aircraft-on-ground (AOG) requiring the parts not only received the necessary replacement equipment on time but also actually departed ahead of schedule, said the charter broker.
The cargo was flown from Paris Vatry Airport in France to Greece’s Athens International Airport aboard an Antonov AN-26 turboprop, as this particular aircraft type’s loading capabilities and cargo hold size made it, the broker pointed out, an ideal choice for the job.
Taz Mears, cargo charter broker at Chapman Freeborn, commented: “The task was incredibly time critical. Our client has a very tight schedule and major contracts they need to honour under any circumstances. Needless to say, the necessary parts had to be in place as promptly as possible.”
Mears continued: “Our task was challenging and complex. In fact, we almost didn’t get the necessary permits in time for the planned flight. However, our persistence, along with that of our client, helped to overcome this hurdle.”
He added: “We have a great system in place and plenty of internal knowledge that allows us to plan way ahead and foresee the complications that may present themselves.
“By working collaboratively with both our airport and airline partners, the team showcased agility, arranging an urgent AOG charter across Europe within 24 hours.
“Such a fast turnaround and accuracy is only possible with such a strong global network and exceptionally experienced colleagues. Because even with the more than 50 years of experience that our company has garnered, every case is unique."
The last few months have been busy ones for Chapman Freeborn. Earlier this month, it coordinated an outsize cargo shipment operation that set a new handling record at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland.
The shipment included a 67 ft long, 24-tonne component, the longest piece of cargo that Glasgow Prestwick has ever handled. It was transported on three 20 ft connecting pallets, along with two additional 40 ft components.
Designed for the oil and gas industry, these outsized components were transported aboard a Boeing 747 nose-loading freighter.
And at the start of this month, the broker reported that it had expanded its presence in China with a larger country headquarters as it looks to capitalise on “rapid growth” and “rising demand”.
The charter firm has moved to an expanded Shanghai office from where it will offer air cargo charter, international freight forwarding, aircraft leasing, live animal transport, passenger charter, and end-to-end specialist delivery services.
The company operates four other offices in the country and said the move to larger premises will “accommodate its team’s rapid growth and rising demand for integrated air logistics solutions”.
Chapman Freeborn has offices across North America, Europe, Africa and Australia, as well as Asia.
In the cargo market, it specialises in the charter and lease of aircraft for a wide-ranging customer base, including freight forwarders, multinational corporations, governments and humanitarian agencies.
It forms part of the Avia Solutions Group, said to be the world’s largest ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) provider.
