Alpine Air Invests $5M in Beech 1900D Super Freighter

Alpine Air Express has invested more than $5 million to develop the Alpine Super Freighter, a heavily modified version of the Beech 1900D passenger turboprop designed for high-volume cargo operations. The Utah-based carrier holds the supplemental type certificate (STC) to convert the aircraft and describes it as “the largest single-pilot cargo aircraft in the world,” giving Alpine what CEO Michael Dancy calls “a competitive edge” in the growing e-commerce market.

Dancy told Transportation & Logistics International that the Super Freighter enables Alpine to consolidate shipments more efficiently. “Our primary customer, UPS Airlines, was operating two aircraft on many routes to meet growing demand, but we can now use the Super Freighter on busy routes to reduce the cost per cubic meter,” he said.

The FAA has already granted certification for the aircraft, and Alpine has also received approvals from Transport Canada and EASA to operate the type in Canada and across Europe, expanding its geographic reach.

According to the company, Alpine Air Express operates a fleet of 81 aircraft, including 32 Beech 1900Ds—28 of which have already been converted into Super Freighters, with the remaining four earmarked for future conversions. The rest of the fleet comprises 32 Beech 1900Cs, 15 Beech 99s and two Beech King Airs.

Industry observers say the investment positions Alpine Air to handle heavier loads on high-demand routes while lowering costs for major customers, a move that strengthens its role as a key feeder carrier in the booming express cargo sector.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com