ATSA agrees deal with De Havilland Canada for Dash 8-400 conversion

Peru-based airline Aero Transporte S.A. (ATSA) has signed a firm agreement with De Havilland Canada for a Dash 8-400 freighter conversion.

To feature a large cargo door, the converted aircraft type is designated Dash 8-400 F-LCD.

ATSA will become the first South American operator of Dash 8-400 aircraft to join De Havilland Canada’s cargo solutions programme, while ATSA’s Dash 8-400 F-LCD aircraft will be the first of its type to operate on that continent.

ATSA currently operates two Dash 8-400 aircraft from its home hub of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru.

Carlos Cueva, ATSA’s president, stated: “As an experienced operator of the Dash 8-400 aircraft, we have first-hand knowledge of its outstanding performance capability to support our expanding cargo operations in Peru’s mining sector.

“Our country’s complex geography that includes arid coastal plains, the Andean mountains, and the rainforests of the Amazon basin, make the Dash 8-400 aircraft the ideal choice for this type of operation.”

Philippe Poutissou, vice president, sales and marketing at De Havilland Canada, said: “De Havilland Canada will conduct ATSA’s Dash 8-400 F-LCD conversion in Canada utilising our Transport Canada-approved original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Service Bulletins – illustrating our growing capability to provide ongoing support to the global fleet of De Havilland Canada aircraft.”

As well as the Dash 8-400, F-LCD, De Havilland Canada offers two other Dash 8-400 conversion options.

The Dash 8-400 Quick Change (Dash 8-400 QC) offers the ability for operators to quickly convert a Dash 8-400 aircraft between all-passenger and all-cargo configurations as market conditions require swiftly.

And De Havilland Canada’s Dash 8-400 Package Freighter (Dash 8-400 PF) enables bulk loading of various sizes of cargo, such as e-commerce packages.

In February 2022, Canadian airline Air Inuit added the world’s first De Havilland Dash8-300 with oversized cargo door to its fleet.

Then in July last year, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada announced the launch of three cargo conversion solutions for the Dash 8-400 aircraft.