Archived news

Last weekend global aviation specialists, Air Charter Service, entered a team into the Great River Race – a gruelling 21 mile course down the Thames from London’s Docklands to Richmond, Surrey. 

The event draws in competitors from all over the UK and from around Europe. It has been hotly contested ever since the inaugural race in 1988, and this year more teams entered than ever before. Boats of all shapes and sizes compete in what has been dubbed ‘London’s River Marathon’.

Teams of all abilities may take part, which may explain ACS’s entry! Team Captain, Kirti Odedra, said: “ACS arranges and takes part in fund-raising events on a regular basis, but this one is more physically demanding than most! We had a tough training regime and it paid off as none of us really had any kind of rowing experience, and we needed to get used to our twin-hulled bell boat!”

The team, dressed as pilots and named ‘ACS - No Plane No Gain’, completed the course in an impressive 3 hours 20 minutes.

Kirti continued: “At ACS we have our own charity committee which matches the amount that our employees pledge. We reached our target of £5,000 and will donate the money to our three nominated charities: WaterAid, the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Rainbow Trust.”

Air Charter Service’s London office recently arranged two charters for a very awkward load from France into Nigeria.

The cargo was fourteen 12½ metre long oil pipes urgently needed for an FPSO unit (Floating Production Storage & Offloading) just off the coastal city of Lagos. An FPSO unit is a floating vessel used by the offshore industry for the processing and storage of oil and gas. Some of the pipes weighed almost 9 tonnes and had to be hoisted with cranes onto carefully positioned highloaders at Châlons Vatry airport in France and then offloaded in a similar fashion in Lagos.

Ben Dinsdale, senior account manager at ACS said: “It was such an awkward load that some operators had refused to quote on the business, but careful planning from the airline and myself meant that we were able to load it onto two B747-400Fs using two highloaders side by side.

“The flight went without a hitch, and the client praised the efficiency of the handling agents we had appointed.” 

Air Charter Service are specialists at providing creative solutions for all cargo requirements whether it be a small propeller aircraft, or much larger cargo aircraft.

Dan Morgan-Evans, Cargo Assistant Director of ACS’s London office, recently flew a shipment that took meticulous planning. It was a 30 ton control unit that was needed in Nigeria.

The dimensions of the unit meant that it only just squeezed inside the IL-76 aircraft that was chartered. Dan’s years of experience paid off, as he discussed with various operators whether it was in fact loadable at all. He insisted that loadmasters went to the site, measured everything and checked before a contract was agreed.

As can be seen from the photos, it fitted with only millimetres to spare. Dan commented: “When I first saw the dimensions, I knew it was going to be touch and go as to whether we could fit it into the Ilyushin, but the operator and I made all the necessary checks before we said yes”.

Using the IL-76 aircraft instead of the next step up (the AN-124) meant that the client paid less then half of what it would have cost without the thorough planning. The aircraft arrived safely in Port Harcourt, and the client was full of praise for ACS’s professionalism.

Air Charter Service perform over 4,000 full charters every year ranging from cargo aircraft to commercial airliners, to private jet charters.

For any aircraft charter requirement please contact our team: cargo.sales@aircharter.co.uk

Air Charter Service was called into action less than an hour after a devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Just before 10pm UK time (5pm local time) on Tuesday evening a massive earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale struck less than ten miles from the centre of Port-au-Prince - the capital of Haiti. It is the largest earthquake to hit the country in two centuries. It is estimated that upwards of 50,000 people may have died as a result of the initial earthquake and the 13 subsequent aftershocks, and more than half a million homes have been affected.

As a result, millions of pounds worth of aid has been pledged by the British Government and various charities. Despite the snowy conditions in southern England on Wednesday, Air Charter Service managed to work with Gatwick Airport to clear a runway so that the chartered Boeing 757 could depart with the UK search and rescue teams.

Matthew Purton, Passenger Sales Manager at ACS’s London office, said: “We started receiving calls at about 11pm from the British Government for an aircraft to carry an assembled team of approximately 80 firefighters, aid workers and journalists to the affected area as soon as possible. We were working throughout the night contacting the appropriate airlines and handling agents to organise the UK’s response to the disaster.”

ACS had three representatives at Gatwick first thing on Wednesday morning coordinating the aid teams and arranging check in. James Leach of ACS travelled on board the aircraft: “We flew into Santa Domingo in the neighbouring Dominican Republic as when we left the UK the control tower at Port au Prince was not operational. From what I have seen so far, the devastation appears to be on a par with when I was in Banda Aceh following the tsunami in December 2004.” James Leach is remaining on site to coordinate further relief flights.

ACS's London office has chartered further passenger and cargo aircraft, ACS also has additional aircraft operating from Scandinavia, and flights organised by the company’s Spanish and U.S. offices are also currently underway.

To find out more about ACS's relief efforts, or any aircraft charter at all, please contact us: cargo.sales@aircharter.co.uk

Air Charter Service was recently called into action after a ship ran aground close to the town of Lagoa, the Azores, in the Atlantic Ocean.

The 8,000 ton German cargo ship fortunately had a double hull, which meant that only the outer shell had been penetrated. So there was no spillage, and the vessel was in no immediate danger of sinking, but still needed to be treated by a specialist chemical system in order to minimize the potential corrosive damage caused by seawater before being towed for repair.

This is when Dan Morgan-Evans, Cargo Manager ACS London, received a call. The treatment had to be flown out to Ponta Delgado Airport – also on São Miguel Island in the Azores – but was located in the UK and mainland Europe. For maximum effect the treatment must be applied within a matter of days, so urgent charters were needed. Dan sourced two Antonov 12 aircraft to carry 8 tons of kit each – one departing from East Midlands Airport and one from Amsterdam.

Within a couple of days of the ship reporting the problem the necessary equipment was in Lagoa and ready to be used. After the process was completed, the ship was refloated and towed to its base port in Hamburg, Germany for full repair.

For any aircraft charter requirement please contact our team: cargo.sales@aircharter.co.uk

Air Charter Service has been heavily involved in getting aid to the victims of the recent disasters in Indonesia and the South Pacific Ocean.

An earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter Scale occurred just 100 miles off the coasts of both Samoa and American Samoa in the South Pacific causing a tsunami to crash against their shores. More than 100 people are known to have perished on the islands with many more still missing after the devastating tidal wave.

Less than 24 hours later an earthquake registering 7.9 hit just offshore of Padang in Sumatra, Indonesia. Claiming more than 1,000 lives, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and with 3,000 still missing international aid was needed fast.
hedley transfer

Air Charter Service, with a proud history in humanitarian aircraft charter relief efforts, was called into action by various aid agencies and governments across Europe and the World. Richard Thompson, senior cargo charter analyst said: “Having aided thousands that have been affected in previous disasters, ACS was well equipped to help rush the vital supplies out there. Amongst other necessary items, blankets, water kits, medical packs and tents were hurried to the affected areas.” Utilising aircraft such as IL-76s, aid was sent into Padang airport itself, Manila, and other airports nearby.

For any aircraft charter requirement please contact our team: cargo.sales@aircharter.co.uk

Thomas Howe, cargo charter account manager ACS London, recently helped with the fighter jet trials for the Indian Air Force. Jets from all over the World flew to India for the project which aims to acquire 126 medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) for the IAF. The various fighters are to be put through their paces in two sets of trials to be conducted in summer and winter, ranging from the snow-capped peaks of Leh to the extreme heat of the Rajasthan deserts and humid conditions of southern India.

Thomas helped by sending ground support equipment on four IL-76 aircraft. “Each set of trials lasts for a few weeks, so the aircraft needed GPUs, air conditioning units, ladders, etc”, he said. ”We transported everything they needed over to India, so that they were not without anything whilst there.”The operation, as far as our part was concerned, was a great success – the results of the trials however, will not be know for months”.

Air Charter Service is delighted to announce that it has signed an exclusive contract with Evergreen International Aviation of Oregon, USA to become the European agent for its Boeing 747 Supertanker.

Since 2002, Evergreen International Aviation has been developing the Supertanker - an advanced aerial firefighting aircraft converted from a Boeing 747. The aircraft won certification for operation this season after receiving its interim approval letter from the Interagency Air Tanker Board. The aircraft also received its Supplemental Type Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in November 2008. It is now available to assist world firefighting agencies during the 2009 season and beyond. The award is unique because the Supertanker has an 8:1 drop ratio compared to that of all other current firefighting aircraft, meaning the Supertanker will forever change the way wildland fires are fought. The plane is the first of a fleet designed to accommodate the needs of U.S. and International private and public agencies.

The aircraft’s drop capabilities, effectiveness, safety standards and operational flexibility are all revolutionary.  It is the most advanced, targeted and largest capacity firefighting jet in the world. With a 77,600 litre (20,500 gallons) capacity, it is able of carrying  almost twice the amount of retardant than any other firefighting aircraft. It is also the only aircraft to have a variable pressure delivery system, and is able to perform segmented drops, meaning it can fight more than one fire in a single mission. It also has loiter capability enabling ground control to direct it to specific areas. The Supertanker also has the ability to respond quickly to a variety of environmental and homeland security threats.  Wide area decontamination, soil stabilization, oil spill response, and radiation knockdown are all within the response capability of the Supertanker, making it the most versatile aerial application vehicle in the World.   

Tony Bauckham, Managing Director of ACS, was formerly Executive Vice President of Evergreen International Airlines, and was involved from the early stages in the development of the Supertanker. He commented: “After so much hard work from the Evergreen team it is exciting to see this project completed. ACS feels privileged to be able to offer this aircraft within Europe to reduce the damage caused by costly forest fires. Europe has experienced several notable forest fires in the last few years, and the Supertanker is a major addition to the continent’s fire fighting capabilities.”

Since its inception in 1990, Air Charter Service has always been available 24/7, which will prove essential when the Supertanker is required. ACS currently works alongside many European governments when humanitarian aid is urgently needed after natural disasters, and is very pleased to have added the Boeing 747 Supertanker to its portfolio of services to those same governments.

For all supertanker enquiries please email matthew.purton@aircharter.co.uk

Zimbabwe, a country that is already under strain is now faced with an outbreak of cholera. In a country hit by hyper inflation rendering what little food there is unaffordable; five million people are now thought to be in need of food aid. An outbreak of cholera has put further strain on dwindling medical resources, and a failing water supply has left many vulnerable.

Air Charter Service worked alongside a Spanish relief agency to fly aid into Zimbabwe. Richard Thompson cargo charter analyst assisted the Spanish Red Cross in chartering an IL-76 aircraft to take aid, including the following, medical supplies/equipment, all terrain truck, 4x4 vehicle, rations and body bags, from Torrejon Air Force Base to Harare.

In total 17 tons of cargo was delivered to help relieve the suffering of the tens of thousands hit by the cholera epidemic sweeping the country.

ACS work with a number of relief agencies who have come to value the quick thinking and extensive knowledge of ACS account managers to find the quickest most cost effective charter solution.

Contact cargo@aircharter.co.uk for more information  

Air Charter Service was recently one of the first air charter brokers to get civilian flights into Goma carrying 88 tons of emergency aid. The company was  approached to find a solution to deliver the aid to the 250,000 people that had fled their homes to avoid violent clashes between rebel forces and the government, as quickly as possible.

The fastest solution was to use two Ilyuhsin 76’s to take plastic sheets, buckets, blankets and two pallets of water purification tablets in bulk  to Entebbe (Uganda) from Fujairah International Airport (UAE), to then be ferried on aircraft capable of landing at  Goma airport. The two largest aircraft able to land in Goma due to its restricted runway are the AN-12 and L-100 Hercules. Using AN-12’s, which are usually banned from DRC, would have caused a delay due to having to wait for the exemption permits. An L-100 Hercules aircraft was used which could get permits quickly, therefore no delays were encountered the aircraft operated 6 rotations from Entebbe to Goma, which ensured that the aid was delivered in the quickest possible time.

To ensure the efficiency of this operation ACS committed to having a representative from its Dubai office to oversee the loading of the IL-76’s at Fujairah, as well as a representative of its operations department, who went on the first aircraft down to Entebbe. On arrival in Entebbe the aircraft was met by  a French speaking ACS account manager. A flight manager went on each of the 6 rotations to Goma with the French speaker going on the first aircraft to make any up front arrangements. Having a bilingual flight manager, who is on site, broke  down any communication barriers ensuring maximum speed in making all of the necessary arrangements.

Dan Morgan-Evans said

“The number one priority was to get the relief  cargo to the people that needed it most as quickly as possible. Having a representative from our Dubai office and two flight managers, one of them a French speaker, ensured the smooth and time efficient running of this operation, with no time being wasted”

Cargo@aircharter.co.uk

Air Charter Service recently chartered an ILYUSHIN-76 on behalf of a UK development company contract. This cargo charter was for an outsized land mine clearance vehicle weighing 15 tonnes. Due to the size and weight of the machine the only feasible way to move it quickly enough was to charter an aircraft.

The stage two aircraft flew from Vatry International (France) to Juba in Southern Sudan. The transportation of this vehicle is part of a programme to demine and rebuild the roads in Sudan in order to rebuild the infrastructure and help those that had been displaced because of the civil war and return home in safety.

Richard Thompson said

“Arranging any charter flight into Southern Sudan is problematic at the moment, due to the current political climate. We had to work closely with our consignee the in order to get the flight and landing permits that we needed”

Air Charter Service work with a number of development agencies that are helping to rebuild countries due to wars and other humanitarian crises, their quick reaction times are extremely valuable to these agencies. When it is a matter of urgency ACS will be able to find a charter solution day or night in the fastest possible time.

Contact our cargo team 24/7 +44 (0) 20 8943 9966

Cargo@aircharter.co.uk

Haiti was torn apart by two hurricanes in the space of a week, destroying 11,000 homes leaving 850,000 people in desperate need of aid. Richard Thompson was approached by a Spanish relief agency to charter an aircraft to get their aid to the people of Haiti.

Due to the urgency of the situation there was only 24 hours to organise this charter- including permits. The aircraft used to carry the 12 tons of urgent relief cargo which included two water purifying units, generators and ration packs was the Anthonov-12. This aircraft is cost effective, rear loading and with internal loading systems allowing cargo to be loaded quickly and easily making it an ideal solution for this urgent charter.

Richard Thompson said“ACS was able to arrange all permits for the flight and position the aircraft into Torrejon (Spain) within 24 hours after the customer’s confirmation”

ACS specialises in this type of emergency response, and with 17 years experience their expertise in this area is highly respected. This reputation has directly lead to ACS being appointed the nominated broker for the British Government’s Department for International Development and they have won many other contracts with governmental and non-governmental relief organisations worldwide.

Contact Richard Thompson by email cargo@aircharter.co.uk

When USAID were faced with a colossal relief operation they called on ACS London who efficiently transported 31,000 kilograms of relief cargo to the Philippines in one day after Typhoon Frank hit the region on 20th June 2008. 

Using an Airbus A300F the 31,000 kilograms of cargo was rapidly flown 6500 nm from Pisa, Italy to aid some of the 20 provinces of the Philippines affected by the storm.  Nick Harris and the London team ensured that the 3,620 families left homeless by Typhoon Frank quickly received the emergency cargo which included plastic sheeting, jerricans and hygiene kits.  
 

According to the Philippine National Disaster Coordinating Council Typhoon Frank destroyed, or damaged, more than 150,000 homes, flooded approximately 555,987 acres of farmland, and  ruined 18.5 tons of agricultural produce. 

This represents the second relief effort in as many months following ACS’ gallant efforts last month, when 37 cargo flights carrying relief goods were operated for aid agencies after a cyclone hit Burma in May. 

Nick Harris Cargo Charter Analyst at ACS commented: “As with every aid agency call received the ACS London team treated the Typhoon Frank relief flight as extremely urgent.  We only had one day to obtain all the permits in addition to organising offloading equipment when no conventional equipment was available.  We are very proud to have been selected to assist USAID and to help so many people when they needed it most.” 

With established offices in London, New York, Dubai, Moscow and Hong Kong, ACS assists Governmental organisations, non-governmental relief organisations. Their extensive work has directly lead to ACS being appointed as the nominated broker to the British Government’s Department For International Development (DFID) and to assisting many other relief organisations.

Contact: Nick Harris, London based Cargo Charter Analyst and team Cargo@aircharter.co.uk

A natural disaster can hit any part of the world at any time, you can’t predict where or when it will happen but in ACS’ line of work it has to be ready for when it does.

The air charter industry is an integral part of the logistics chain necessary for the execution of the worldwide relief efforts undertaken by governments, NGOs, Charities and private organisations. The mobilisation of aircraft into Burma carrying relief shipments for the cyclone victims and into China transporting specialist earthquake equipment and teams once again showed just how effective air support can be. Time is of the essence in these circumstances and the time saved by flying the aid into the worst effected areas protected lives and got medical and food aid to where it was needed quickly and effectively.

There are few companies better placed to answer an urgent call under these circumstances than Air Charter Service (ACS), the international air charter broker which monitors the movement of over 50,000 aircraft worldwide at any given time, to ensure that the best placed aircraft can be mobilised in the shortest possible time. ACS has a long and proud history in providing humanitarian aid charters to disasters around the globe.

Justin Bowman, Group Commercial Director at ACS commented “We were able to assist aid agencies from all over the world handling the relief efforts for cyclone hit Burma. We operated 37 cargo flights to the region organised by our London, Dubai and New York offices, carrying tonnes of food, tents, blankets, mosquito nets, water purification tablets, flat bottom boats with outboard engines, medical kits and jerry cans.” The worldwide ACS team mobilised a wide range of cargo aircraft to the region, these included A300s, DC8s, IL-76s and AN12s.

In addition to sourcing cargo aircraft from outside suppliers for charter requirements, ACS also has several aircraft that are on long term lease and which are under its commercial control. In addition ACS provides operational support for these aircraft from their base at East Midlands airport. Most importantly, the managed fleet can be airborne within 90 minutes of ACS receiving confirmation of a flight.

With established offices in London, New York, Dubai, Moscow and Hong Kong, ACS assists Governmental organisations, non-governmental relief organisations, their extensive work has directly lead to ACS  being appointed as the nominated broker to the British Government Department For International Development (DFID) and to many other relief organisations.

Contact one of our cargo sales team to find out about all our relief capabilities

CargoOnlineEnquiries@aircharter.co.uk

With new security measures coming into force after the attempted air cargo bombings that were thwarted just six weeks ago, charter brokers say that there has been a slight rise in business.

The two bombs, found in Dubai and East Midlands Airports, were both believed to have originated in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a, and bound for Chicago. They were intercepted in the UAE and UK after the authorities were tipped off. Officials said that the packages contained devices consisting of explosives pushed into printer toner cartridges.

Justin Lancaster, cargo sales director at Air Charter Service, said: “There was a sixteen percent increase in cargo bookings last month, and this was in no small part down to the security fears. Consignors decided that transporting their cargo on aircraft charters was safer, quicker and generally more efficient than scheduled flights.”

This week EU transport vice-president, Siim Kallas, revealed plans to make sure cargo from outside the EU met the same strict screening as freight originating from Europe, and Lancaster continued: “With new measures coming in seemingly all the time at the moment, I’m sure the rise in our business caused by them will last a while yet. We have the same stringent security procedures with charters, but at least the client knows that their cargo is safe on its own aircraft.”

Air Charter Service conducts more than 5,000 charters every year on all types of aircraft from private jets, to commercial airliners, to cargo aircraft.

When an oil refinery in the North of England urgently required a spare part to be replaced, they turned to ACS to tackle the crisis immediately.

The call was made mid-morning on Friday 29th February and by that afternoon the flight was confirmed. The aircraft, a long-haul cargo carrier which needed to traverse the 5,000 miles between Houston, USA and Doncaster, UK to deliver the part, arrived by 1:30 pm the next day: less than 24 hours after the client confirmed.

The speed and efficiency of the service provided by ACS is essential when the cost of non-production far outweighs the cost of retrieving the part.

Richard Thompson, a Cargo Charter Analyst at ACS London, explains:

“The crew of the B747 (100,000kgs capacity freighter) must have thought there was a mistake when they were presented with a 1,200kg pallet for loading. When you’re a company potentially losing around $1,000,000USD per day, we understand that speed outweighs the cost. Under all circumstances ACS will, of course, search out the most cost effective and appropriate aircraft for our customers, however, when time is of the essence exceptional solutions such as this may be used.”

Contact: Richard Thompson, London based Cargo Charter Analyst and team London@aircharter.co.uk

The latest string to Air Charter Service’s bow, Air Courier Service, got off to a flying start with an intercontinental booking in its first full week of operation. Air Courier Service is the new on board courier arm of ACS. The couriers are available 24 hours a day, and ready to take the next available flight with small shipments that would be considered too small to charter an entire aircraft.

A multinational internet support company had an urgent computer part that was required in Delhi that weekend. Jacob Ayley, flight support executive, took the call. Ayley quickly came up with a solution for the client, and immediately offered it. It was swiftly accepted and the wheels of the operation went into motion. The whole process went very smoothly, and the aircraft arrived in Delhi at lunchtime on the Sunday, and the part was hand delivered at its final destination.

The piece arrived in time to start working when it was needed, and the client was very pleased, commenting “My experience of dealing with ACS has been an extremely positive one and I will happily use your services again. I will also have no hesitation in recommending ACS to business acquaintances”. He then added, “Jacob did a fantastic job”.

For more info on Air Courier Service, email us obc@aircharter.co.uk
For all other charter enquiries cargo@aircharter.co.uk

Floods affecting nearly 25,000 families hit parts of Bolivia last month causing the country’s President Evo Morales to declare a state of emergency after weeks of heavy rain; this has been caused by the climatic phenomenon known as La Niña, and has devastated several parts of the country.

Air Charter Service (ACS) one of the leading operators in cargo and passenger air chartering, received an urgent call from a Spanish based relief agency to carry 10 tonnes of much needed water purification equipment, medical kits, tents, blankets and mosquito nets from Madrid Torrijon Airport on the 12th February 2008, just three days after the agency approached ACS.

The 70cbm cargo was expertly loaded into the AN-12 with only a 90cbm volume, resulting in the on site load master remarking how ‘our skills at Tetris have come in very handy today’.

Richard Thompson, Cargo Charter Analyst, ACS said:
“This is the fourth charter that we have successfully operated for this client and ACS’ dedicated broker relationships and the added bonus of the team being fluent in Spanish certainly helps put our customers’ minds at rest. Speaking the language also helped me to secure landing rights and permits with the minimum of delay.”

ACS works to assist governments, charities and aid agencies when ‘every minute counts’ in saving lives. Being very aware of the urgency required in these situations, as a minimum requirement many of the charter brokers at ACS are bi- or tri-lingual. They have supported relief efforts into countries including Algeria, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Sudan and operated a variety of nearly 500 flights in the aftermath of the catastrophic tsunami which struck Thailand on December 26th 2004.

Contact Richard Thompson, Cargo Charter Analyst and team at london@aircharter.co.uk

Air Charter Service’s cargo department has been working tirelessly for the past week on solutions to overcome the problems caused by the volcanic ash cloud.

Justin Lancaster, Cargo Sales Director, explains: “Initially people thought that the closure of the airspace would last a day or two, but over the first weekend the realisation that this was much more serious sunk in, and forwarders began to panic. The phones went really mad with people looking for the earliest availabilities and other alternatives, and we had a number of staff in the office over the weekend, including a few people who even slept here!”

ACS used Spain as a hub to bring goods into Europe and to fly them out, as people were a lot more willing to truck goods further than normal just to get their freight on their way.

“We were getting a lot of requests for all sorts of shipments on routes where you wouldn't normally need a charter – for example from the US to Europe, where there's always good capacity. These aren't usual charter routes.”

With flights only just resuming part way through last week, companies have been desperate for any type of capacity on almost any route into or out of Europe.

Lancaster added: “Before the volcano erupted some carriers were already asking for two to three weeks' notice for bookings, and the availability of wide-bodied aircraft from the Far East was already bad - this situation has made it a lot worse.”

Air Charter Service expects the back log to last for a while yet, and will continue to help its customers moving their cargo around the world.

For any aircraft charter requirement please contact our team: cargo.sales@aircharter.co.uk

Sometimes the strength of an organisation lies in its commitment to detail and its quality of foresight. This proved truer than usual when Air Charter Service were asked to carry two 31 tonne, four metre high transformers nearly 3,000 miles from the UK to Iran.

Securing a massive Antonov-124 Ruslan, ACS had to plan carefully to ensure that the load could be properly fitted and supported.

Ben Dinsdale, London based Cargo Charter Analyst, describes how, realising that the weight of the transformers was such that they would be too heavy to be supported during the flight on the original bases, “We organised a visit to the factory the week before the flight in order to advise how to spread the weight efficiently by altering the base for optimum loading onto the AN-124.”

Contact Ben Dinsdale, London based Cargo Charter Analyst and team london@aircharter.co.uk

On Friday 13th March the staff at ACS London, got into the spirit of Red Nose Day to raise some money and arrived at work all determined to win the coveted prize of best costume.

Throughout the day there were fun activities, including Ben Dinsdale dying his beard red when donations smashed through the minimum of £150, a cake sale and an ACS master chef competition all of which raised money for this amazing charity.

With the donations and pledges that went on throughout the day the staff at ACS London raised an amazing £704.80, which was matched by ACS making the total up to £1409.60.

Air Charter Service (ACS) one of the leading names in cargo and passenger air chartering, arranged for an Antonov-12 to carry seven tonnes of urgently needed relief cargo from Spain to Mexico and South America in the aftermath of Hurricane Noel which left widespread flooding and mudslides.

Richard Thompson, Cargo Charter Analyst at ACS confirmed the flight on the evening of Friday 2nd November for a 4th November departure. The flight was for the Spanish Government so using his fluent Spanish, Richard was able to negotiate the permits for each country, not an inconsiderable task due to the long duration of the flight and the two drop stops in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The AN-12 carried seven tonnes of medical kits, two water purifying plants, blankets and jerry cans to the effected regions.

Richard Thompson, Cargo Charter Analyst, ACS said:
“The challenge with this flight was the route – the 26 hour flight stopped in two different countries on the way and with only 24 hours notice we had to work hard to finalise everything.”

ACS is called in to assist governments, charities and aid agencies when ‘every minute counts’ in saving lives. Being very aware of the urgency required in these situations, as a minimum requirement many of the charter brokers at ACS are bi- or tri-lingual. They have supported relief efforts into countries including Algeria, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Sudan and operated a variety of nearly 500 flights in the aftermath of the catastrophic tsunami which struck Thailand on December 26th 2004.

Contact Richard Thompson, Cargo Charter Analyst and team at london@aircharter.co.uk

ACS recently chartered two business jets to transport medical treatments to London and Manchester hospitals. Due to time restraints, two aircraft had to be used to transport the packages or radioactive cargo to its destination where it was to be used to treat liver cancer.

The cargo, ready and waiting in Frankfurt at 10am needed to be in London and Manchester by 1pm. Due to the cargo being classified as dangerous goods, the choice of aircraft was limited, but ACS’ knowledge and expertise of the market enabled them to find a solution.

James Cristofoli from the London cargo department worked with the London passenger team, using their knowledge to find suitable aircraft that could get the treatments to the hospitals in the quickest possible time.

This charter required management of simultaneous departures from different airports, two separate operators going to different airports. Both of the flights went smoothly with the cargo being delivered to their respective hospitals on time ensuring that the patients received their treatments. The knowledge and expertise of cargo and passenger account managers at ACS ensures that each and every time the most suitable aircraft is used. ACS cargo staff are extensively trained to work with any cargo including dangerous goods. This ensures no time is wasted and no risks are taken getting your dangerous cargo to its destination on time and in safety.

Contact a cargo sales manager now cargo@aircharter.co.uk

Enormous ocean freighters are generally the preferred mode of transport when carrying 200 tonnes of oil drilling equipment from the UK out to the Middle East. However, when the production of 15 massive ‘Christmas tree’, component parts of oil drilling equipment required by an Egyptian oil development was delayed back in November the shippers involved turned to Air Charter Service (ACS) who chartered two mighty AN-124 aircraft.

ACS’ key qualities as an international organization with a high level of professionalism on the ground were vital. The difficulties the Houston-based shipper had in arranging transport from the UK to Egypt were overcome by the smooth and easy interactions of ACS’ New York and East Midlands offices.

However it was the skills of ACS employees on site which proved critical. Ruan Courtney, President and Charter Sales Manager ACS New York, emphasised the importance of the “experience of Ralph Cutting our EMA based Operations Manager, in ensuring that any problems the shipper experienced prior to loading – such as the cargo not being able to fit through the airport gates! - were dealt with efficiently and well in advance of the flight.”

Yet another example of ACS’ ability to offer quick and effective logistics solutions to their customers.

Contact: Ruan Courtney, President and Charter Sales Manager ACS New York and team cargo@aircharterserviceusa.com

Air Charter Service (ACS) has been a specialist in outsize cargo transport for the past 15 years. Recently they were able to demonstrate just how accomplished they are in this area of expertise when they assisted one of their clients, a major freight forwarder in Norway, to transport outsized cargo across the world.

ACS were contacted when a leading Norwegian oil company urgently needed to transport some vital oil well equipment from Osaka, Japan to Oslo, Norway. The cargo included 124 oil pipes, all 12 metres long, 30 centimetres in diameter and weighing 110 tonnes in total.

Experienced cargo broker Andy Holmes located an Antonov 124 to transport the cargo in no time. Experience is often the key when dealing with air cargo, and in this case it proved vital as Andy was able to obtain Japanese traffic rights within ten days, thereby meeting the client’s deadline for delivery.

ACS prides itself on quality service with great flexibility to suit the customers’ needs. Once again ACS was able to deliver a full service on an international route and leave another one of their valued clients satisfied.

Air Charter Service plc, the private air charter specialist is delighted to announce that it is to base an Antonov 26 cargo plane at Châteauroux-Déols "Marcel Dassault" Airport, situated 220 km south of Paris. This is the first time that an aircraft has been based at the facility.

Air Charter Service is London-based, with other permanent offices in New York, Dubai and Moscow. Globally recognised as a leading name in passenger and cargo air chartering, it operates around 2,700 flights annually. The company was established in 1990 and provides a complete turnkey service for anyone needing to charter an aircraft on a one-off basis, arranging all aspects of a charter from fully crewed aircraft to ground transfers. ACS monitors real-time movements of more than 50,000 aircraft worldwide and tracks data on airports, fuel prices, legislation and routings.

Justin Bowman, ACS commercial director, comments,

“Châteauroux is perfectly placed for the heartland of the French automotive industry, and basing the Antonov 26 there means that we can better serve the needs of our clients in the auto industry, co-ordinating “just-in-time” deliveries of parts.”

According to local myth, there is a pub in Shropshire where Eric Clapton used to stroll in occasionally and ask if the band would let him join them for a few numbers. That was in the late 1970s; today, any performance by the legendary artist requires meticulous management over an extended period. To illustrate the scale of a Clapton event, his recent packed-stadium tour of the Far East involved the movement of around 25 tons of band and stage equipment between venues.

Eric had not played in Singapore since 1990 — and it was only his second Bangkok performance in 30 years — and audience expectations were high, so every aspect of the tour had to be perfectly handled. Ian Haynes, director of Rock It cargo, turned to Air Charter Service to guarantee that all of his equipment would always be in the right place at the right time. The tour entailed five performances, in five countries, within a nine-day period in January.

Justin Bowman, Air Charter Service’s worldwide commercial director, arranged an Airbus A-300 to carry the vital cargo across thousands of miles: from Bangkok to Singapore, then to Hong Kong, onwards to Shanghai and finally to Seoul. As with any such itinerary, details had to be changed along the way, but ACS always rose to the occasion.