Kalitta Air

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Kalitta Air
IATA K4	ICAO CKS	Callsign CONNIE
Founded		2000
Hubs		Newark International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport Los Angeles International Airport Brussels International Airport Hong Kong International Airport
Fleet size		18
Destinations		Worldwide
Headquarters		Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA
Key people
Website: http://www.kalittaair.com

Kalitta Air is an American cargo airline based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. It operates international scheduled and ad-hoc cargo charter services. Its main base is Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti. ^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Destinations 3 Fleet 4 Film history 5 See also 6 External links 7 References

[edit] History

In 1967 Conrad "Connie" Kalitta began a business carrying car parts using a twin engine Cessna 310 that he piloted himself. Over the years this simple start blossomed into a major airline - American International Airways. AIA began flying in 1984 using Boeing 747, Lockheed L-1011, Douglas DC-8, Twin Beech and Learjet aircraft, for air freight, air ambulance and charter passenger operations. In 1990 and 1991 AIA flew 600 missions in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm. They ultimately became one of the world’s 25 largest airlines.^{[citation needed]}

In 1997, AIA merged with Kitty Hawk Inc. and Conrad Kalitta resigned to start Kalitta Leasing (buying, selling and leasing large aircraft). In April 2000, Kitty Hawk International (the former AIA) ceased operations. Kalitta decided to rescue it and the new airline, Kalitta Air, began operations in November 2000, using the operating certificate and assets of the former airline.

[edit] Destinations

The airline provides domestic and international scheduled or on-demand cargo service and support for the requirements of the Department of Defense Air Mobility Command.

^{[2] [3]}

In January 2003, Kalitta Air announced the start of scheduled cargo flights from the US to Europe. The freighters on this service operate from EWR (Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, USA) ^[4] and ORD (O’Hare, Chicago, USA) to AMS (Schiphol, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and EMA (Nottingham East Midlands Airport, England). The airline flies scheduled cargo operations between the US and Hong Kong, US and Korea (for Asiana), Los Angeles and Honolulu . Additionally, airline operates ACMI charters for other airlines.^{[citation needed]} Liège Airport is also used as a regular refueling stop on New York City - Middle East routes.

[edit] Fleet

As of August 2007 the Kalitta Air fleet includes :^{[citation needed]}

• 6 Boeing 747-100F
• 13 Boeing 747-200F

[edit] Film history

The producers of the movie Air Force One leased an actual Boeing 747-200 from Kalitta Air and painted it in the Air Force One livery. During filming at several airports, the aircraft was mistaken for an actual Air Force VC-25. The most obvious difference between the aircraft used for filming and an actual VC-25 was the lack of a hump in front of the cockpit that in the real thing, contains the aerial refueling receptacle.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, the Discovery Channel show MythBusters used a Kalitta Air 747 to re-test the "Jet Taxi" myth. The jet blast from the plane's engines flipped over a car, a school bus, and a light aircraft.

[edit] See also

• Kalitta Charters

[edit] External links

• Kalitta Motorsports
• Kalitta Air

[edit] References

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