WHILE ongoing maintenance record checks keep Nippon Cargo Airlines' freighters grounded, Atlas Air has flown several charter flights on behalf of NCA to help the airline maintain schedules.
Speaking during an investor day event, chief commercial officer Michael Steen explained that the lessor flies two aircraft for Nippon Cargo, which continued operations as they flew under Atlas traffic rights and are governed under the US Federal Aviation Administration (F) maintenance programme, reported London's Air Cargo News.
The aircraft owner has also flown several charter flights for NCA over the last couple of weeks to 'support them to uphold the scheduled network they have in Asia and in the US'.
NCA was forced to ground 11 freighters last month after government inspectors uncovered an 'inappropriate maintenance record'.
Initially, the airline had hoped it would only have to lay up its fleet for a week while it carried out an inspection of aircraft records.
However, NCA said on June 22 that it would be more than another week until the first aircraft could recommence operations, with the rest following in sequence.
Speaking during an investor day event, chief commercial officer Michael Steen explained that the lessor flies two aircraft for Nippon Cargo, which continued operations as they flew under Atlas traffic rights and are governed under the US Federal Aviation Administration (F) maintenance programme, reported London's Air Cargo News.
The aircraft owner has also flown several charter flights for NCA over the last couple of weeks to 'support them to uphold the scheduled network they have in Asia and in the US'.
NCA was forced to ground 11 freighters last month after government inspectors uncovered an 'inappropriate maintenance record'.
Initially, the airline had hoped it would only have to lay up its fleet for a week while it carried out an inspection of aircraft records.
However, NCA said on June 22 that it would be more than another week until the first aircraft could recommence operations, with the rest following in sequence.