Centurion Air Cargo


Centurion Air Cargo, operating as Centurion Cargo, was an American cargo airline based in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.

History

The airline was established as Challenge Air Cargo in 1985 as a subsidiary of Challenge Air Transport. In 1986, the airline became independent of Challenge Air Transport. In 2001, following the takeover of the scheduled business by United Parcel Service a new company was formed as Centurion Air Cargo to take over the air operating certificate of Challenge.
The airline surrendered its operating certificate to the Federal Aviation Administration in June 2018, after being unable to restructure its operations after financial difficulties.

Centurion Cargo Center

The Centurion Cargo Center was a cargo terminal located at Miami International Airport, opened in 2013.
The facility comprised a 1,400,000 square feet area incorporating a 550,000 square feet warehouse with both cold and dry storage facilities.
Centurion Cargo Center was the largest privately owned, all cargo airline facility in North America before its operation was shut down.

Destinations

Centurion Air Cargo operated to the following destinations:
CountryCityAirportNotesRefs
Buenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International Airport
TucumánTeniente General Benjamín Matienzo International Airport
ManausEduardo Gomes International Airport
Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport
ViracoposViracopos International Airport
SantiagoArturo Merino Benítez International Airport
BogotáEl Dorado International Airport
MedellínJosé María Córdova International Airport
LatacungaCotopaxi International Airport
Hong KongHong Kong International Airport
TokyoNarita International Airport
GuadalajaraMiguel Hidalgo y Costilla Guadalajara International Airport
Mexico CityMexico City International Airport
AmsterdamAmsterdam Airport Schiphol
Panama CityTocumen International Airport
Ciudad del EsteGuaraní International Airport
LimaJorge Chávez International Airport
Los AngelesLos Angeles International Airport
HoustonGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport
MiamiMiami International Airport
MontevideoCarrasco International Airport
CaracasSimón Bolívar International Airport

Fleet

The airline fleet previously included the following aircraft:
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotes
BAC One-Eleven Series 400AK119861986
Boeing 707-320C319831999
Boeing 727-100119861987Leased from Air Panamá Internacional
Boeing 747-400BDSF120152017
Boeing 747-400ERF220132017
Boeing 747-400F120132015
Boeing 757-200PF319892000
Douglas DC-8-63PF219881991
Douglas DC-8-73CF119951995Leased from Southern Air Transport
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10F120062007Leased from Emery Worldwide
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30F720012010
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40F319982004
McDonnell Douglas MD-11CF220092017
McDonnell Douglas MD-11F320092018

Accidents and incidents

  • On July 7, 2008, Centurion Air Cargo Flight 164 crashed near El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, killing two people in a nearby house.
  • On October 20, 2009, Centurion Air Cargo Flight 431, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F sustained damage on landing at Carrasco International Airport. The right hand main landing gear leg was bent sideways during landing on runway 24. The crew managed to stop on taxiway A where the airplane had to be offloaded.
  • On October 13, 2012, Centurion Air Cargo Flight 425, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F sustained substantial damage while landing at Viracopos International Airport. Upon touchdown, the left landing gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded along the runway for before stopping. The aircraft was written off afterwards. All 3 occupants on board were uninjured.