Mountain Air Cargo begins Cessna 408F flight operations

Mountain Air Cargo (MTN, Kinston) became the world's first active operator of the Cessna 408F Sky Courier on January 3, 2023, when it deployed the type into service under a CMI agreement with FedEx in Florida.

Even though N408FE (msn 408-0003) was delivered to the regional cargo specialist in May 2022, it was thus far used for proving and training flights. Its first commercial deployment was from Tallahassee to Orlando Int'l which is currently the only route served by the aircraft, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows. Until the end of 2022, Mountain Air Cargo ran the route with a Cessna (single turboprop) C208.

FedEx said in its statistical yearbook published in late December 2022 that it took five C408Fs through November 30, 2022. However, the US FAA register shows that N408FE is the only aircraft to have been re-registered to an operating airline. A further 16 units remain registered to Textron Aviation, including the first passenger variant Cessna 408 - N408PR (msn E408-745001). Out of the 15 freighters, 10 are currently at various stages of flight testing and induction to Mountain Air Cargo and Empire Airlines (EM, Coeur d'Alene). The latter told ch-aviation recently that it expects to have five aircraft active by March.

FedEx has a total of fifty Cessna 408Fs on order with options for a further 50. The logistics firm expects deliveries to continue through May 2026 and is currently the only confirmed customer for the freighter, although Indonesia's Smart Aviation (Indonesia) and Italy's AviaROMA have touted adding the Cessna 408Fs. Mexico's Aerus (ZV, San Luis Potosí) recently placed an order for two passenger aircraft.

Ch Aviation