HeavyLift Cargo Airlines was founded in 1980 under the ownership of Trafalgar House, as a specialist heavy and outsize cargo airline. It began with 5 ex-RAF Shorts Belfast Freighters, 2 of which are still in operation today.
HeavyLift gradually acquired other specialist freighters to enhance its flet, such as the Hercules, A300’s, Guppy, B707, Antonov 12’s and Ilyushin 76’s.
For 10 years HeavyLift had a joint venture agreement with Volga Dnepr Airlines of Russia, whereby it managed and marketed Volga Dnepr’s fleet of 10 Antonov AN124-100 aircraft with a maximum payload of 120tonnes. From Spring 2001 HeavyLift has been working alongside Air Foyle on AN124 business to market the fleet of the Antonov Design Bureau, which trades as Antonov Airlines.
Also in Spring 2001 the copany renamed itself as HC Airlines, trading as HeavyLift for its freighter operations and Prime Airlines for its new passenger operation. Prime operates an A300 aircraft configured to 314Y in the mainly European ad-hoc market.
Freighter Aircraft | ISO9000 standard | Suspended