iAero Airways (WQ, Greensboro Piedmont Triad International) has revealed plans to induct widebody jets as part of a petition to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to remove restrictions on the size of its fleet.
According to the application lodged last week, the Florida-based cargo and passenger charter specialist said only that if given the go-ahead, it would induct an unspecified number of B767s in 2022. Although iAero declined to comment on the exact nature of the aircraft, given the plan has yet to be finalised, the ch-aviation fleets module shows that one B767-300ER, N827RC (msn 26389), is due to iAero and is currently parked at Miami International.
Formerly known as Swift Air (United States of America) (Greensboro Piedmont Triad International), iAero's freighter fleet consists of one B737-300(F), two B737-400(F)s, four B737-800(BDSF)s, and two B737-800(SF)s, while for passenger services, it deploys eight B737-300s, twenty B737-400s, and five B737-800s. Its application said it also plans to induct two more unspecified aircraft by the end of 2021.
While iAero’s certificate authority was originally limited to the operation of no more than five large aircraft, the DOT has increased the cap, most recently in August this year when it was raised to a maximum of 45 aircraft.
"iAero is now is poised to expand its fleet opportunistically and strategically as commercial opportunities arise and respectfully requests that the current limitation on the number of aircraft it is authorized to operate should be eliminated," it argued. "iAero has been operating large aircraft under Part 121 for fourteen years and continues to be fit, willing and able to provide these charter services. The present restriction is no longer necessary given iAero’s track record of successful operations."
iAero Airways is a wholly-owned subsidiary of New Swift Holdings, LLC. Following the redemption of equity owned by JVM Holdings, owned by one Jerry Moyes, in August this year, the Delaware-based LLC is now owned by iAero Group (44.48%), Amasvido Rodriguez (4.85%), Claudia Abad (12.39%), Ken Wooley's Nimbos Holdings (13.10%), the former Eastern Airlines Group, Inc., EALG Interim Solutions (13.10%), AerSale (United States of America) (4.36%), Jeff Conry (5.65%), and Dutchman Boris van Lier (2.05%).
