ATCL’s first cargo plane almost ready for delivery
Air Tanzania Cargo 767 5H-TCO on the Everett flightline spotted at the Boeing Everett factory in Washington D.C. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- The cargo plane is among the four Boeing planes that was ordered by the Tanzania government in 2021 at a reported total cost of $726 million, including a 787-8 Dreamliner and two 737 MAX jets
Dar es Salaam.Tanzanians were treated to a rare glimpse of the national carrier’s first-ever cargo plane, which, according to the manufacturer’s schedule, should be delivered in June 2023.
The cargo plane was spotted at the Boeing Everett factory in Washington, D.C., in the United States, with registration number 5H-TCO.
The plane is among four Boeing planes that were ordered by the Tanzanian government in 2021 at a reported total cost of $726 million, including a 787-8 Dreamliner and two 737 MAX jets.
According to reports, the national carrier's first dedicated cargo plane will be based at Kilimanjaro International Airport, which will become a strategic hub for cargo operations in Tanzania.
The sighting of the cargo freighter comes at a time when Tanzania’s two Airbus A220 planes remain grounded due to technical issues that the manufacturer, Airbus, is yet to fix, with the airline escalating the matter to the African Airlines Association (AFRAA).
The two planes have been grounded since October 2022 due to failure of its engines with the manufacturer allegedly failing to secure new engines in the process causing losses to its customers who purchased the planes, including ATCL.
Currently, ATCL has a fleet of 12 aircraft, of which three are grounded due to technical and legal issues, including two Airbus with the capacity to carry between 120 and 160 passengers.
