ACW - Air Cargo Week
12/08/2011
China Southern races cars to Schiphol
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China Southern Cargo, the freight wing of Guangzhou-headquartered carrier China Southern Airlines, has flown 22 racing cars from its home hub to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
The automobiles, which competed in the 2011 24-hour Le Mans Cup and which numbered amongst them Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lotus and Porsche cars, weighed a total of 150 tons. They were moved on two flights, one-a B747-400F and one a B777F operation.
The two freighters left Guangzhou Baiyun International airport for the Netherlands on 18 and 19 November respectively.
China Southern Cargo said that it set up a specialist team to handle the movement of the cars. Amongst its other tasks, that team prepared the flight schedule, conducted all the required checks, built up the necessary pallets, completed all the weights and balance procedures and loaded the cars into their freighters.
Liu Jinchang, director of freighter operation for the carrier, noted: "Given the fact that each pallet weighs differently after the cars are loaded, we had to develop the load plan carefully to strictly comply with the weight and balance of the aircraft, so as to guarantee flight safety."
Negotiations between the parties involved are expected to take place after the Chinese New Year regarding China Southern Cargo handling the shipment of racing cars due to participate in the 2012 Le Mans event, the carrier also confirmed.
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