Tropic Air intends to introduce new flights to Honduras and Guatemala within the next 12 months. Carrier chief executive Steve Schulte stated that Tropic Air has already started the process to gain authority to launch service to Honduras, and is examining option for acquiring larger, twin engine turboprops for new service to Honduras.
Tropic Air is also expanding its Cessna 208 fleet and just this past week the airline company took delivery of a new aircraft, Cessna (208B) Caravan, to replace another it recently sold, and plans to add two additional Cessnas by the fall of 2011, included in a total order of five aircrafts.
The Caravan arrived in San Pedro, directly from the Cessna factory in Wichita, Kansas, on Wednesday, November 17 and represents an investment of over $4Mil in the future, economy and people of Belize.
This new aircraft is part of Tropic’s commitment to providing its customers with the most comfortable and technologically advanced aircraft. It also continues with the fulfillment of the airline’s pledge of constant fleet renewal, stated a press release from the company.
The new Caravan comes complete with the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit system and air conditioning which will ensure that its customers fly in safety and comfort. It has already entered revenue service, providing the additional airlift needed for the tourism industry and for new destinations such as Belmopan.
Schulte says Tropic Air should reach record passenger numbers it recorded in 2008 beginning this month and continuing through October 2011, after the number of passengers the airline carried fell 15%-16% during the first few months of 2009.
The timing of the recession actually helped Tropic Air, he says, as most tourists to Belize plan their vacations ahead of time significantly. He also states a large number of condo owners with properties in Belize continued to travel during the recession.
Look for the tail number V3-HHK on Tropic Air’s new Cessna Caravan, you just might be flying on their newest aircraft.
