Cobham, a charter operator in Australia, took delivery of its seventh Bombardier Q400 turboprop as the airline’s fleet expansion continues to gather momentum.
Registered VH-IYZ, the Q400, which arrived in early May 2022, is the 12th new aircraft to join the operator’s Regional Services fleet in two years, according to a statement released by Cobham.
The arrival of the aircraft is a response to growing demand following the airline’s “soaring” start to 2022.
Claude Alviani, Cobham Regional Services Managing Director, commented on the arrival of the Q400 and its impact in Cobham’s fleet operations during a time where the airline is expanding its services to new routes and deepening its ties with clients in South and Western Australia.
“One of the things we love about the Q400 is that it can fly 30% faster and 40% farther than conventional turboprops, offering faster turnaround times and greater productivity,” Alviani said.
“Many of our operations are flying into newly constructed, unsealed airstrips. Our growing fleet of Q400 aircraft is perfect for these regional sites, and able to carry 14 more passengers than any other turboprop,” Alviani added.
Today, Cobham provides fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) services supporting projects such as mining, oil and gas, critical freight and VIP charter flights. The operator also conducts aerial border surveillance and search-and-rescue operations spanning Australia’s exclusive economic zone and SAR region.
Based in Adelaide, South Australia, Cobham is an operator of Bombardier’s Q400 and Embraer’s E190 aircraft.
On March 17, 2022, Cobham took delivery of its fifth Embraer E190 delivered in Perth, Australia.
According to Cobham’s statement, its expanding fleet of Q400 and E190 aircraft is a transition towards reducing emissions and improving environmental outcomes by focusing on a lower carbon economy.
“We recognise that different aircraft types have different carbon footprints, and we are committed to investing in these modern, low carbon emission aircraft for a greener future,” Alviani
Cobham looks to add an E190 and a Q400 to its fleet by the end of June 2022 and will take on more capacity across its fleet in the latter half of 2022.
