China Airlines Chosen to Transport National Satellite to the US for the 4th Time

China Airlines was chosen to transport “Formosat-5”, Taiwan's first domestically designed satellite, and the satellite departed for Los Angeles aboard a Boeing 747-400 freighter this morning (19th).  China Airlines has been the carrier of choice for national satellite transport missions since it first transported “Formosat-1” in 1999 and has been a witness to key milestones in the aerospace development of the nation.

 

China Airlines Chairman Nuan-Hsuan Ho hosted the transportation ceremony for “Formosat-5” at the Taiwan Cargo Terminal. He was joined in the witnessing of this historic moment in Taiwan's aerospace history by Taoyuan Mayor Wen-Tsan Cheng, Minister of Ministry of Science and Technology Liang-Gee Chen, National Applied Research Laboratories President Yeong-Her Wang, and Taiwan Air Cargo Terminal Chairman Chong-Yi Chen. Formosat-5 is scheduled to be launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket built by the US company SpaceX at 2:50AM on August 25 Taiwan time.

 

Mayor Wen-Tsan Cheng said that China Airlines’ high carrying capacity and outstanding performance makes it one of the top 10 freight carriers in the world. In addition to the transporting of the national satellite, China Airlines will also assist domestic high-tech companies with the transportation of production equipment in the second half of the year. The carrier is therefore widely recognized for its extensive experience with the transportation of sophisticated instruments. The aerospace industry is one of the priorities of the “Taoyuan Aerotropolis” program and City Hall will provide any necessary assistance. 

 

China Airlines Chairman Nuan-Hsuan Ho said that China Airlines is one of the leaders of the air cargo industry and has carried out satellite transport missions on four occasions since 1999. The missions have been of tremendous national importance and a great honor for China Airlines. All available personnel were mobilized for the latest mission by China Airlines to ensure that nothing is left to chance during the process and to make a contribute to national aerospace development through the airline's professional freight-handling capabilities.

 

TACT Logistics, a member of the China Airlines Group, drew on its years of logistics experience and set up a task force to manage all the preparations leading up to the loading of the satellite. The main body and components of “Formosat-5” weigh up to 10 tonnes and were packed across 6 pallets to ensure maximum shock protection. China Airlines will leverage its experience from the successful transportation of sophisticated Japanese wafer testing machines to ensure that the aircraft equipment is up to the mission standards. The flight plan will detour around expected areas of turbulence. The pilots will also conduct simulator training to ensure that the requirements for special cargo are met during taxiing, take-off, cruising and landing.

 

The China Airlines fleet consists of 21 freighters and 97 passenger aircraft. The latest 2017 global cargo statistics released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) ranks China Airlines among the top 10 international cargo carriers. China Airlines has extensive experience with the transportation of special cargo such as precision instruments, precious relics, large machinery and live animals. Customers have praised China Airlines for its expertise in cargo services. Well-known local and foreign companies have all made China Airlines their preferred carrier for the transportation and transit of sophisticated instruments and machinery between Europe, the Americas, Japan, China, Taiwan. Precious relics that China Airlines have transported in the past included treasures of the Vatican, exhibits from the Museum of Oriental Ceramics in Osaka and Kyushu National Museum in Fukuoka, and terracotta soldiers from the Xi’an Museum. Recent projects undertaken by China Airlines included performance equipment for the Circus of the Sun and Coldplay. These are all part of China Airlines’ continued commitment to providing to best aviation service. (2017/07/19)