Ukraine’s newest airline has successfully accomplished its first industrial flight using its latest Boeing 737. The aircraft carried its first load of cargo from Budapest, Hungary, to the Moldovian capital of Chisinau, because the airspace over Ukraine continues to be closed to civilian traffic.
The start of an era
The airline recently received a industrial permit to fly throughout the EU with its latest . The primary payload belonged to Nova Global, one other company within the NOVA group (which also includes carrier service Nova Posta). The plane carried nearly 20 tons of purchases by Moldovan customers from the worldwide marketplace Temu. Previously, shipments along this route have been transported by road.
In response to data from Flightradar24, the Boeing 737-800 freighter departed (BUD) at 01:43 and landed in Moldova’s (RMO) at 03:55 on Sunday, November tenth. Viacheslav Klymov, Cofounder of the NOVA group, shared on LinkedIn just how significant this moment is:
“I’m incredibly proud to see our aircraft flying over Europe—under the Ukrainian flag, with Ukrainian call signs, and crewed by Ukrainian pilots. This moment is particularly meaningful for our pilots, because it allows them to maintain flying and maintain their skills at the best level.
“This flight is a milestone for 2 reasons. First, it concludes a lengthy preparation period, allowing SuperNova to operate with its own aircraft. With all crucial permits and certifications in hand, we’re now able to implement the strategy that SuperNova was founded to pursue—delayed by the war and the closed skies over Ukraine.
“Second, this flight allowed us to refine the total charter flight process and optimize collaboration between our teams, the client, and the contractor. This is particularly beneficial as Nova Global will probably be a key client of SuperNova Airlines for cargo deliveries to and from the US.
The aircraft has since accomplished the return leg to Budapest and flew from Hungary to Moldova yesterday before continuing to Prague (PRG).
International ambitions abound
The Nova Posta group has been reliably delivering mail throughout the conflict and has been vital in transporting supplies across the country. It took two years to finish the registration of the brand new Ukrainian airline, which has since been operating using wet-leased ATR Aircraft.
The airline’s latest Boeing 737-800SF first flew in 2007 with Air Berlin and later Royal Flight before undergoing a cargo conversion earlier this 12 months. The aircraft has now been given a Ukrainian registration number and flies the Ukrainian flag on its wingtips due to Teague (which designed the livery and painted the aircraft freed from charge for NOVA as an indication of support for Ukraine).
The aircraft will probably be used to fly charters for third-party firms. The airline ultimately plans to accumulate a fleet of Boeing 767 or Airbus A330 aircraft for long-haul destinations, including the US. For Klymov, the struggle to acquire a industrial permit to fly throughout the EU has been value it:
“We’ve got come a good distance: from finding lessors who don’t need to cooperate with an organization in a rustic at war to certifying industrial flights under the conditions of closed Ukrainian skies, when flights in Ukraine are unattainable.
“The subsequent step is to acquire the identical permit from the US, as Supernova Airlines is strategically focused on delivering cargo between America and Europe, in addition to between Europe and China.
“Looking back at the way in which we’ve come, I believe that we’ve made a miracle. I’m happy with the teams that made it possible.”
Photo: SuperNova
The airline will start regular industrial operation with the aircraft this winter season, 2024-2025. Once airspace is reopened, the airline plans to hold cargo from Lviv and Kyiv to Prague.
