This stunning news is not be confused with Lambert-St. Louis International Airport's effort to land its Midwest China Hub.
Thursday, August 26, 2010, 3:35pm CDT | Modified: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 4:07pm
First Chinese cargo flight lands at MidAmerica airport
ST. LOUIS BUSINESS JOURNAL - BY Kelsey Volkmann
A critical cargo test flight from China landed Thursday afternoon at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Ill.
The purpose of the flight, which departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, was to complete all the procedures, communications and logistics coordination required for a long-term air commerce trade route into MidAmerica from Asia and back again, airport officials said.
With the success of the first flight, officials said they expect regular air cargo service from Asia to MidAmerica St. Louis Airport to begin in the fourth quarter of 2010.
“With the start of this new trade route, we believe the overall cargo operations here at MidAmerica will really take off,” St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern said in a statement.
The test flight carried 83 kilo tons of general cargo, including electronic equipment, power equipment parts and industrial equipment. Sky Lease Cargo, based in Greensboro, N.C., operated the aircraft, and Beijing Expedient Services and Transportation of China chartered the flight, consolidated the freight in Shanghai and coordinated the loading. En route from Shanghai, the aircraft made a servicing stop in Anchorage, as most aircrafts from Asia do.
After the successful landing at MidAmerica, the cargo was unloaded to waiting trucks that will transport it from there to Chicago’s O’Hare, Dallas, New York, Minneapolis and Atlanta for further distribution. By mid-afternoon, the aircraft was back in the air to continue on to Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greesnboro, NC.
The new trade route at MidAmerica is six years in the making. In 2005, the airport completed the cargo terminal, and 3,600 acres of the airport became part of the Foreign Trade Zone 31. MidAmerica airport was named a U.S. Port of Entry in 2006 and received its first international shipment from South America. Two years later, the airport completed refrigeration capability and began welcoming regular flights from Latin America carrying fresh flowers, produce and herbs, along with pharmaceuticals and other perishable air freight.
Local and state leaders also have been working to make Lambert-St. Louis International Airport a trade hub with China. A delegation plans to leave for a week-long trip to Shanghai and Beijing on Saturday.
MidAmerica airport Director Tim Cantwell has said he doesn’t consider Lambert’s efforts to develop a $40 million cargo center competition.
With Boeing’s plans to use an entire existing cargo terminal at MidAmerica by the first quarter of 2011, the airport plans to build another warehouse to host the perishable capability as well as general cargo in order to continue to facilitate existing and future international cargo operations.
Last week, Boeing said it would open a $7 million manufacturing plant at MidAmerica.
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Video: Fly MidAmerica (St. Louis) Airport