Summary Kalitta Air traces its roots back to the mid-1960s when it was founded by drag racing legend Connie Kalitta. The airline's extensive history involves significant contracts with the US government, and it has become known for its headline-grabbing missions. Kalitta Air is in the process of modernizing its fleet, introducing Boeing 777 freighters for greater efficiency and cargo capacity.
Kalitta Air is one of the more prominent US cargo-only airlines. While still some way off the US giants of FedEx and UPS in terms of fleet size, its aircraft are very visible at major US airports, and it has won fame through several high-profile missions over the years. So, let's take a closer look at this pioneering cargo carrier.
A look at the US-based airlines that maintain the largest cargo-only fleets. An airline rooted in drag racing Kallitta Air's origins go back to 1967 when it was founded by Conrad "Connie" Kalitta. A five-time world champion professional drag racer, he didn’t fit the typical profile of an airline founder.
But he spotted an opportunity in the market for the rapid transport of auto parts and used some of his race winnings to purchase a twin-engine Cessna 310, calling his new company Connie Kalitta Services. It turned out that Kalitta was as successful at airline-building as he was at drag racing. Over the next decade, the airline changed its name to American International Airways (AIA) and built a sizeable fleet of Boeing 747s (-100 and -200), Douglas DC-8s, D.