An inspection of the new PH-DCE taking place.
ST. EUSTATIUS--Dutch Caribbean Islandhopper has expanded its fleet with the addition of a Cessna 402.
The airline officially welcomed the aircraft, registered PH-DCE, to her new home on Statia. The Cessna 402 is a ten-seat aircraft that will allow Dutch Caribbean Islandhopper to connect Statia with more destinations across the Caribbean, including St. Kitts, French Saint-Martin, Guadeloupe, Antigua, Dominica and the British Virgin Islands.
With a top speed of 229 knots (424 km/h) and a range of up to 2,530 km, the aircraft opens up exciting possibilities for connecting Statia directly with destinations throughout the Caribbean and even parts of South America.
The aircraft completed an impressive ferry journey that began in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, and took her across Europe and the North Atlantic via Germany, Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Canada, the USA, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, before she finally arrived on Statia. According to the airline, PH-DCE is the first aircraft ever registered in the Caribbean Netherlands and proudly carries the Dutch PH registration marks. Now home on Statia, the aircraft will receive her new Dutch Caribbean Islandhopper livery before entering service. Once repainted, PH-DCE will officially join the airline’s fleet.
The airline said it expects to expand to more destinations, offering more connections and more opportunities for Statia. “A new aircraft, a new chapter and new horizons for Statia. Stay tuned as we prepare to take regional connectivity to the next level,” the airline said.
