ATLANTIC AIRLINES, the independent British cargo carrier, is to wet lease a pair of Russian Tupolev 204 cargo aircraft which will fly on a charter service for TNT Express through its European Express Centre based at Liege. The Tu-204 120C is considered the most advanced of the modern Russian commercial aircraft and is equipped with Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B engines, Honeywell (USA) navigational avionics and incorporates fly-by-wire technology. Based at Coventry Airport the airline currently operates a fleet of eight 15 ton capacity Lockheed Electra turboprops. The 13-14 pallet, 27 ton capacity Tu-204 is a Boeing 757 competitor. Joint Airworthiness Authority (JAA) type certification is now well under way with certification anticipated early in 2004. http://www.atlanticairlines.co.uk