David Bassett, who founded Miami-based Amerijet International Airlines and built it into a well-known cargo carrier serving the Caribbean, Central America and South America, has died, the company announced on Thursday. He was 77.
Bassett established Amerijet in 1974 and led the company for more than 40 years, transforming it from a single-aircraft air taxi operation transporting small cargo and passengers between the United States and The Bahamas into a leading regional all-cargo carrier. At the start, Bassett was also the company’s sole pilot, according to an obituary shared by the Miami Air Cargo Association.
Amerijet has been owned by a series of private equity companies for many years, but has returned to its regional roots and righted itself in the past 18 months under CEO Joe Mozzali.
Previous CEO Tim Strauss rapidly grew Amerijet’s fleet to 22 aircraft as the company expanded operations to Europe and domestic U.S. flying, and began flying freighters between the United States and Asia for Denmark-based Maersk Air Cargo. In late 2023, the airline parted ways with Strauss after a rocky three years that saw the company overinvest in capacity as the cargo market rapidly cooled off after the pandemic. In early 2024, Amerijet terminated leases for six Boeing 757-200 converted freighters and now operates 11 Boeing 767 freighters, according to aviation databases.
Bassett spent his teenage years in Guyana, where his family served as missionaries. There, he learned to fly and helped repair aircraft on remote jungle airstrips, often working under difficult conditions. After a tour in the United States Air Force he moved to South Florida to pursue his dream running an aviation company.
Bassett was one of the air cargo industry’s pioneers. When Amerijet was founded in the 1970s, most freight was still transported in the belly holds of passenger aircraft. Dedicated cargo airlines, such as FedEx, Flying Tigers, UPS, Jet Freight Cargo, Jet Way, Interstate Airlines, Aeroamerica, and Empire Airlines, began building early air freight networks, but many of them no longer exist today. Bassett targeted Latin America and the Caribbean because he viewed it as an underserved market.
After operating a leased Cessna 401 between South Florida and the Bahamas, Bassett shifted the company in 1976 to all cargo and changed its name to support the rapid growth of overnight courier networks. By 1978, Amerijet had expanded its operations to include overnight courier routes for Purolator, FedEx, UPS, DHL and Airborne Express utilizing a fleet of Falcon 20 aircraft. The Falcon was the same plane FedEx, newly founded by Fred Smith, was using.
In 1982, Dave acquired full ownership of Amerijet. The airline continued expanding its aircraft fleet, flight operations, and logistics capabilities, eventually establishing its primary hub at Miami International Airport in 1987. From Miami, Amerijet built a strong cargo network connecting the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
The airline offered a lifeline to communities during hurricanes and other natural disasters by helping move critical supplies and humanitarian aid.
In 2016, Bassett was replaced as CEO by Vic Karjian when new investors bought the company. Industry colleagues say Bassett cultivated close relations with customers, agents, and partners throughout the region, many of whom became lifelong friends. He mentored many employees and created a family environment based on loyalty, respect, hard work and caring, according to members of the Miami air cargo community.
In 2013, he received the prestigious Wright Brothers Memorial Award, presented by the Greater
Miami Aviation Association for a lifetime contribution to commercial aviation safety. Earlier, in 2007, he was honored with the Juan Trippe Award, recognizing his significant contributions to the development of international aviation.
Dave is survived by his wife, Kandee, and his three daughters.
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Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.
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