Episode Details

Most Israelis have never heard of Challenge Airlines IL — formerly CAL Cargo Air Lines — but this tiny fleet of 747 freighters has been Israel's air cargo lifeline for nearly fifty years. From flying military equipment during wartime to transporting giraffes and temperature-controlled vaccines, CAL fills the gap that passenger planes can't cover. We trace how a single 707 in 1976 grew into Israel's dedicated freighter operation, the doctrine of non-dependence that drove its creation, and why a two-aircraft fleet matters more than its size suggests.