Elizabeth Weise

USATODAY

SAN FRANCISCO - Amazon has been cagey about the buildout of a proprietary air network to extend the company's delivery capacity — but no more.

On Friday, the online retailer came out as a freight hauler in a big way with a flyover of the first Amazon-branded Boeing 767 cargo plane as part of Seattle's Seafair summer festival.

Over the last six months Amazon has been moving into air freight with the leasing of 40 air freighters through its air cargo partners Atlas Air and ATSG.

The company currently has 11 dedicated airplanes flying with more rolling out in the coming months, according to the company. In honor of its importance in getting deliveries out to Prime members, Amazon gave the first airplane in its dedicated fleet a tail number made up of a Prime number — N1997A.

Amazon keeps expanding its empire

Seattle Seafair is a much-loved 66-year-old event that features hydroplane races on Lake Washington, a flotilla of ships along the waterfront, a downtown torchlight parade and an air show.

"Amazon One" flew over crowds near Lake Washington during the Boeing Seafair Air Show. It was listed only as "special guest flyover" in the program, and proceeded the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team.

"I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate the inaugural flight than in our hometown at Seafair alongside Amazon employees and Seattle residents," said Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations.

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