First A330-200F for Yangtze River Express

On final approach returning to Toulouse-Blagnac comes the first Airbus A330-200F for Yangtze River Express.

The Shanghai-based all-cargo airline was formed in 2003 and is part of the HNA Group. Operations began with freighter-converted 737-300s, with the first widebody, a 747-400F (msn 30761, Ex-China Airlines Cargo), arriving in the summer of 2007.

The airline now has a fleet of 10 737-300s (four of which are leased from Aircastle), and four 747s, a mixture of -400Fs (ex-China Airlines) and -400 BDSFs.

The A330-200F is the very first new-build aircraft for Yangtze River Express, which has experienced considerable growth in its nine year existence. The aircraft (msn: 1175), ultimately to be registered B-5900, is the first of five A330-200Fs that YRE will take on long-term lease from BOC Aviation. Cargo Facts first reported on the announcement that these freighters would be placed with YRE in April, 2011. At the time, the addition of A330-200 Freighters at corporate sibling Hong Kong Airlines in 2010 raised questions as to which carrier these freighters would serve. BOC Aviation placed the order in February, 2008.

The aircraft was captured returning from a test flight by Toulouse-based contributor Olivier Gregoire.

Photographer: Olivier Gregoire. This photo may not be used without the express permission of Olivier Gregoire. To see more of Olivier’s excellent aviation photos, including A330-200Fs for Etihad, MASKargo, Hong Kong Airlines, and several photos of the prototype in testing, click here.