Listen: New production widebody additions amid fresh narrowbody conversions

In this week’s episode of Cargo Facts Connect, Cargo Facts Editor Jeff Lee and Associate Editors Andrew Crider and Robert Luke discuss a week of growth for both UPS and FedEx, which continue to expand their freighter fleets with Boeing widebody aircraft. Elsewhere, e-commerce has led to further 737 freighter adoption in China, with two airlines joining the maindeck market and announcing the start of 737-800BCF operations. The team also takes a quick look at some upcoming A321F redeliveries. Meanwhile, the mysterious use of cargo aircraft in conflict areas also causes major developments in the geopolitical landscape. A transcript is available below. This transcript has been generated by software and is being presented as is. Some transcription errors may remain. Andrew Crider Hello, and welcome to this episode of cargo facts connect the podcast of cargo facts, the newsletter of record for the air cargo and freighter aircraft industries for over 40 years. I'm Andrew Crider, associate editor of cargo facts. Robert Luke And I'm Robert Luke, associate editor of cargo facts. Jeff Lee And I'm Jeff Lee, editor of cargo facts. Andrew Crider I want to begin today with something rather interesting. We've often seen how cargo aircraft can play an important part in the intelligence community in the development of international conflict. I know I've been tracking Maximus Ilyushin 76 is delivering key items to various conflict areas on the African continent. But earlier this week, a rather startling development and it occurred when Israel launched a airstrike on both Aleppo and Damascus international airports in Syria. In Aleppo. The airstrike was triggered shortly after the landing and arrival of a yas air cargo aircraft. Yas air cargo is been known, affiliated of the Iran Republican Guard, which if we recall was also what entangled the emtrasur 747 Earlier this year, but that's going to be a major development where cargo aircraft are certainly playing a central role. I want to then turn it to Robert Luke, where cargo aircraft are certainly playing center roles in a more traditional and fun filled sense with building and developing some of the largest cargo airlines in the world. Robert Luke Absolutely Drew and how's everything going on today. On that note, UPS definitely is making some head headway here as they continue to strengthen its medium wide body fleet with the addition of 8 767 300 apps quite in quite an order they placed a Boeing there, they've been on a tear lately, sourcing 767 aircraft as the company continues to seek any alternative they possibly can to expand its fleet size and the medium wide body category. The Express integrated just added recently an ex Japan Airlines, MSN 40364, or conversion with Boeing as well under the conversion program. And after fulfilling its original 747 Dash eight F orders. The company announced in its second quarter earnings report that it also has two more options for the iconic Queen of the skies. So that's pretty amazing that we're seeing such growth and rapid expansion of fleet sizes and capabilities with these Express integrators. Andrew Crider I believe the phrase Yes, Queen is appropriate for that one. But what are the other large Express carrier FedEx doing? Robert Luke That's a good question. They've actually been making some moves on their own but very low key and subtle as we had to say in the hood, they've been on a down low. FedEx quietly made some additions this week when they took delivery of one triple seven F and 1 767 300 F both factory built aircraft from Boeing. The triple seven F was ferried from Everett over to Memphis to begin operations and the 767 Freshly built factory freighter was also ferried from Everett but to Indianapolis where, if I'm not mistaken, my editor, Jeff said that as the domestic hub for the FedEx operations within the United States. Jeff Lee That's right it's one of their their multiple hubs in the country. But we've seen most of their 767 deliveries head to Indianapolis. And similarly, almost all I believe all of their triple seven deliveries have gone through Memphis, where, which is one of the busiest airports in the world. Andrew Crider And I know as FedEx received these aircraft, they also chose to retire an MD 10 And I want to put it out there that rather than sending your MD ten to be parked out to scrap, please arrange to give it to me personally, I would enjoy it far more on the scrap yard never will. But yeah, Robert Luke I think we all we all would appreciate the MD 10 there Drew definitely. Andrew Crider I want to go on from older generation to the newer generation, specifically in the 737 next generation where I believe we've had some major developments out of China this week. What can you tell me about that, Jeff? Jeff Lee It's Interesting. You know, China is already home to quite a number of 737 NGs, specifically 800 freighters. But this week, a new two new operators emerged. One was more of a surprise, I guess. And that was Shandong airlines. They have a pretty large, all 737 Passenger fleet. And but now they've got their first 800 BCF that they just unveiled at the staeco facility also in Shandong Province. And what's interesting about this is that Shandong airlines, actually, we know this because we were tracking all these passenger freedom movements, you know, started this in May 2020. But Shandong Airlines was one of the airlines in China to have removed seats from several of their 737 8 Hundreds, and they would fly these for cargo services. And they flew these not just within China, but to bases like Japan and South Korea. And based on what we can see from some local reports, and I think from Shandong airlines own announcements. They also intend to basically build on that operation and use this first freighter to divided major cities in China, as well as Tokyo and Seoul and possibly other other cities overseas. We don't know. And I've tried to find out, but we don't know whether they have any other conversions planned. I would think that they, one is probably not enough. And given their huge fleet, they do have a few older ones that are of similar vintages, this one. So we'll see. But it's the it's interesting and pretty cool to see another new, yet another new passenger airline entering the freighter market, and with 737 800 freighters. And turning to the other one, which was less of a surprise, but because we saw two of these being redelivered to Nantong, in China. And of course, this is JD airlines, which just got approval and got their AOC from the Chinese authorities. So yeah, they had taken two of these 737 800 BCFs earlier this year. And now that they officially have the AOC they will start flying them to basically serve all this ecommerce demand. And, and I believe they had hinted at more fleet growth, and they even talked about, I will see if this turns out to be true. But they even hinted at wide bodies and find, you know, long haul flights to Europe and North America. And this, I mean, is a very common thing for Chinese companies to do. You know, these grandiose, grandiose plans about their fleets and expansion. So we'll see, but I mean, certainly JD airlines and JD logistics, or jd.com is the overall group. They're certainly a very, very large company and we I'd be shocked if they'd stopped it just 2 737 8 Hundreds. Andrew Crider Does jd.com Serve Hong Kong as well. Jeff Lee Serve as in Andrew Crider Can I order a package from from JD Jeff Lee You can do that in Richmond, Virginia, Andrew Crider I bring them up because I thought their their press release mentioned expanding. So who even knows if the 737 would be the only type of aircraft that they might explore. But moving on from from that, well, what's what's been happening with other narrowbody types this week? Jeff Lee While the other let's say the latest generation of narrowbody conversions of course is the 321. And we are expecting imminently I can't say for sure when but I believe there are two A321s undergoing conversion with precision one in Sanford and one in Tampa, these two are owned by cross ocean partners and they will be joining the SmartLynx fleet. And SmartLynx had told us earlier this year that they were expecting these basically before the by the end of the year. And I think we'll be seeing these finally coming out of the hangar pretty shortly. The interesting question is, Will these be joining the DHL operation like SmartLynx's, first two, A321s? We don't know. We'll have to see as Smartlynx wasn't willing to tell us that just yet. Andrew Crider Remind me was the Smartlynx fleet. Was that all 321 precision conversion a 321s or was there an intermingling with EFW Jeff Lee Smartlynx's current two Yes, they have one of each right now. They've got these two but, they've got quite a number incoming, actually, they've got these two that are with precision they've got well, they had four as part of a lease deal with GTLK Europe that those were going to be EFW conversions, you know, at least two of those look like their completed, but they've been parked in Guangzhou after conversion, obviously, because of difficulties, or challenges with GTLK Europe, which is an affiliate of the Russia owned GT LK, we'll have to see what happens with those. But even you know, apart from these, they've got more they've got, they've just acquired four finnair A321s, they're going to do two of those with EFW and two of those with precision. And yeah, so they really have ambitious plans for their a321 growth. But apart from that, actually, I also just talked to rich Corrado, the CEO of ATSG, because of course, they are also expecting their first A321s by year end. And he just confirmed to me that they expect the first two in the fourth quarter, and of course, one of those, just like cross ocean, one of those is in at the other side facility in Sanford and one of those is the Pemco facility in Tampa. And they'll also send their third one into conversion in the fourth quarter. And those the first two are joining ASL airlines. Under that deal, they announced earlier this year. Andrew Crider Well, that's a lot and that's going to be all the time that we have for today. To those of you listening. Thank you for tuning in to this episode of cargo facts Connect. For more multimedia content like this, check out cargo facts.com and search cargo facts connect on iTunes and Spotify. Join us again next time. Subscribe to Cargo Facts Connect on iTunes or Spotify , or download the episode on Transistor . Cargo Facts Symposium, taking place LIVE Oct. 19-21 at the InterContinental San Diego, is the essential event for stakeholders in the air cargo industry. Learn more and register today .

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