Listen: Large widebody developments, rumors of an An-225 rebirth and an actual reawakening

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 your host Andrew Crider, associate editor of cargo facts.

Jeff Lee
And I am Jeff Lee, editor of cargo facts.

Andrew Crider
I want to begin today with discussing the triple seven modification being done at kmc or Kansas modification center. We published a story earlier this week about the center’s pursuit of their own STC and want to highlight some comments we received after the story was originally published. The original story included the kmc had selected tel air for the use of their cargo handling system on its triple seven 300 ERCF freighter conversion. The conversion house which is in partnership with Wichita State University’s niar is modifying the 2008 Vintage unit 37704. That’s an ex Emirates Air airframe. After we ran the story, NIAR told cargo facts that tel air will be certifying its installation of the cargo handling system under a separate STC that’s going to be accomplished in conjunction with kmC’s triple seven STC. Now, they are also said that it would be in the search for cargo handling system for last few years starting that search in 2021. And that involves three major providers in the market.

Jeff Lee
Well, and it was an interesting week, wasn’t it? Because actually, we had another story about cargo loading systems and then the NIAR announcement came immediately after ancra emerged as the victor in the competition for the CLS on the new A 350 freighter. Now we know that Airbus had been obviously also have been talking to the main suppliers and CLS suppliers in the market. And then the end they chose ancra. Ancra of course, is already supplying the cargo loading systems on almost all Airbus fleet aircraft, whether that’s the production frames or conversions, not all but most Airbus freighters.

Andrew Crider
Next we saw Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. posting a photo earlier this week posing with a model Antonov two two five the famous cargo aircraft that was destroyed after the Russian invasion of the Ukraine in late February. Since the onset of the war, the aircraft has become increasingly an icon for Ukrainian pride and industrial power. Zelensky originally asked for a total of $800 million to rebuild the iconic aircraft. At the same time, Antonov two to five Captain Demetrio Antonov has been taking interviews to discuss the plans to rebuild the aircraft. According to those published reports. Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer will use the second Antonov two two five airframe to rebuild the legacy cargo aircraft. When originally constructed, the Soviet Union had built two airframes however, the second airframe was never completed by the time of the fall of the Soviet Union. That airframe has remained in a state of disrepair and lack of completion. Since the 1980s, was subject to speculation, however, in the mid 2000s, for potential buyers in China to build the aircraft and use it as part of space launches. Although those a promises never came to fruition, it looks like there’s still a future for that aircraft certainly continue to follow cargo facts for more developments on that aircraft, as well as Ukraine and Russia related cargo stories. Next, Jeff, there were a number of 737 transactions that happened this week. Let’s let’s give a rundown for them.

Jeff Lee
I was gonna say, what week doesn’t go by without any 737 related news, whether that’s NGS or classics, but in this case, let’s talk about some of the NG news that happened this week. Because, first of all, you know, there aero capital solutions. The Texas based lessor placed an order another order for more 737 800 SF conversions with AEI. This one was for six. And these are all taking place in 2024 in facilities in China, and this actually brings the total ACS order book with AEI to 40 737 800 SFS. So you know, they were already the largest customer but then just continue to add more now and we talked to ACS and they said that basically sounds like It’s basically strengthening lead position and getting the foot in the door. But more slots. They don’t necessarily have customer commitment. Yeah. But bear in mind, these are still a couple of years away. And the question is what is potentially driving all this growth because we know that ACS leased six of its 800 SFs to Amazon. And a couple of others want one to Georgian airways, and then one to bae systems in the UK. And there are already a couple that should be coming out with conversion soon or heading off to their, their their lessees. So we’ll see whether they continue to add to Amazon for operations either in Europe or the US. And maybe we’ll even see some new customers. And then moving on to Asia, we saw my indo airlines in Indonesia, becoming the first in the country to take a 737 800. And this is a BCF, which is very interesting. The airline previously told us that they were looking at eight hundreds. And so I mean, it looks like they’ve finally done it but at the same time they’ve reached just recently also been adding to their fleet with classics. So it’ll be interesting to see whether they continue kind of two pronged approach to the fleet growth both classics and ngs. And then just round it off, just a couple of movements ahead of induction and redelivery. So and those involved ASL airlines, Chrono aviation in Canada, and DHL Express.

Andrew Crider
Lastly, I want to bring everyone’s attention to a really fun item that we had for Friday. It begins with a 1991 Vintage unit 25226 That’s a nose loading, production 747 200 F. Now it’s been retired in 2014 remained in storage since but has since moved on and flown to Jakarta to presumably enter maintenance, perhaps for reactivation. Now the fun thing out here is involves a Florida man, specifically, a certain individual who has registered the company that owns a 747 as White Walker, the Game of Thrones references only begin there. This individual has a number of companies related to them on according to Florida government reporting as on business filings, all of which have Game of Thrones reference, Jeff, what was your favorite Game of Thrones reference that we found on the paperwork related to white walker?

Jeff Lee
White Walker holdings i Oh, I liked all of them. But I have to say the white walker reference here is particularly appropriate given that we’re talking about bringing an aircraft out of well not not

Andrew Crider
resurrection, it’s it’s coming back from

Jeff Lee
I was gonna say from death, but clearly it wasn’t death. But certainly it seemed like it was pretty much dead because it had been in storage for eight years, and

Andrew Crider
died north of the wall after being after ending its watch with Martin air Holland in 2014.

Jeff Lee
And now it’s coming back to the realm to enter service and we’ll see when I mean I don’t know when the how much maintenance how much work is going to be involved. But you would think you know, some kind of rusty bits here and there and bit of armor to rebuild.

Andrew Crider
We can only see what the Lord of Light is able to tell us about this story as time goes on. And all we’re able to function off of right now is what’s come to us in visitors and what we hear through a network of birds and whispers

Jeff Lee
I was gonna say the Lord of Light doesn’t like to ask anybody anything really.

Andrew Crider
I think you you’re projecting your own darkness and shadows and then from a night that’s full of

Jeff Lee
I haven’t seen the light yet. But look at look at all these names I mean direwolf holdings, Wolf’s wood holdings, one and there’s a sansa LLC and then there’s a P O TR, which I would assume if it’s indeed a Game of Thrones reference, it would be protector of the realm. But there’s also an interesting one that maybe isn’t Got related but siete seis siete I think I’m back. Yeah, well, I do wonder what yeah, like what is behind all this and what’s what’s behind the Game of Thrones references?

Andrew Crider
Well, the gauntlet has certainly been thrown down for the air cargo industry to come up with better and more creative names and allusions to popular fiction novels and TV shows. But before we get carried away, I’m gonna say that’s all the time we have for today. For those of you listening, thank you for tuning in to this episode of cargo facts connect for more multimedia content like this, check out cargofacts.com and search cargo facts connect on iTunes and Spotify. Join us again next time.