Freighter aircraft transactions through the first half of April

Every week in Cargo Facts Update, we include a list of recent freighter aircraft transactions, and then a comprehensive summary in the monthly issue of Cargo Facts. Each reference to a freighter aircraft transaction (FAT) in our publications contains a unique FAT code linked to the FAT database on the CargoFacts.com website. This database is available to subscribers as an interactive tool on our website, and you can go to it from the “FAT Data” tab at the top of the home page, or directly at https://cargofacts.com/fat/

Below, we include the transactions from recent issues of Cargo Facts Update, and we encourage you to make use of the FAT database here on our website.

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings to operate 747-8Fs for Qantas Freight. Atlas, which has a long-standing ACMI lease agreement with Qantas Freight for the operation of two 747-400 freighters, said in a statement that the leased aircraft will be upgauged to two 747-8Fs [FATs 004826-4829].

Atlas Air took delivery of a Nippon Cargo Airlines 747-400F (36132) and will operate the aircraft on a CMI basis for NCA [FAT 004839]. Two other NCA 747-400Fs (36133 and 36135) are expected to go into CMI service with Atlas in July and September of this year.

A 777F previously leased by Emirates SkyCargo (35606) from Atlas Air’s leasing arm Titan Aviation Holdings appears to have been returned to the lessor. Cargo Facts believes the aircraft will soon join the Southern Air fleet [FAT 004823-4824]. The aircraft was re-registered in the United States and ferried to Marana (MZJ) on 31 March.

FedEx retired an MD-10-10F (46601), which was ferried to Victorville (VCV) for storage [FAT 004830]. At forty-eight years old, the aircraft was the oldest widebody freighter in FedEx’s fleet.

FedEx took delivery of a 767-300F (63105) from Boeing [FAT 004831]. The aircraft was ferried from Boeing’s Paine Field (PAE) facility to Indianapolis (IND) and is the fourth 767-300F delivered to FedEx so far this year. The express giant still has at least fifty of the type on order.

Southern Air to operate at least five and up to twenty 737-800BCFs, on lease to Amazon “from a third party.” The freighters will operate on behalf of Amazon Air [FATs 004819-4822, 004840-004845]. The first aircraft (32882) was converted by Boeing at the STAECO facility in Jinan, while a second (32611) was converted by Boeing Shanghai. Prior to conversion, both aircraft were operated in China Southern’s fleet. Though Atlas did not reveal the lessor, we reported on 19 March that the first Boeing-converted 737F joining Amazon’s will be leased from GECAS – the only lessor currently positioned to meet Amazon’s demand for up to twenty 737-800F conversions within three years.

See also: Amazon Air 737-800BCFs begin to arrive in the US

GECAS inducted a 737-800 for conversion (32579, ex-Jet Airways) by Boeing at the STAECO facility in Jinan [FAT 004833]. The aircraft is expected to be one of at least five 737-800s that Amazon will lease in 2019 and put into service with Southern Air.

US-based Automatic LLC redelivered a 737-400F (30161, ex-Alaska Airlines) to Italy-based Mistral Air, the airline affiliate of Post Italiane [FAT 004825]. The aircraft was recently converted to freighter configuration by PEMCO, at the Coopesa facility in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Sideral Air Cargo took delivery of a 737-400F (25190, ex-Air Incheon) on lease from Aergo Capital [FAT 004834].

Brazilian startup carrier Connect Cargo acquired two 737-400Fs on lease from Vallair (27087, ex-Malaysia Airlines and 26605, ex-Japan Transocean Air). Both units are owned by Vallair and were converted to freighter configuration by PEMCO at the STAECO facility in Jinan prior to being ferried to Sao Jose dos Campos Airport (SJK) [FATs 004846-4847].

Last month, ATSG-subsidiary PEMCO Conversions, completed the conversion of a 737-300F (29334, ex-Latin American Wings) at its MRO facility in Tampa. The aircraft was redelivered to Plane Business Leasing this month and was ferried to Bogotá, where it is now on lease to Colombian all-cargo carrier, LAS Cargo [FAT 004836-4838].

USA Jet Airlines acquired a 727-200F (21854, ex-Cargojet Airways) [FAT 004832].