ACE leverages serendipitous 747 addition

[caption id="attachment_413533" align="alignright" width="460"] ACE Belgium Freighters began operating its second 747F earlier this month. (Photo: ACE Belgium Freighters)[/caption] When Challenge Group was planning two years ago for the reassignment of a 747-400F (35169) from its Israel-based subsidiary CAL Cargo Airlines to ACE Belgium Freighters , it could not have imagined that the world would be paralyzed by a pandemic and in sore need of airfreight capacity. But the redelivery of ACE’s second 747 freighter in February has allowed the carrier to capitalize on the acute shortage of air cargo capacity induced by COVID-19 travel restrictions and flight cancellations. ACE told Cargo Facts that, in addition to scheduled flying, it is currently also operating a small number of charter flights for customers willing to pay a premium to secure capacity. ACE’s usual focus is special cargo like pharma, horses, cars, outsized shipments and dangerous goods, with the marketing of that capacity handled by Challenge Group affiliates, but the company currently is flying much more general cargo. Meanwhile, CAL is also flying charters to China. Unit 35169 (ex-Jade Cargo International) was acquired by the Challenge Group in an online auction on Chinese platform Taobao in late 2017. The aircraft was ferried to Tel Aviv (TLV) in 2018 to join the fleet of CAL, and after operating with CAL for just over a year, the 747 was flown Feb. 2 from TLV to Liege (LGG), where it was reregistered in Belgium. Unit 35169 then began operations with ACE on March 15, joining a 747-400BCF (24227, ex-CAL). ACE, which secured its air operator’s certificate last April, told Cargo Facts the group is looking for the right opportunity to add another freighter, possibly a 747F, through either financial lease or direct purchase, toward the end of this year or early 2021. The aircraft, which will be the group’s fifth, will likely be placed with ACE because of its higher flexibility in terms of crews, traffic rights and overflight rights compared to the Israeli carrier. While the group is considering additional opportunities in Asia, Africa and South America, it will remain conservative. The short-term focus for ACE will continue to be North America but it will work together with CAL, which regularly flies to Zhengzhou (CGO).

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ACE leverages serendipitous 747 addition

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Kalitta sees record fleet utilization

Amazon Air to hand over first 737-800BCF to Sun Country Air

Related Posts

Listen: Will we finally find out what’s next for widebody freighters?

Air Incheon joins growing number of all-737NG freighter operators

737-800F redeliveries displace Classics to other operators

Amazon Air to hand over first 737-800BCF to Sun Country Air

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CARGO FACTS CONSULTING

CFC: US inbound cross-border e-commerce shipments jump 15%

E-commerce traffic boosts US domestic air express outlook through 2026

Follow Us