AELF FlightService, its parent Aircraft Engine Lease Finance (AELF), and other undisclosed partner companies have acquired a controlling interest in Maleth-Aero, the Malta-based operator with a varied fleet that currently includes a 737-300F (23708, ex-Swiftair) and a 737-300QC (24255, ex-Mistral Air) in cargo configuration.
AELF, which does not have its own air operator’s certificate (AOC), and Maleth began working together in November 2020, when Maleth started flying a reconfigured A330-200 (700, ex-AtlasGlobal) owned by AELF on an ACMI basis for Ukraine-based Windrose Airlines and Ukraine’s national postal service.
AELF, which owns three other reconfigured A330-200s (466, 472 and 871) with seats removed and two 767-300ERs (26260 and 26389, both ex-Blue Panorama), had previously told Cargo Facts that it was evaluating freighter conversion for aircraft types. The company said it has not yet made any concrete decisions on that front, but does intend to add more A330s — preferably -300s — to Maleth’s AOC, and hopes to continue growing its wet, damp and dry leasing businesses.
In the meantime, AELF confirmed that unit 466 (ex-TAM) has now received its certificate of release to service (CRS) and will soon enter service after being painted at the Mexicana MRO Services facility in Mexico City (MEX). Unit 472 (ex-I-Fly) is in Malta and will soon be on Maleth’s certificate. Unit 871, previously an Airbus demonstrator aircraft, has also received its CRS after maintenance by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in Tel Aviv (TLV) and had been due to be positioned to Malta. However, this was delayed by the closure of TLV from Jan. 26 to 31, in an effort to curb COVID-19 in Israel.
Maleth-Aero is currently also flying three reconfigured ex-Virgin Atlantic A340-600s (622, 736 and 787) with seats removed for cargo. The carrier said it is keen to add more freighters to its certificate.
