First 737-800BDSF begins flying with DHL

In a series of firsts, the freshly certified 737-800BDSF has entered service with DHL Express and begun its first scheduled operations with the integrator. The first aircraft of its type to start regular flying anywhere in the world, unit 30498 (ex-Transaero Airlines) is also the first 737-800 to be converted by Israel Aerospace Industries ( IAI ). [caption id="attachment_413823" align="alignright" width="460"] DHL's two 737-800BDSFs are the only ones that have been redelivered so far. (Photo: DHL)[/caption] The aircraft arrived at DHL’s Cincinnati (CVG) hub on May 2, and after a return trip to Tulsa (TUL) on May 4 — for what DHL said were internal operational reasons — then flew to Minneapolis (MSP) on both May 5 and 6. DHL told Cargo Facts the 737-800F will serve CVG, MSP, Los Angeles (LAX), Phoenix (PHX), and Reno (RNO). The company’s second 737-800BDSF (28619, ex-Pegasus), currently in Greensboro (GSO), will also position to CVG imminently and commence service. Both aircraft are operated on a CMI basis by Phoenix-headquartered iAero Airways , which was previously known as Swift Air and has an all-737 fleet of -300s, -400s and -800s, including one 737-300BDSF (23538, ex-Swiftair). DHL also has five 737-400SFs operated on a CMI basis by Atlas Air affiliate Southern Air . The two 737-800BDSFs, which DHL purchased from Spectre Air Capital earlier this year, were converted at IAI’s Tel Aviv (TLV) facility last year , and then made their way to Florida in December for tests and painting. While unit 30498 returned to TLV in early February, unit 28619 stayed in Opa-Locka (OPF). After IAI was granted a supplemental type certificate (STC) for its 737-800BDSF program by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on April 2 , both were brought to iAero’s operational base at GSO. IAI, which had anticipated obtaining the STC for the 737-800BDSF last year, certified its first 737NG conversion program, the -700BDSF, in 2017. iAero is only the second carrier to begin 737-800F operations in the U.S. Southern Air is currently operating five 737-800BCFs under a March 2019 agreement on a CMI basis for Amazon , which is leasing the aircraft from GECAS . The most recently converted aircraft (32614, ex-Flybondi) was redelivered to GECAS after conversion by Boeing in Shanghai (PVG) in December . Sun Country Airlines , the third U.S.-based 737-800F operator, is expected to begin services soon, operating ten 737-800BCFs on a CMI basis for Amazon . The carrier ferried the first (32348, ex-Pegasus) to its MSP base April 22 and carried out a test flight May 5, while two other frames (32579, ex-Jet Airways, and 32601, ex-Hainan Airlines) are currently in Everett (PAE).

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