Top narrowbody and regional freighter stories of 2021

While 2020 saw the first-ever A321F redelivery, in 2021 the platform gradually gained momentum, with a second program gaining certification and a total of six units entering service with three carriers. Still, 737NG — and -800s in particular — remain dominant when it comes to the newer generation of narrowbody freighters, with double-digit conversion orders and lease deals leading some to question whether the market will overheat in the years to come. Here are 2021’s ten most popular Cargo Facts stories on narrowbody and regional freighters, encapsulating the most significant or interesting developments in the space. DHL grows global 737-800 freighter fleet At the beginning of the year, Cargo Facts reported that DHL Express would add to the two 737-800BDSFs that it placed with iAero Airways in 2020 by acquiring and converting at least three more 737-800s. [caption id="attachment_417205" align="alignleft" width="320"] Photo/iAero Airways[/caption]Those three aircraft (29668, ex-Jet Airways; 30467, ex-SAS; and 30499, ex-Shenzhen Airlines) are now all in service, also with iAero Airways. Throughout 2021, DHL also purchased five more ex-SAS 737-800s (28318, 28325, 30467, 30468 and 32278), with unit 30467 recently making its way to Spain after conversion and ahead of CMI operation with Swiftair. Meanwhile, iAero leased its first 737-800SF (32796, ex-AeroMexico) from BlackRock and deployed it in ACMI service for DHL in July 2021. Amazon controls one-third of the global 737NG freighter fleet, but where do the others fly? E-commerce giant Amazon expanded its own-branded and own-controlled fleet in Europe in 2021 with the launch of its first 737-800SF , converted by Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI), on lease from Aero Capital Solutions (ACS). The 2001-vintage aircraft (28655, ex-Eastar Jet) arrived in Shannon (SNN) in July with Amazon colors and “Operated by ASL Airlines” placed near the cockpit windows. Since then, three other ACS 737-800SFs (29925, ex-Go2SSky; 30877, ex-Jeju Air; and 30284, ex-Air Europa) have joined Amazon, which placed them with ASL for CMI operation. ASL Airlines has operated two Amazon-branded 737-800BCFs (29938 and 33544, both ex-Ryanair) in Italy, France, Germany, and Spain since 2020. Meanwhile, more carriers have also begun flying 737NG freighters (see item number 8 below). First ATR freighter with Amazon registration emerges [caption id="attachment_417050" align="alignright" width="380"] Photo/Des Moines International Airport[/caption] Amazon has continued to diversify its freighter fleet and expanded into own-controlled turboprop operations . Cargo Facts reported that a 2009-vintage ATR 72-500F (853, ex-Aurigny Air Services) was assigned an Amazon registration in the United States in July. We also reported that Florida-based Silver Airways was looking to begin cargo flying with an operational base at Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW). The two threads merged later in the year with Silver officially becoming a new CMI partner and starting operations with two aircraft in November, flying to Des Moines (DSM) and Albuquerque (ABQ). Since then, two more units have entered service, while a fifth arrived at AFW on Dec. 20. Air Wisconsin ventures into freighters with CRJ200SF Regional airline Air Wisconsin is making a move into the freighter market with its first CRJ200SF (7417,ex-ExpressJet Airlines) and told Cargo Facts that it intends to use the aircraft for charters and long-term wet leases. The airline, which operates its sixty-four passenger CRJ200s exclusively on behalf of United Express, is leasing the freighter from Regional One. Amerijet hires Titan Airways A321P2F Soon after U.K.-based Titan Airways took delivery of its first two A321-200P2Fs in early 2021, they made their way across the Atlantic to Miami (MIA), the base of Amerijet. At the time, Amerijet’s CEO Tim Strauss told Cargo Facts that the carrier wanted to test the new platform on some of its Caribbean routes as part of a six-month ACMI deal. The first unit (1238, ex-Thomas Cook Airlines) returned to Europe in August. Strauss more recently confirmed to Cargo Facts that Amerijet will continue with Titan’s second A321-200P2F (1250, ex-Thomas Cook Airlines) into 2022. First A320P2F completes first test flight After inducting the prototype A320-200P2F (2737, ex-IndiGo) for conversion at the ST Engineering facility in Singapore (XSP) in February, Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) finally took the 2006-vintage aircraft for its first post-conversion test flight in early December. The A320 belongs to ST Engineering, which expects to place it on lease to U.A.E.-based Vaayu Group in the first quarter of 2022 after certification. Vaayu recently told Cargo Facts that it intends to sublease it to its own customers as part of an expansion into freighter leasing . 321 Precision Conversions lands STC for A321-200PCF [caption id="attachment_415896" align="alignright" width="380"] Photo/321 Precision Conversions[/caption] There are now two certified A321 freighter conversion programs after 321 Precision Conversions obtained its supplemental type certificate (STC) from the Federal Aviation Administration in April 2021. The company had started test flights with the prototype (891, ex-Air Mediterranee) in October 2020. Vallair took redelivery of unit 891 and ferried it to Montpellier (MPL) in May before placing it on lease to SmartLynx Malta. 321 Precision Conversions, for its part, intends to ramp up capacity for the program in 2022. Compass Cargo Airlines is 2021’s eighth new 737-800F operator Bulgaria-based Compass Cargo Airlines took delivery of its first 737-800SF (28826, ex-Blue Air) on lease from GA Telesis in August, joining a growing list of carriers operating freighter-converted 737-800s. Since August, the list has grown to include Iceland-based Bluebird Nordic, which took its first of twenty-five 737-800BCFs in October. The 2001-vintage aircraft (29788, ex-Turkish Airlines) is on lease from fellow Avia Solutions Group (ASG) affiliate AviaAM Leasing. A sister unit (29786, ex-AnadoluJet) arrived back in Kaunas (KUN) earlier in December after conversion with Boeing. That aircraft will also join Bluebird Nordic. Three more airlines have received 737-800BCFs but have yet to begin flying them: Kargo Xpress with unit 34267 (ex-GOL) on lease from GECAS; Copa Airlines with unit 33709 which it converted from its own passenger fleet; and Texel Air with unit 29985 (ex-Korean Air). SmartLynx continues building A321F fleet with Cross Ocean Partners SmartLynx started 2021 with no freighters but now has two A321-200Fs, one converted by 321 Precision Conversions and the other by EFW. The ACMI and charter carrier, which is now operating both of those aircraft on an ACMI basis for DHL Express’ European network , has six more A321s undergoing conversion. Four (2342, 2903, 2912, and 3191) were previously part of its own passenger fleet and are part of a conversion deal GTLK Europe signed with EFW . Another two units (1204, ex-Air Astana, and 775, ex-Ural Airlines) are undergoing conversion with 321 Precision Conversions in Sanford (SFB) and Tampa (TPA), respectively. Both aircraft are being leased from Cross Ocean Partners. SmartLynx previously told Cargo Facts in late 2020 that it planned to have ten A321Fs in its fleet by 2023. Amerijet nears first 757-200F delivery Amerijet will soon begin flying its own narrowbody freighters again in the form of 757s. [caption id="attachment_416593" align="alignleft" width="320"] Photo/Amerijet[/caption] The carrier, which recently confirmed to Cargo Facts that it anticipates ending 2022 with twenty-seven freighters and that six of those are 757s, took its first (29311, ex-Icelandair) on lease from Nehalem 29311 LLC in September. That aircraft has been at MIA since June. Two more 757-200PCFs have now arrived at MIA: unit 32400 and 32386. Both are ex-American Airlines frames that AerSale had acquired. Meanwhile, two other ex-Icelandair aircraft (26244 and 26245) belonging to Icelease arrived in Spokane (GEG) in November and December, respectively, to be painted into Amerijet’s livery. CEO Tim Strauss recently told Cargo Facts that Amerijet expected to start flying 757s by December or January .

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