Widebody freighter retirement plans stall in March FATs

Large widebody freighter aircraft transactions ( FATs ) have slowed, dropping to just three in March and down from eight in February , as COVID-19 disruptions drove carriers to reevaluate retirement plans. Although February marked the first month in recent memory during which there was a net reduction to large widebody capacity, that trend reversed in March. ACE Belgium Freighters added to its fleet a 747-400ERF, while DHL Express took delivery of a 777F. The only large widebody retired during the period was a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11F. As demand for freighter lift persists into April, large widebody freighters are increasingly making their way out of the desert to re-enter service. Last week CargoLogicAir resumed flying and this week, Atlas Air reactivated its third 747F in the past four weeks. Transactions involving narrowbody freighters, particularly the 737, rose in March. Of the twenty-two FATs recorded by Cargo Facts in March 2019, eleven involved single-aisle aircraft and nine involved 737s. Each reference to a freighter aircraft transaction in Cargo Facts contains a unique FAT code linked to our FAT database. This database is available to subscribers as an interactive tool on our website at cargofacts.com/freighter-aircraft-transactions/ Here’s a complete list of FATs recorded in March: ACE Belgium Freighters added 747-400ERF (35169, ex-CAL Cargo) [FAT 005356]. DHL took delivery of a 777F (66084) from Boeing. The aircraft was flown to Oscoda (OSC) and is now operated on a CMI basis by Kalitta Air [FATs 005348-005349]. Turkish Airlines took delivery of a 777F (66580) from Boeing [FAT 005359]. Lufthansa Cargo retired an MD-11F (48801) and ferried it to be parked in Victorville (VCV) [FAT 005360]. UPS took delivery of a 767-300F (66241) from Boeing [FAT 005336]. FedEx took delivery of two 767-300Fs (66249 and 64059) from Boeing [FATs 005355 and 005345]. The aircraft were flown from Paine Field (PAE) to Indianapolis (IND). Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) inducted a 767-300 (29431, ex-American Airlines) for conversion into freighter configuration at its facility in Tel Aviv (TLV) [FAT 005367]. The aircraft will be redelivered to Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM). EFW inducted an A330-300 (1124, ex-Hong Kong Airlines) for conversion into freighter configuration. The aircraft will be redelivered to DHL Express [FATs 005353-005354]. FedEx retired an A300-600F (789) and ferried it from Memphis (MEM) to VCV [FAT 005358]. FedEx removed a 757 200F (24774) from service and ferried it to VCV for storage [FAT 005347]. BBAM ferried an A321-200 (1250, ex-Thomas Cook) to Singapore (XSP) ahead of induction for conversion into freighter configuration by EFW [FAT 005362]. Nigeria-based Allied Air placed an order with Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) for the conversion of two 737-800s to freighter configuration [FATs 005341-5342]. The deal also includes options exercisable for another two conversions. A 737-800BCF (32348, ex-Pegasus) was ferried from Shanghai (PVG) to PAE ahead of redelivery to GECAS [FAT 005361]. The aircraft will be placed with Amazon, which will transfer it to Sun Country Air for operation on a CMI basis. Mexico-based Estafeta Cargo Aerea took redelivery of a 737-400SF (28661, ex-Asia Cargo Express), on lease from Vx Capital Partners [FAT 005350-005351]. Mexico-based TUM AeroCargo took redelivery of a 737-400F (25100, ex-Alaska Airlines), on lease from Canada-based Avmax [FAT 005352]. Northern Air Cargo took redelivery of a 737-400F ( 25267, ex-West Atlantic), on lease from Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) [FAT 005363]. Vx Capital Partners inducted a 737-400 (27914, ex-LOT Polish) for conversion into freighter configuration by AEI at the KF Aerospace facility in Kelowna (YLW) [FAT 005364]. Nauru Airlines placed an order with AEI for the conversion of a 737- 300 [FAT 005357]. The aircraft (28732) is currently in passenger service with the airline and will be inducted for conversion in late May at the Commercial Jet facility in Miami (MIA). Hawaiian Airlines acquired an ATR 72-200F (389) from ASL Airlines Ireland [FAT 005346]. The aircraft will be operated by Empire Airlines for Hawaiian’s ’Ohana subsidiary

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