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According to a report in Speednews, NATIONAL AIR CARGO bought an ex-AVIANCA 757-200 from AERCO, and will have the aircraft converted by ST AEROSPACE MOBILE. Earlier this year, National acquired two 757-200s for conversion to freighter configuration by PEMCO with redelivery scheduled for “late this year.” However, in a recent filing with the US epartment of Transportation, National said it was “currently in the process of acquiring four Boeing 757-200s that will be modified into combi aircraft for the transport of US military personnel and cargo under future Civil Air Reserve Fleet (“CRAF”) military contracts.” Cargo Facts does not know whether the ST Aero conversion will be to combi or full freighter configuration, but it is worth pointing out that while both Pemco and PRECISION CONVERSIONS have expressed interest in developing a 757-200 passenger-to-combi program, ST Aero has converted and delivered two “multi-role combination” 757-200s for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
I know they were doing business as Murray Air with a small fleet of DC-8’s. I wonder who currently has the combi contract? ATI is flying combi DC8-62’s for the DOD, a 757-200 would be a reasonable replacement.