Zimex expands turboprop freighter fleet with ATR 42Fs

• Jeff Lee
• October 14, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Express, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Switzerland-based Zimex Aviation has in the past few months steadily ramped up its fleet with the addition of three ATR 42 freighters. The carrier had previously only operated ATR 72Fs. Zimex confirmed to Cargo Facts that it now has a total of seven converted ATR freighters – three ATR 42Fs and four ATR 72Fs, all […]

Lufthansa Cargo preparing to retire another MD-11F?

• Jeff Lee
• October 11, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Production Freighters, Strategy

Another MD-11F belonging to Germany-based Lufthansa Cargo appears to be being prepared for retirement. The aircraft (48805) would the second of two MD-11Fs the carrier had planned to remove from its fleet by the end of the year, after unit 48785 was ferried to Victorville (VCV) in August 2019. Unit 48805 has not flown since […]

Malaysia Airlines to keep three A330Fs – for now

• Jeff Lee
• October 9, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

Malaysia Airlines is happy with the size of its freighter fleet for now and will instead focus more on strategic collaboration to achieve growth, the carrier tells Cargo Facts. But the airline says that, while there are no immediate plans to alter the cargo fleet, it is keeping its options open and may even decide […]

Third A330-300P2F set to join Air Hong Kong fleet

• Jeff Lee
• October 8, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Exclusive, Express, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

DHL Express plans to place its third freighter-converted A330-300F (231, ex-Thai Airways) with Air Hong Kong. The express integrator confirmed to Cargo Facts that this aircraft will begin its Asian operations later this month. Unit 231 was redelivered by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) in September 2019 and was painted into the Air Hong Kong livery in […]

Atran takes second 737-800BCF

• Charles Kauffman
• October 8, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Russia-based Atran, an affiliate carrier of the Volga-Dnepr Group, took delivery of a 737-800BCF (33419) on lease from GECAS following conversion by Boeing. Touch labor for the aircraft was performed at Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services at Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). This is the second of two 737-800BCF conversions Atran agreed to lease from GECAS […]

Second UPS 767-300BDSF completed

• Jeff Lee
• October 7, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Express, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM), Air Transport Services Group’s (ATSG) leasing arm, has taken redelivery of the second 767-300BDSF (28039, ex-Air Italy) it has agreed to dry-lease to Atlanta-based UPS [FAT 005158-005159]. After a three-hour test flight, the aircraft was ferried from the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) facility in Tel Aviv (TLV) to Shannon (SNN). Unit […]

Garuda keen to expand freighter ops

• Jeff Lee
• October 4, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, News, Strategy

As e-commerce continues to drive airfreight growth, Garuda Indonesia could grow its freighter fleet to eight units by the end of next year. The Indonesian carrier told local media outlet Kontan that it has already been using three freighters this year. Garuda said that it plans to add both A330Fs for international routes and 737-800Fs […]

First UPS A300F with upgraded avionics starts flight tests with Airbus

• Jeff Lee
• October 2, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, News, Strategy

The first UPS A300-600F (868) to receive modernized cockpit avionics from Airbus has started flight tests with the manufacturer. After having operated several test flights around Toulouse (TLS) since Sept. 12, 2019, Airbus took the aircraft on a test flight away from mainland France for the first time today, operating a round trip between TLS […]