Raging fires require larger tanker conversions

• Charles Kauffman
• September 21, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Fleet Analysis, Narrowbody Conversions

Against the backdrop of raging wildland fires across many Western states in the U.S., a diversifying fleet of converted air tankers is being called into action. This year, a 737-300 (27700, ex-Southwest Airlines) reconfigured by Canada-based Coulson Aviation as an airtanker or “Fireliner” entered service on behalf of the USDA Forest Service as part of […]

AerSale acquires 757-200 feedstock for conversion and part-out

• Jeff Lee
• September 18, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Engines, Equipment, Express, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Florida-headquartered AerSale is to purchase twenty-four 757-200s and intends to convert at least some of them into freighters. According to AerSale, the aircraft are currently parked at its facility in Roswell (ROW) but those destined to become freighters will be converted at its Goodyear (GYR) facility, where many of Precision Aircraft Solutions’ 757-200PCF conversions are […]

Weekly Wrap: The new ATR freighter, plus an update on passenger freighters [Video]

• Caryn Livingston and Jeff Lee
• September 18, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Express, Logistics, News, Podcast, Production Freighters, Strategy, Video

This week, Cargo Facts saw the first production ATR freighter take flight, marking a key milestone in the development of this new feeder freighter that will start being delivered to FedEx in 2021. Meanwhile, six months after airlines began flying passenger aircraft as freighters, the total number of these flights has grown to the tens of […]

Aviation slump does little to slow part-out interest in narrowbody feedstock

• Charles Kauffman
• September 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, News

Competition for narrowbody feedstock from the part-out market remains strong despite an unprecedented aviation slump, according to APOC Aviation, an aircraft part-out company based in Rotterdam. The prospect of lower feedstock acquisition prices has catalyzed interest in newer narrowbody conversion types from participants in the freighter market, but interest from part-out companies continues to attract […]

Maltese startup looks to 737-400Fs for launch

• Jeff Lee
• September 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

A startup based in Malta aims to enter the freighter market in the first quarter of 2021 with its own air operator’s certificate (AOC) and possibly two 737-400Fs. SVL Airlines told Cargo Facts it had initially looked at 737-300QCs for the extra flexibility of a reconfigurable layout, but as the pandemic worsened over the course […]

Amerijet expands fleet with seventh 767-300F

• Jeff Lee
• September 16, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Logistics, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

U.S.-based Amerijet is growing its fleet with a newly converted 767-300BDSF (26996, ex-American Airlines), on lease from Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) [FAT 005621]. The carrier told Cargo Facts it expects the aircraft, currently undergoing final checks in Tampa (TPA), to arrive at its Miami (MIA) hub in a matter of days. Unit 26996 had been ferried […]

First factory-built ATR 72-600F commences flight tests

• Charles Kauffman
• September 16, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Editorial, Equipment, Express, News, Production Freighters

The first new-build ATR 72-600F took to the skies over Toulouse (TLS) today and completed a two-hour flight test. Unlike the existing ATR freighter fleet, which is comprised of freighter-converted passenger units, this is the first program from the Airbus and Leonardo joint venture to deliver aircraft in cargo configuration, with a large cargo door […]

No summer slowdown detected in August freighter aircraft transactions

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• September 15, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Production Freighters

Cargo Facts logged forty-three freighter aircraft transactions (FATs) during the month of August, nearly mirroring the volume of transactions recorded in July – so much for a summer slowdown. Transactions recorded during the period represent a balanced mix of carrier and fleet types. There were, however, some notable highlights among non-express all-cargo carriers, including: Russia-based […]