Delivered: Eighth Lufthansa 777F

• Charles Kauffman
• August 31, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Logistics, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

Lufthansa Cargo has taken delivery of its eighth 777F (66911) from Boeing [FAT 005587]. The aircraft departed the Boeing facility in Everett (PAE) on Aug. 30, and was ferried directly to the carrier’s hub in Frankfurt (FRA). The freighter is one of two new-build 777F deliveries the carrier is expecting this year as part of […]

A trio of 737-800 conversions for Aero Capital Solutions

• Jeff Lee
• August 28, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Exclusive, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

U.S.-based Aero Capital Solutions (ACS) is bullish on narrowbody freighters and has committed to at least three 737-800SF conversions with Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI). ACS confirmed to Cargo Facts that it had ferried all three aircraft (28231, ex-Smartwings; 28655, ex-Eastar Jet; and 29925, ex-Go2Sky) to the Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd. (STAECO) facility in […]

Freighter values resilient amid COVID-19

• Charles Kauffman
• August 28, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Although values for some older vintage passenger aircraft models could decline by as much as 45%, freighter values are expected to hold stable through the current COVID-19 pandemic-induced downturn, according to a revised forecast from aircraft valuation firm Avitas. The resilience of freighter values stems from conditions prevalent in today’s market including, “The shortage of […]

Avitas’ Kelly on 747 values as production fades: Industry Pulse

• Charles Kauffman
• August 27, 2020
• Aircraft, Business, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Exclusive, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Video

Historically, ending production for an aircraft drags down values. However, that’s not the case with the 747-8F, which Boeing last month decided to formally end production on.   In this episode of Cargo Facts’ monthly webinar series, Industry Pulse, Doug Kelly, SVP of asset valuation at Avitas, discusses the value trajectory for the 747 freighter now that an end to the line is […]

Texel Air looks to 737-700FC for growth as utilization doubles

• Jeff Lee
• August 26, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Having taken delivery of its first 737-700FC (30293, an ex-Yakutia), Bahrain-based Texel Air is eager to put the aircraft’s upgraded capabilities to good use and take advantage of the high demand for cargo capacity worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. George Chisholm, CEO of Chisholm Enterprises, Texel Air’s parent company, told Cargo Facts that unit 30293, […]

KF Aerospace’s Tracy Medve to speak on CFS conversion panel

• Charles Kauffman
• August 26, 2020
• All Posts, Cargo Facts Symposium, Conversions, Events, Narrowbody Conversions

Tracy Medve, president of KF Aerospace, has joined the Cargo Facts Symposium 2020 speaker faculty. Medve will discuss the outlook for narrowbody freighter conversions amid the pandemic on a virtual roundtable session titled, “Narrowbody freighters: Prospects for conversion and fleet expansion.” The session will be broadcast live on Tuesday, Oct. 28, at 11:00 a.m. EST. […]

NCA to grow managed 747-400F fleet with ASL deal?

• Charles Kauffman
• August 25, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Exclusive, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Logistics, Production Freighters, Widebody Fleet Analysis

Two factory-built 747-400Fs that were on long-term lease with AirBridgeCargo until earlier this year (36784 and 36785) have exited storage at Teruel (TEV) and are being prepared for service re-entry. Both aircraft were ferried to Frankfurt Hahn Airport (HHN), according to Flightaware, and appear to be undergoing maintenance ahead of service re-entry with ASL Airlines […]

737-700BDSF lands in China with Tianjin Air Cargo

• Charles Kauffman
• August 24, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Tianjin Air Cargo has added to its fleet its first 737-700BDSF (29086, ex-Xiamen Airlines) [FAT 005571-005572].   The aircraft is on a long-term operating lease from Spectre Cargo Solutions, through its Irish entity NGF Overseas Aircraft, and is the first 737-700 freighter on lease to a carrier based in mainland China.  Touch labor for the conversion was performed by Israel Aerospace Industries’ […]