Tianjin Air Cargo inducts 737-800BCF into fleet

• Jeff Lee
• September 30, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Tianjin Air Cargo has introduced its first 737-800BCF. The 17-year-old aircraft (32602, ex-Hainan Airlines) is on lease from Spectre Air Capital, following conversion to freighter configuration by Boeing at the Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co., Ltd. (STAECO) facility in Jinan (TNA) [FATs 004944-004945]. In addition to the red Tianjin Air Cargo livery, the aircraft features the blue […]

Airwork acquires pair of Bluebird 737-300Fs

• Jeff Lee
• September 14, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Exclusive, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions

Iceland-based Bluebird Nordic has sold two of its 737-300BDSFs to New Zealand-based Airwork, the cargo carrier confirmed to Cargo Facts [FATs 005134-005135]. The first aircraft (25264, ex-Frontier) is already in Auckland (AKL) and has been registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand. According to Bluebird Nordic, unit 25264, which was owned by sister […]

China Postal receives first 737-800BCF

• Charles Kauffman
• August 8, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, E-Commerce, Express, Features, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Strategy

Earlier this week, China Postal Airlines took redelivery of its first 737-800BCF (30786, ex-China Southern Airlines), on lease from BBAM [FATs 005087-005088]. The air arm of China Post expects to become the first 737-800BCF operator in China, though we note it was not actually the first Chinese carrier to take redelivery of a -800BCF. That […]

IAI aims for 737-800BDSF STC by next month

• Jeff Lee
• July 23, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Features, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Aviation Group is nearing the end of testing for its 737-800BDSF program and expects to receive the supplemental type certificate (STC) by the end of August 2019, the company tells Cargo Facts. Certification had previously been anticipated for May or June this year. Test flights with the first 737-800 to be […]

Freighter aircraft leasing part II: E-commerce behind growing leasing market

• Jeff Lee
• July 19, 2019
• Carriers, Conversions, Features, Freighter Fleet Analysis, Strategy

Last week, we began our two-part annual analysis of the increasingly complex world of freighter aircraft leasing. In part I, we started with an overview of how the freighter fleet belonging to lessors has evolved since our analysis a year ago. In part II, we consider the leased fleet by carrier, and how year-over-year shifts […]

My Indo Airlines adds first 737-400F

• Caryn Livingston
• July 10, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Indonesia-based cargo carrier My Indo Airlines has added its first 737-400F to its fleet, which now includes four 737 freighters – the -400F, two 737-300Fs and one 737-200 Convertible. In addition to being the first -400F in My Indo’s fleet, the aircraft is also the only 737-400F registered in Indonesia. The carrier shared photos of […]

Qantas looks to replace aging 737-300SFs

• Jeff Lee
• July 5, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, E-Commerce, Express, Features, News, Strategy

Australian carrier Qantas Freight is currently planning the renewal of its narrowbody freighter jet fleet, consisting of four 737-300SFs (23478, 23486, 23488 and 23490) and one 737-400SF (24796). While the company didn’t specify which types are being considered, it confirmed to Cargo Facts that the older of its 737-300SFs “will start to be replaced over […]

Connect Cargo becomes Brazil’s latest freighter airline

• Jeff Lee
• June 28, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, News

Brazilian startup Connect Cargo has completed its Part 121 certification with ANAC, Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, and has been granted its AOC, paving the way for the launch of scheduled commercial operations. The company will base its two PEMCO-converted 737-400Fs (27087, ex-Malaysia Airlines, and 26605, ex-Japan Transocean Air) at Recife (REC) and fly them […]