SpiceJet grows freighter fleet with second 737-800BCF

• Jeff Lee
• November 8, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News

India-based SpiceJet will soon receive its second 737-800BCF (30475), on lease from Spectre Air Capital [FATs 005231-005232]. With this redelivery, the carrier grows its freighter fleet to five units. Unit 30475 has been spotted in Jinan (TNA), where it was converted by Boeing at the Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co., Ltd. (STAECO) facility. The aircraft was manufactured in […]

Second 737-800BDSF begins flight tests

• Jeff Lee
• November 5, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

The second 737-800 to be converted into cargo configuration by Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Aviation Group (28619, ex-Pegasus) has been completed and took its first test flight on Nov. 4. The flight took place to the northwest of Tel Aviv (TLV) and lasted just under four hours. Meanwhile, the first 737-800BDSF (30498, ex-Transaero Airlines) has remained […]

Alaska Air eager to expand freighter fleet, faces delays due to MAX grounding

• Charles Kauffman
• October 16, 2019
• Carriers, News

Alaska Air Cargo is looking to convert at least two more 737s currently operating in its passenger fleet to freighter configuration, but told Cargo Facts the continued grounding of the 737 MAX has made it difficult to secure approval to free up 737 NG conversion feedstock from its passenger fleet.   Following the deployment of three IAI-converted 737-700Fs beginning in September 2017, […]

SpiceJet becomes first operator of both 737 NG freighter variants

• Jeff Lee
• September 23, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, Strategy

Indian carrier SpiceJet has taken redelivery of its first freighter-converted 737-800BCF for its cargo arm, SpiceXpress, becoming the first operator to have both the 737-700F and 737-800F platforms in its fleet. The aircraft is a 737-800BCF, on lease from NGF Alpha Limited, a division of Spectre Cargo Solutions [FATs 005141-005142]. SpiceJet said that the 737-800BCF […]

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 […]

SpiceJet plans to triple 737 NG freighter fleet, build hub in Northeast India

• Charles Kauffman
• May 29, 2019
• All Posts, Carriers

India-based SpiceJet is challenging the conventional wisdom that freighters don’t make sense in the fleet of a low-cost carrier. The airline plans to grow its freighter fleet to six 737 NGs over the next twelve months – up significantly from the two freighters in SpiceXpress livery that exist today, according to a statement in SpiceJet’s […]

Freighter aircraft transactions through the end of April

• Caryn Livingston and Charles Kauffman
• May 7, 2019
• Freighter Aircraft Transactions

Every week in Cargo Facts Update, we include a list of recent freighter aircraft transactions, and then a comprehensive summary in the monthly issue of Cargo Facts. Each reference to a freighter aircraft transaction (FAT) in our publications contains a unique FAT code linked to the FAT database on the CargoFacts.com website. This database is […]

SpiceXpress’ second 737-700F converted at Haite in Tianjin

• Charles Kauffman
• April 22, 2019
• All Posts, Cargo Facts Asia, Carriers, Conversions

On 18 April, Bedek redelivered a 737-700BDSF (30512, ex-Xiamen Airlines) to Spectre Air Capital, following conversion to freighter configuration at the Haite Facility in Tianjin. Just hours before the Cargo Facts team departed Shanghai following a successful Cargo Facts Asia, the aircraft departed Tianjin Binhai Airport (TSN) and was ferried to New Delhi Airport (DEL), […]