GA Telesis moves into 737NG freighter market

• Jeff Lee
• July 30, 2020
• Aircraft, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

[Edited to add commentary from GA Telesis.] Florida-headquartered GA Telesis has placed an order for one 737-800SF conversion with Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI), with an option for a second aircraft [FATs 005533-005534]. According to GA Telesis and AEI, the first aircraft to be converted (32903) will be inducted in August and is expected to be […]

Aircraft Finance Germany orders first Boeing conversions

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• July 23, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Frankfurt-headquartered Aircraft Finance Germany (AFG) has placed an order for two 737-800BCF conversions, becoming the latest lessor to enter the market for freighter aircraft converted by Boeing [FATs 005527-005528]. AFG told Cargo Facts they will be converted at the (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Company (STAECO) facility in Jinan (TNA), but declined to identify the two frames by […]

DHL appoints Mesa Airlines as new 737F operator

• Jeff Lee
• July 13, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, Express, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

DHL Express continues to diversify its ACMI and CMI partners. The express integrator has signed an agreement designating Arizona-based Mesa Airlines as the latest partner carrier to operate aircraft on its behalf, with the first of two 737-400Fs entering service in October. This marks Mesa Airlines’ first foray into cargo operations and the 737 platform. […]

Crisis could diversify next-gen narrowbody leasing market

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• July 8, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, Narrowbody Fleet Analysis, News, Strategy

Minneapolis (MSP) is not a base for all-cargo carriers, and yet a freshly painted 737-800BCF (32605, ex-Hainan Airlines) landed at the airport on June 26, having arrived empty from Everett (PAE). The aircraft had arrived in Everett in early June after conversion to freighter configuration by Boeing in China. In the past three months, GECAS, […]

Ethiopian to grow freighter fleet to 18

• Jeff Lee
• July 7, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Exclusive, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Ethiopian Airlines is set to grow its cargo fleet with six more freighters. The carrier told Cargo Facts it will be adding one new 777F directly from Boeing, three freighter-converted 767Fs, and two freighter-converted 737Fs, but declined to provide an approximate timeline for their arrival. The 777F, Ethiopian’s eleventh, could be the third 777F involved in […]

SF Airlines continues fleet growth

• Jeff Lee
• May 22, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Express, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Chinese express carrier SF Airlines plans to add at least five more aircraft to its fleet by the end of 2020. The carrier confirmed to Cargo Facts the additions include three 757-200PCFs (29943, 33101 and 33100, all ex-TUI Airways), to be converted by Precision Aircraft Solutions, and two 767-300BCFs (26329, ex-LATAM, and 30847, ex-Titan Airways), […]

Sun Country launches Amazon 737-800F ops

• Jeff Lee
• May 11, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Sun Country Airlines has started flying 737-800BCFs for Amazon, making the airline the third operator of the 737-800F in the U.S. Sun Country brought the first aircraft (32348, ex-Pegasus) to its base in Minneapolis (MSP) on April 22, after it had been ferried from Shanghai (PVG) to Everett (PAE) in March upon conversion. A test […]

First 737-800BDSF begins flying with DHL

• Jeff Lee
• May 6, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Express, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

In a series of firsts, the freshly certified 737-800BDSF has entered service with DHL Express and begun its first scheduled operations with the integrator. The first aircraft of its type to start regular flying anywhere in the world, unit 30498 (ex-Transaero Airlines) is also the first 737-800 to be converted by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). […]