IAI receives STC for 737-800BDSF

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• April 3, 2020
• Aircraft, Conversions, Editorial, Exclusive, Narrowbody Conversions, News

On April 2, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) a supplemental type certificate (STC) for its 737-800BDSF freighter conversion program, Cargo Facts has learned. IAI has completed two aircraft at its facility in Tel Aviv (TLV) – unit 30498 (ex-Transaero Airlines), which began flight tests in March 2019, and unit 28619 […]

AA to retire dozens of 737s, releasing more feedstock

• Jeff Lee
• April 1, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

American Airlines is reportedly planning to retire seventy-six 737-800s, nine A330-300s and twenty E190s in light of the COVID-19 crisis, making a large batch of potential conversion feedstock available. American Airlines President Robert Isom shared the plans during a video session with employees during the weekend, according to Reuters. Although no precise timeline for the […]

Freighters carry medical aid from China to Europe

• Jeff Lee
• March 25, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

As the COVID-19 crisis worsens in Europe, a plethora of medical equipment and aid is now being flown in from China by a range of freighter aircraft, whether production, converted or makeshift. ASL Airlines Belgium is currently operating ten flights a week using 747-400Fs between Liege and China. While these flights transported medical supplies from […]

EFW unaffected by Italian lockdown

• Jeff Lee
• March 19, 2020
• Aircraft, Conversions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Widebody Conversions

Despite the Italian government’s extension today of the country’s COVID-19 lockdown to April, Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), which uses parts supplied from Italy for its A330P2F, remains unaffected for now. Sources close to the matter told Cargo Facts that while the conversion program is dependent on thousands of parts supplied from a range of countries, and […]

Allied Air looks to 737-800 for fleet renewal

• Charles Kauffman
• March 2, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Nigeria-based Allied Air placed an order with AEI for the conversion of two 737-800s to freighter configuration. The deal, announced by AEI this week, also includes options exercisable for another two conversions [FATs 005341-5342]. The order comes as a welcomed boost for AEI’s 737-800SF conversion program, and is the first firm order AEI has announced […]

CAAC certifies additional 737 NG conversions

• Jeff Lee
• January 20, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Narrowbody Conversions, News

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has certified both the 737-700BDSF by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the 737-800SF by Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI), paving the way for the introduction of the two freighter-converted aircraft types by Chinese operators. All three 737 NG conversion programs currently certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are now also certified by the CAAC, which granted approval for Boeing’s […]

Top narrowbody freighter developments of 2019

• Jeff Lee
• January 6, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, News, Widebody Conversions

Last Friday, we looked at significant developments concerning widebody freighters in 2019. We continue today with narrowbodies, starting with the 737. The grounding of the 737 MAX, which began in March 2019, continued through the end of the year and resulted in Boeing deciding to put production on hold as hundreds of frames sit in […]

DHL-Ethiopian JV plans additional growth, but does that mean additional freighters?

• Jeff Lee
• September 24, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Narrowbody Conversions, Production Freighters, Strategy

DHL-Ethiopian Airlines Logistics Services, the joint venture between DHL Global Forwarding and Ethiopian Airlines, is looking to expand its operations in Ethiopia and has appointed Berhanu Kassa as its general manager. Kassa was previously director of logistics services at Ethiopian. While the JV isn’t solely focused on air logistics, this particular mode will be especially […]