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, […]

Boeing discovers cracks in 737 NG wing joints

• Charles Kauffman
• September 30, 2019
• Aircraft, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Boeing recently notified the FAA of an emerging issue with older 737 NG airframes. “On a small number of airplanes undergoing modifications,” cracks were found in a component used to join the wings to the fuselage, commonly referred to as a pickle fork, according to a written statement from Boeing.  Further inspections have since uncovered issues […]

BBAM quietly forays into next-gen narrowbody conversions

• Jeff Lee
• September 11, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Narrowbody Conversions, Strategy

San Francisco-headquartered BBAM is gradually expanding its footprint in the next-generation narrowbody conversion space, and with the recent redeliveries to China Postal Airlines, the lessor has become the first known lessor to have ordered conversions for both the 737 NG and the A321. China Postal received its first 737-800BCF in August 2019 and the second […]

Delayed 737 MAX deliveries for Ryanair cuts into 737-800 conversion feedstock

• Charles Kauffman
• July 29, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Conversions, Features, News

Ryanair Holdings revised the number of 737 MAX aircraft it expects to be operating in its fleet by Summer 2020 from fifty-eight to just thirty, the company announced today concurrently with the release of its Q1 FY2020 earnings, ended 30 June. Along with MAX deliveries, the carrier had planned to gradually retire some of the […]

Boeing freighters continue to sell well amidst 737 MAX and 777X challenges

• Jeff Lee
• July 25, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Features, News

Boeing sold more freighters than passenger aircraft during the second quarter of 2019, according to the manufacturer’s Q2 results, with orders from FedEx for six 767-300Fs [FATs 005050-005056]. By contrast, Boeing only logged unidentified orders for four 737 MAX aircraft and one 787-9 from Air Lease Corporation. Although Boeing said that development and testing of a […]

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 […]

No direct impact on 737 NG conversions expected from latest Boeing bulletin

• Charles Kauffman
• June 4, 2019
• All Posts, Carriers, News

Earlier this week, Boeing was alerted to “potential nonconformance” issues for a batch of slat tracks produced by a third-party supplier and previously installed on at least 41 but potentially hundreds of  737 MAX and 737 NG aircraft. Boeing has since confirmed to Cargo Facts that no freighter-converted aircraft or candidates for feedstock conversion are […]

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 […]