FedEx reactivates first parked jet this year

• Jeff Lee
• April 16, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Equipment, Express, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

While hundreds of passenger aircraft have been heading to Victorville (VCV) for short-term storage during the COVID-19 crisis, FedEx Express has brought an A300-600F (789) out of VCV, ferrying it to Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) on April 14. Unit 789, which was sent from Memphis (MEM) to VCV to be parked March 13, is […]

Cathay operates passenger aircraft as freighters to replace lost bellyhold capacity

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• March 9, 2020
• Aircraft, News, Strategy

In recent weeks, Cathay Pacific and regional subsidiary Cathay Dragon have made significant reductions to their respective intra-Asia passenger flight schedules, leading to a precipitous drop in bellyhold capacity. Air cargo demand remains robust to the extent that Cathay has begun to repurpose some of its many idled aircraft by flying them as freighters. Cathay […]

Uni-top grounds fleet as it seeks new investors as part of restructure

• Jeff Lee
• November 19, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Logistics, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Wuhan-based Uni-top Airlines’ fleet of freighters is currently grounded as the carrier faces financial difficulties and looks to restructure. According to Chinese business news outlet Yicai, the company has suspended all operations and has parked or returned its aircraft off lease. The last aircraft to have stopped flying appears to have been unit 763, which […]

UPS continues fleet growth with double delivery

• Jeff Lee
• October 28, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

As part of the continued growth of its freighter fleet, UPS Airlines has taken delivery of a 747-8F (64264) and a 767-300F (65907), flying them away from the Boeing factory on the same day [FATs 005218-005219]. With this double delivery, UPS has so far received ten aircraft in 2019. Unit 64264, which is UPS’ fourteenth […]

DHL replaces Air Hong Kong A300F with A330F

• Jeff Lee
• October 23, 2019
• Aircraft, Conversions, Engines, Equipment, Exclusive, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

DHL Express has swapped out an Air Hong Kong A300-600F (683, ex-Japan Airlines) for the newly converted A330-300P2F (231, ex-Thai Airways) that was redelivered in early September 2019. After operating a rotation between Hong Kong (HKG) and Taipei (TPE), unit 683 was ferried to Dresden (DRS) on Oct. 19 via Dubai (DWC). Meanwhile, unit 231, […]

First UPS A300F with upgraded avionics starts flight tests with Airbus

• Jeff Lee
• October 2, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, News, Strategy

The first UPS A300-600F (868) to receive modernized cockpit avionics from Airbus has started flight tests with the manufacturer. After having operated several test flights around Toulouse (TLS) since Sept. 12, 2019, Airbus took the aircraft on a test flight away from mainland France for the first time today, operating a round trip between TLS […]

MNG and ULS keen to add A330P2Fs

• Jeff Lee
• June 5, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts

MUNICH – Turkish carriers MNG Airlines and ULS Airlines Cargo are both considering A330P2Fs to renew their Airbus freighter fleets and could introduce at least five of the freighter-converted aircraft to Turkey over the next few years. On the sidelines of Air Cargo Europe 2019, executives from MNG told Cargo Facts the carrier is planning […]

Uni-Top Airlines adds sixth A300-600F

• Caryn Livingston
• October 8, 2018
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions

Yesterday, Uni-Top Airlines took redelivery of its sixth passenger-to-freighter converted A300-600F (741, ex-China Eastern), after its conversion at the EFW facility in Dresden. The aircraft is now headed to the Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co, Ltd (GAMECO) facility for painting before it enters operations. The China-based carrier announced plans to add converted A300Fs into its […]