SmartLynx leaps into freighters with A321PCF and A321P2F

• Jeff Lee
• October 15, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Exclusive, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

SmartLynx Malta will become the latest combination carrier when it enters the freighter market as the launch operator of 321 Precision Conversions’ A321PCF program. SmartLynx will also be the first operator to have A321-200Fs converted by both 321 Precision Conversions and Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW). The carrier confirmed to Cargo Facts that, in addition to unit […]

ATSG signs three more 767F leases, bests yearly delivery record

• Jeff Lee
• October 14, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Logistics, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Air Transport Services Group’s (ATSG) dry-leasing arm, Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM), has signed three more deals to lease converted 767 freighters and is on course to deliver a record number of aircraft in a single year. The new agreements involve one 767-300BDSF for Alaska-based Northern Air Cargo [FAT 005666] and two 767-200BDSFs — one each […]

Delta accelerates 767-300 retirements

• Charles Kauffman
• October 13, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Editorial, Equipment, Widebody Conversions, Widebody Fleet Analysis

Delta Air Lines, the largest operator of 767-300ERs in passenger configuration prior to the onset of the pandemic, will retire the remaining forty-nine 767-300ERs in its fleet by December 2025. With the market heating up for 767 conversions, this large pool of airframes will be evaluated for its suitability as conversion candidates. Airframe pricing, cycles […]

A321-200PCF completes first test flight

• Charles Kauffman
• October 11, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Fleet Analysis, Narrowbody Conversions

On Oct. 10, 321 Precision Conversions, a joint venture of Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) and Precision Aircraft Solutions, completed the first post-conversion test flight of its conformity A321-200PCF (891, ex-Air Mediterranee). The aircraft took to the skies above Sanford (SFB), where touch labor for the conversion was performed at the Avocet MRO Services facility. […]

Amazon sends more 767s to ATSG carriers

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• September 9, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Editorial, Equipment, News, Widebody Conversions

Air Transport International (ATI), affiliate airline of Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), will increase the number of 767-300Fs operating on a CMI basis for Amazon Air by six units, according to a release from ATSG. By April 2021, ATSG now estimates its airlines will be operating thirty-eight 767Fs for Amazon by April 2021, including two […]

Weekly Wrap: A look back at the rise of Amazon Air [Video]

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• September 4, 2020
• All Posts, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, News, Podcast, Strategy, Video, Widebody Fleet Analysis

This week, the first 767-300ER registered directly to Amazon surfaced in the FAA registry. From its early days of launching a trial network in the fall of 2015, Amazon Air has quickly built up its network of own-controlled capacity, and is on track to operate a fleet of at least eighty-one aircraft by the end […]

Amazon registers its own 767-300ER

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• September 4, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

On Aug. 31, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Amazon.com Services LLC a temporary registration certificate for a 767-300ER (25274, ex-WestJet) the e-commerce giant had recently acquired [FAT 005606]. This is the first aircraft registered directly to Amazon, according to the FAA registry. Although it is early yet to tell if the acquisition is a […]

MasAir eyes European ACMI operations

• Jeff Lee
• August 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Editorial, Equipment, Exclusive, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Mexico-based MasAir has been certified as a third-country operator (TCO) by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), authorizing it for commercial operations into and within the EU. MasAir told Cargo Facts the new certification allows the carrier to grow its newly established ACMI business unit. While the exact cities to which the carrier plans […]