China Postal receives seventh 757-200PCF

• Jeff Lee
• January 2, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Express, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News

China Postal Airlines has taken redelivery of its seventh 757-200PCF (32342, ex-China Southern Airlines) [FAT 005277] following conversion to freighter configuration by Precision Aircraft Solutions. The aircraft is the final conversion of a batch of seven ex-China Southern 757-200s acquired from Boeing in December 2015. Precision Aircraft Solutions confirmed to Cargo Facts that it had […]

Swiftair’s Cygnus Air adds first of three planned 757-200PCFs from Jetran

• Charles Kauffman
• December 13, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions

Spain-based Swiftair added a 757-200PCF this week (24613, ex-American Airlines) following conversion to freighter configuration by Precision Aircraft Solutions at Flightstar Aircraft Services in Jacksonville, Florida.  [FATs 00525-005259]. The aircraft was the first of three Swiftair-bound conversions ordered by Jetran and will be operating for Swiftair’s affiliate carrier, Cygnus Air, which the company acquired last […]

SF Airlines takes eighth freighter in 2019

• Jeff Lee
• December 10, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Express, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

SF Airlines has taken redelivery of a 757-200PCF (29944, ex-TUI Airways) from Precision Aircraft Solutions [FAT 005255]. The Shenzhen (SZX)-based carrier has now added eight freighters to its fleet this year, far surpassing any other Chinese airline. Unit 29944 began its life in 1999, flying in passenger configuration until 2019. It was then inducted for […]

SF Express earmarks $212 million for aircraft purchases in latest bond offer

• Charles Kauffman
• November 22, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, Widebody Conversions

This week, Shenzhen-based SF Holdings, the parent of SF Express and SF Airlines, announced the issuance of six-year convertible bonds in hopes of raising US$825 million (5.8 billion yuan). Of this amount, the largest allocation, some $212 million, will go towards aviation-related expenses including maintenance of SF Airlines’ existing freighter fleet, and to fund the […]

SF Airlines on track to add 60th freighter in 2020

• Charles Kauffman
• November 6, 2019
• Aircraft, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions

Shenzhen-based SF Airlines has lined up three 757-200s for conversion with Precision Aircraft Solutions, and now stands to bring the total number of freighters in its own-controlled fleet to 60 units by early 2020. In September, SF Airlines took redelivery of its 57th freighter with the arrival of a 757-200PCF (29941, ex-TUI Airways). Three other […]

Outgoing United 757s could make great freighters, but fleet retirement depends on MAX reentry

• Charles Kauffman
• October 31, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions

United Airlines had planned to to start retiring its fleet of 757-200/300s beginning in 2020, but Andrew Nocella, the company’s COO recently told journalists the retirement schedule will now depend on when the 737 MAX reenters service. Last year, United announced it would use 737 MAX 10s to replace outgoing 757-200s. Given the continued popularity […]

CFS 2019: How will operators with low-utilization rates be able to upgrade to modern narrowbody freighters?

• Charles Kauffman
• October 30, 2019
• Cargo Facts Symposium, CFS 2019 - Airborne Global Video Series, News, Video

SAN DIEGO – Although conversion houses and OEMs have began redelivering 737-700 and 737-800 freighters, most aircraft redelivered to date are in service on behalf of global express carriers. At current acquisition prices, operators with lower utilization rates compared to express carriers face will face greater difficulty when they turn to modern narrowbody freighters, the […]

CFS 2019: Program delays and tight feedstock supply constrain in-flux narrowbody conversion market

• Charles Kauffman
• October 22, 2019
• Aircraft, Cargo Facts Symposium, Carriers, Conversions, Equipment, Exclusive, Narrowbody Conversions

SAN DIEGO – Conversion houses and OEMs have developed, or are in various stages of developing, a new generation of narrowbody freighter conversion programs based on the A320-family and 737-NG platforms. Although operator demand remains strong, redeliveries have yet to reach their full potential, according to panelists on a conversion panel last week at Cargo […]