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 […]

Telair International unveils modular cargo loading system for A320 family

• Charles Kauffman
• September 17, 2019
• Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Telair International launched a modular cargo loading system for use in the lower hold of narrowbody aircraft. The system is designed to be installed post-delivery or during freighter conversion and consists of reconfigurable modules that can be converted within a matter of hours to accommodate either bulk or containerized freight. Initially, Telair expects the system to […]

SF Airlines’ 757F fleet reaches 30 units with latest Precision redelivery

• Charles Kauffman
• September 5, 2019
• All Posts, Carriers, Conversions, Express, Narrowbody Conversions

Earlier this week, Shenzhen-based SF Airlines took redelivery of a 757-200PCF (29441, ex-TUI Airways) following conversion to freighter configuration by Precision Aircraft Solutions at the AMECO facility in Chengdu (CTU) [FAT 005119]. This is the carrier’s thirtieth 757-200F and fifty-sixth freighter. How many more 757-200Fs might be joining SF’s fleet? Cargo Facts believes the carrier […]

China Air Cargo adds first MA-600F, prepares to restart under new ownership

• Charles Kauffman
• August 26, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Features, News

Last week, China Air Cargo (previously AVIC Cargo Airlines), celebrated the delivery of its first purpose-built MA-600F. The turboprop freighter joins the carrier’s fleet of two 757-200PCFs – neither of which have been operating recently – and signals an imminent restart for the company. One of a number of startup cargo carriers to launch in […]

767 transactions dominate July Freighter Aircraft Transactions

• Charles Kauffman
• August 16, 2019
• Features, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News

Of the 51 freighter aircraft transactions (FATs) recorded in July 2019, 35% involved 767s, the workhorse for domestic express and e-commerce in the United States, and increasingly, globally. Both production freighters and conversions saw an uptick in activity for the month with deliveries of two new-build 767Fs, one each to US-based integrators FedEx and UPS. […]

Third Asia Pacific Airlines 757F arrives in Hawaii

• Jeff Lee
• July 26, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Features, Narrowbody Conversions, Strategy

Guam-based Asia Pacific Airlines’ third 757-200PCF (25140, ex-OpenSkies) arrived in Honolulu (HNL) on Sunday and has started conformity inspections with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airline told Cargo Facts that it is expecting the aircraft to be able to enter service next Friday. Unit 25140 completed conversion with Precision Aircraft Solutions at the Flightstar […]