Planes on Pause: COVID forces aircraft into storage

• Joshua Aelick
• July 16, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Features, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Widebody Conversions

On July 8, a 767-300ER (25583) previously operated by Air Canada Rouge and parked at Kansas City (MCI) touched down at Pinal Airpark (MZJ), followed by two more Air Canada 767-300s in the next two days. All three planes, considered suitable conversion feedstock, have been inducted into storage programs at Ascent Aviations Services, located at […]

AA accelerates fleet retirements, frees up feedstock

• Jeff Lee
• March 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Engines, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

American Airlines’ plans to accelerate the retirement of its older aircraft in light of the sharp drop in passenger traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a feedstock situation that could be attractive for those looking to add 757 freighters. Apart from cutting much of its international traffic, Doug Parker, CEO of American […]

As main-deck demand surges, 747Fs remain in storage

• Jeff Lee
• March 13, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

While the passenger airline business suffers from capacity cuts on an unprecedented scale due to the coronavirus pandemic, freighter operators are experiencing a surge in demand and charter activity as less and less belly capacity becomes available. However, no parked freighters appear to have been removed from storage and brought back into service so far. […]

China Airlines remarkets three 747-400Fs

• Jeff Lee
• February 19, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

[This article has been amended to reflect that the aircraft currently being remarketed are units 30759, 30763 and 30764, not 30759, 30760 and 30762.] Taiwan-based China Airlines is looking to remove three 747-400Fs as it prepares to replace its fleet by taking delivery of new 777Fs later this year. Japan-based SK&Y Associates has been engaged […]

FedEx continues removal of capacity

• Jeff Lee
• February 10, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Equipment, Express, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

FedEx Express in the past week removed two MD-11Fs (48547 and 48458) and a 757-200F (24924, ex-Astraeus) from service and sent them to Victorville (VCV) to be parked. Units 48547 and 48458 were ferried to VCV on Feb. 5 and Feb. 6 respectively, while unit 24924 was flown to the desert on Feb. 8. FedEx […]

FedEx retires last A310-300F

• Charles Kauffman
• January 6, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Express, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

Over the weekend, FedEx completed its final revenue flight utilizing an A310-300F. After completing a routine round-trip flight between Sioux Falls (FSD) and FedEx’s Memphis (MEM) hub on the morning of Jan. 4, the express company bid farewell to the final operating A310-300F (439) in its fleet.  This was the third A310-300F FedEx has retired since Christmas. Until recently, FedEx had operated the trio of A310-300Fs in scheduled service. […]

Lufthansa Cargo withdraws third MD-11F for the year

• Jeff Lee
• November 27, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy

Lufthansa Cargo has removed another MD-11F from its fleet [FAT 005241]. The aircraft in question (48806) is the third to be withdrawn by the carrier in 2019, after unit 48805 in October and unit 48785 in August. Lufthansa Cargo told Cargo Facts that, as a result of the recent decision to proceed with an accelerated fleet renewal program, […]

Lufthansa Cargo preparing to retire another MD-11F?

• Jeff Lee
• October 11, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Production Freighters, Strategy

Another MD-11F belonging to Germany-based Lufthansa Cargo appears to be being prepared for retirement. The aircraft (48805) would be the second of two MD-11Fs the carrier had planned to remove from its fleet by the end of the year, after unit 48785 was ferried to Victorville (VCV) in August 2019. Unit 48805 has not flown […]