European freighter fleet analysis (Part I): 737 Classics drive growth, for now

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• December 23, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Features, Freighter Fleet Analysis, Narrowbody Conversions, Narrowbody Fleet Analysis

In a year as tumultuous as 2019, it’s encouraging to see that European carriers continued to add freighter aircraft. Today we begin an analysis which will take a closer look at these fleets, starting with narrowbody jets in Part I and moving to widebodies in Part II. To begin with, we note that for this […]

CargoLogic Germany 737F fleet grows to three units

• Jeff Lee
• December 4, 2019
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

CargoLogic Germany (CLG) has received its third freighter, courtesy of Russia-based ATRAN. The aircraft is a 737-400SF (25775, ex-Yamal Airlines) that is on lease from Vx Capital Partners [FATs 005245-005246]. Unit 25775 was converted by Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) and redelivered to ATRAN in December 2018. Cargo Facts had expected it to join CLG’s fleet eventually, […]

ASL adds 737-400F to Irish affiliate

• Jeff Lee
• September 9, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

ASL Aviation Holdings has taken redelivery of a 737-400SF (25773, ex-Yamal Airlines). The aircraft is on lease from U.S.-based Vx Capital Partners and will be joining the ASL Airlines Ireland fleet [FATs 005127-005128]. Unit 25773 was ferried from Jacksonville (VQQ), where it was converted at the Flightstar facility by Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI), to Shannon […]

Freighter aircraft leasing part II: E-commerce behind growing leasing market

• Jeff Lee
• July 19, 2019
• Carriers, Conversions, Features, Freighter Fleet Analysis, Strategy

Last week, we began our two-part annual analysis of the increasingly complex world of freighter aircraft leasing. In part I, we started with an overview of how the freighter fleet belonging to lessors has evolved since our analysis a year ago. In part II, we consider the leased fleet by carrier, and how year-over-year shifts […]

Connect Cargo becomes Brazil’s latest freighter airline

• Jeff Lee
• June 28, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, News

Brazilian startup Connect Cargo has completed its Part 121 certification with ANAC, Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, and has been granted its AOC, paving the way for the launch of scheduled commercial operations. The company will base its two PEMCO-converted 737-400Fs (27087, ex-Malaysia Airlines, and 26605, ex-Japan Transocean Air) at Recife (REC) and fly them […]

CargoLogic Germany adds another freighter, but no AOC yet

• Jeff Lee
• May 14, 2019
• News

Despite not yet having received an Air Operator’s Certificate from the German civil aviation authority Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, startup carrier CargoLogic Germany continues to add to its freighter fleet. Last week, the Volga-Dnepr Group’s newest affiliate added a second 737-400SF (27673, ex-NewGen Airways) to its fleet, on lease from Vx Capital, the carrier confirmed to Cargo Facts [FAT 004883].   On 10 May, the aircraft was ferried […]

AirBridgeCargo takes delivery of Aviation Capital-financed 747-8F

• Caryn Livingston
• February 25, 2019
• Freighter Aircraft Transactions

On 23 February, AirBridgeCargo Airlines took delivery of a 747-8F at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport (SVO) after it was ferried from Boeing’s Paine Field (PAE) facility. The aircraft (63787) is the first to be partially financed under US-based lessor Aviation Capital Group LLC’s (ACG’s) Aircraft Financing Solutions (AFS) program. ACG announced the deal last month and will guarantee the loan […]

Spectre refinances 737 NG freighters in what may be a trend of freighter financing

• Caryn Livingston
• January 22, 2019
• Aircraft, All Posts

US-based Spectre Cargo Solutions, through its Irish affiliate NGF Genesis Limited, closed its first round of a long-term senior debt facility led by Erste Bank, Spectre announced yesterday. The debt facility will be used to refinance seven 737-700 and -800 converted freighters under the management of NGF Genesis and on lease to multiple operators. Spectre […]