Maltese startup looks to 737-400Fs for launch

• Jeff Lee
• September 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

A startup based in Malta aims to enter the freighter market in the first quarter of 2021 with its own air operator’s certificate (AOC) and possibly two 737-400Fs. SVL Airlines told Cargo Facts it had initially looked at 737-300QCs for the extra flexibility of a reconfigurable layout, but as the pandemic worsened over the course […]

AEI boosts 737-800 conversion capacity on demand growth

• Jeff Lee
• August 11, 2020
• Aircraft, Business, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) has designated Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Company (HAECO Xiamen) as a conversion center for its 737-800SF program, taking the number of conversion facilities it has to five. According to AEI, HAECO Xiamen will initially have one conversion line and begin touch labor on its first 737-800 in January 2021, but a second […]

KF Aerospace completes first owned 737-400SF

• Jeff Lee
• June 26, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Editorial, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Canada-based KF Aerospace has completed the full-freighter conversion of its first owned 737-400SF [FAT 005479-005480]. The aircraft (24751, ex-Flair Airlines) is also the first 737-400F registered under a Canadian operator. KF Aerospace told Cargo Facts that unit 24751, on which work began in October 2019, is now ready for service, but declined to comment on […]

CFA 2020: Industry nuances to limit new entrants to freighter leasing

• Jeff Lee
• April 22, 2020
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Cargo Facts Asia, Carriers, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Express, Logistics, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Production Freighters, Strategy, Widebody Conversions

Ongoing growth in the air cargo industry and freighter operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic may not extend to new entrants to the leasing and operating spaces, according to speakers at this week’s Cargo Facts Asia 2020. Lead times for conversions, and other barriers to entry for this unique segment of the market pose challenges that […]

Canadian freighter fleet to add 737-400Fs

• Charles Kauffman
• April 16, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Conversions, Editorial, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions

Canada-based aviation and MRO services provider KF Aerospace this week finalized an order for three 737-400SF conversions from Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) [FATs 005381-5383]. The first aircraft (24769, ex-Flair Airlines) will be inducted for conversion at KF Aerospace’s own MRO facility in Kelowna (YLW) next month. Upon redelivery, the aircraft is set to become the […]

CFA to discuss freighter leasing in light of COVID-19

• Jeff Lee
• April 7, 2020
• Cargo Facts Asia, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, Production Freighters, Widebody Conversions

The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the freighter aircraft leasing industry will be the central theme during Session 9 of the virtual edition of Cargo Facts Asia later this month. In this session, scheduled for 08:45 a.m. China Standard Time (05:45 p.m. PST/8:45 p.m. EST/ 12:45 a.m. GMT) on Wednesday, April 22, we will […]

Estafeta grows fleet with 737-400F

• Jeff Lee
• March 6, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, Narrowbody Conversions, News, Strategy

Mexico-based Estafeta Cargo Aerea will shortly add to its fleet a 737-400SF (28661, ex-Asia Cargo Express), on lease from Vx Capital Partners [FAT 005350-005351]. Estafeta told Cargo Facts it expects to take redelivery of the aircraft in a matter of days. The aircraft, first delivered to Spanish airline Air Europa in 1997, was stored in […]

Classic freighter transactions surge in January

• Charles Kauffman
• February 27, 2020
• Carriers, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News

Of the sixteen freighter aircraft transactions (FATs) recorded by Cargo Facts in January 2020, more than half involved “classic” freighters, which are defined as aircraft models now dated by a modern alternatives. Conversion orders for narrowbody freighters continued throughout 2019 amid feedstock disruptions stemming from the grounded 737 MAX. An uptick in the number of older widebody […]