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 […]

Connect Cargo freighters grounded

• Jeff Lee
• February 17, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Conversions, Narrowbody Conversions, News

Brazilian startup Connect Cargo’s two leased 737-400Fs are currently grounded and could end up being repossessed by Luxembourg-based Vallair. According to ANAC, Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, the two aircraft are no longer cleared for commercial flights. Connect Cargo, which only completed its Part 121 certification with ANAC and was granted its AOC in June […]

CF EMEA: E-commerce drives narrowbody demand

• Jeff Lee
• February 14, 2020
• Aircraft, Cargo Facts EMEA 2020 - Video Series, Conversions, Equipment, Narrowbody Conversions, News

FRANKFURT — Even though the narrowbody freighter market is becoming increasingly competitive, the growth of e-commerce means there’s ample opportunity for aircraft lessors, with an estimated yearly demand for approximately sixty narrowbody freighters every year for the next twenty years. Vx Capital, the largest lessor of 737-400Fs, currently has a portfolio of two 737-300Fs and […]