Airbus nears launch of A350 freighter program

• Charles Kauffman
• February 26, 2020
• Aircraft, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, Exclusive, Express, News, Production Freighters, Widebody Fleet Analysis

Airbus is moving ahead with the development of a freighter version of the A350 aircraft, sources tell Cargo Facts. Sources say Airbus is actively pitching a freighter variant of the A350 to cargo operators, and would formally launch the new production freighter program once it secures a charter order. In recent months, sales executives for […]

AirBridgeCargo finds workaround for coronavirus cancellations

• Charles Kauffman
• February 7, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Cargo Facts EMEA, Equipment, Exclusive, News, Production Freighters

Earlier this week, Russia-based AirBridgeCargo (ABC) canceled scheduled freighter flights into China and Hong Kong as the country’s air export volumes remain low due to disruptions related to the new coronavirus. Until flights resume, the carrier has been operating a limited number of charter flights from Europe to China, with a stop in Krasnoyarsk, Russia […]

Kalitta prepares for additional 777F flying

• Caryn Livingston
• January 30, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Equipment

U.S.-based carrier Kalitta Air has requested four weekly allocations for Singapore (SIN) to Hong Kong (HKG) cargo flights using 777-200 freighters on behalf of “a major freight forwarder.” Though the carrier has not yet returned a request for comment, the most likely customer for the service is DHL. DHL has not yet confirmed whether it […]

Kalitta converts freighter into pax configuration for Wuhan evacuation ops

• Charles Kauffman
• January 29, 2020
• Aircraft, All Posts, Carriers, Editorial, Equipment, News

Kalitta Air temporarily installed passenger seats on one of its 747-400Fs in order to evacuate more than 200 Americans from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the new coronavirus. The aircraft (26413, ex-Korean Air) was chartered by the U.S. State Department. At numerous MRO sites around the world, aircraft that previously operated in passenger configuration can […]

ASL Airlines Belgium to lease China Airlines 747-400F

• Charles Kauffman and Jeff Lee
• October 25, 2019
• Carriers, Exclusive, Production Freighters

A 747-400F (30762, ex-China Airlines) will soon join the ASL Airlines Belgium fleet, Cargo Facts has learned [FAT 005217]. Previously the aircraft had been in long-term storage at Victorville (VCV), where China Airlines has two other 747-400Fs in storage (30760 and 30761). The reactivation pushes the stored 747-400F fleet even lower. Cargo Facts estimates there are now just four 747-400F […]

Ex-ANA Cargo 767-300BCF bound for UPS fleet

• Charles Kauffman
• October 10, 2019
• Aircraft, Conversions, Equipment, News, Widebody Conversions

A 767-300BCF (25136) Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM) agreed to acquire from ANA Cargo earlier this year will soon be dry-leased to UPS. The aircraft currently carries a CAM registration (N327CM) but is in the process of being re-registered as N394UP, according to an update in the FAA registry. This is the third of four CAM-owned […]

Turkish takes a sixth 777F

• Charles Kauffman
• October 3, 2019
• Aircraft, Equipment, Freighter Aircraft Transactions, News, Production Freighters

On Oct. 1, Turkish Cargo took delivery of a 777F from Boeing (66578) [FAT 005155]. This was Boeing’s fourth 777F delivery this week following two deliveries to Qatar, and one to DHL Express on Sep. 30. For Turkish, the incoming widebody freighter was one of three 777Fs the carrier had on order with Boeing. Previously, […]

Boeing delivers a trio of 777Fs in a single day, buoying 3Q deliveries

• Charles Kauffman
• October 1, 2019
• Aircraft, Capacity & Demand, Carriers, Equipment, Production Freighters

On Sep. 30,  Everett Paine Field (PAE) resembled Memphis (MEM) with the frequency of 777F departures . Over the course of a single day, Boeing delivered three 777Fs to two different carriers. While we recall double-deliveries in the past, three large widebody freighters in a single day appears to be a record for Boeing. Production […]