Which widebody freighter program will launch next? Since Boeing officially pulled the curtain on the 747-8F and stopped taking new orders for the popular widebody freighter, attention has shifted to the potential replacement candidates — both new-build and freighter-converted types. Cargo Facts invites you, our well-informed reader, to share your opinions on the candidates for new programs, and the likelihood of such programs coming to fruition. The short survey is available here on our website.
While production freighters based on current-generation passenger airframes such as the 787 and the A350 have long been considered a possibility, neither Airbus nor Boeing has officially pulled the trigger on a new program.
With a substantial segment of the widebody passenger fleet still grounded, OEMs and conversion houses are reportedly taking a second look at the potential for new conversion programs, including even the A380.
737-800 freighter redeliveries lead Q1 fleet additions Redeliveries of freighter conversions outnumbered production freighter deliveries by a factor of more than three in the first quarter of 2021, with 737-800Fs accounting for around one-third of all new conversions redelivered. During the first three months of the year, Cargo Facts recorded twenty-two new freighter redeliveries, including sixteen narrowbodies, five widebodies and a regional freighter.
When it comes to new-build freighters, however, the picture was very different. After a mad-dash rush to deliver production freighters in the final months of 2020, the first quarter of 2021 was a relatively quiet quarter for new deliveries. Boeing filled six freighter orders to three customers during the three-month period, with almost all deliveries going into service with integrators. FedEx added to its fleet three 767-300Fs, UPS added a 747-8F and a 767-300F, and China Airlines took delivery of a 777F, its third.
In comparison, during the first quarter of 2020, Boeing delivered seven aircraft: two 777Fs to DHL Express, two 767-300Fs to FedEx Express, two 777Fs to Turkish Airlines and a 767-300F to UPS.
The relative lull comes after a busy December. Boeing delivered a total of nine production freighters during the month of December 2020 alone, and although deliveries timed with the Q4 are normal, the final month of 2020 was exceptional and included a triple 777F delivery to Qatar Airways. In December 2019, Boeing delivered just one freighter, a 767-300F to FedEx.
Georgian Airways Cargo to launch with 737-800 freighter Georgian Airways has added to its fleet a 737-800SF (28231, ex-Smartwings) — its first freighter — as part of a plan to launch a cargo subsidiary, which will operate as Georgian Airways Cargo [FAT 006115].
The 2000-vintage freighter arrived at the carrier’s Tbilisi (TBS) base April 4, following conversion to freighter configuration by Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI). Touch labor for the conversion was completed at the Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Company (STAECO) facility in Jinan (TNA).
The aircraft was converted for Aero Capital Solutions (ACS) as part of a four-unit conversion order with AEI, and was ferried to Jinan (TNA) in August 2020. At the time of induction, ACS told Cargo Facts that it had already secured a customer for the aircraft. The carrier’s arrangement with ACS is not known, although Georgian Airways’ small passenger fleet appears to be leased, and SMBC Aviation Capital listing the carrier as a customer. ACS declined to confirm the placement with Georgian Airways.
Georgian Airways aims to operate the 737-800F to Asia and Europe, and is in discussions for additional freighters, according to Georgian outlet Avia News. The carrier had been looking to expand its cargo business and introduce freighter aircraft, according to local reports earlier this year.
Georgian Airways was founded in 1993 as charter operator Airzena, which became the flag carrier of Georgia in 1999. Since 2004, the private airline has operated under its current name with a fleet of 737s and smaller regional aircraft.
ACS recently topped up its AEI backlog with ten additional 737-800SF conversion orders. The lessor told Cargo Facts its second 737-800SF (28655, ex-Eastar Jet) is progressing in its conversion. That aircraft also went to TNA last August.
Russia-based S7 Airlines also recently stepped into the freighter market for the first time through the 737-800F platform, with a pair of -800BCFs on lease from GECAS.
UPS to divert feeder volume with eVTOL purchase UPS is purchasing ten Alia-250c electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft made by Beta Technologies through its subsidiary, UPS Flight Forward.
The company expects the aircraft to enable faster delivery times and support its efforts to reduce overall emissions, particularly for “time-sensitive deliveries that would otherwise fly on small fixed-wing aircraft,” according to a press release.
The first ten aircraft are scheduled to arrive by 2024, assuming the model is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). UPS also has options for up to 150 more.
Unlike the Matternet M2 drones that UPS Flight Forward is already using to transport medical shipments, the Alia-250c is piloted, and will be designed and built by Vermont-based Beta Technologies. It has a payload capacity of 1,400 pounds (635kg), a 250-mile (400km) range, and can reach speeds up to 170mph (270 kph).
UPS will test the aircraft in its Express Air delivery network, aiming to replace small feeder planes with a capacity of 500 to 3,000 pounds, according to CNBC. The drone’s vertical takeoff and landing capability eliminates the need for airports and runways, allowing it to land directly at UPS facilities. UPS expects this to reduce transit time and operating costs.
Cargo traffic surges in February as modal shift favors air February cargo traffic increased year over year, month over month, and from the same month in 2019, thanks to economic improvements and airfreight’s increasing share of the global goods trade, compared with other transport modes.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported a total YoY improvement in cargo tonne kilometers (CTKs) of 10.8% for February, which was also up by 9.0% from February 2019. CTKs also rose by 1.5% from January levels, marking a return to “levels last seen in 2018 before air cargo business started to be adversely impacted by the U.S.-China trade war,” IATA noted in its monthly analysis.
Of the factors supporting the recovery, IATA noted that global manufacturing has mostly shrugged off new virus spikes in 2021, contributing to a V-shaped recovery and increasing new export orders. Disruption in other transport modes, particularly in ocean freight, where the container shortage pushed January and February volumes to air, also led to traffic growth for airfreight.
Looking ahead to its March analysis, IATA expects the Suez Canal blockage that month to have been supportive of air as a transport mode.
Breaking carriers down regionally, African airlines reported the strongest cargo traffic improvement from February 2019 levels with 44.2% growth in CTKs. The region represents only about 2% of global CTKs, but IATA noted that the improvement was mostly driven by growth in Africa-Asia trade lanes. North America continued its strong performance as well, with an increase in international CTKs of 17.4%. The strongest improvement occurred on Asia-North America trade lanes with robust imports of Asia-made goods into the U.S. Other regions also reported growth for the most part, although at European carriers there was only a slight 4.7% increase.
Latin America continued as the weakest region, with a 20.5% decline in international traffic from February 2019. Load factors at the region’s carriers were also low, IATA reported, which indicates the problems in the region stem more from weak cargo demand rather than a lack of capacity.
Recent freighter aircraft transactions Atlas Air acquired a 767-300ER (26259, ex-Condor) [FAT 006117]. The aircraft has been parked at Marana (MZJ) since Jan. 30, 2021.
Raya Airways took delivery of a 767-200BDSF (22224, ex-West Atlantic), on lease from Cargo Aircraft Management [FAT 006113].
FedEx Express removed from service an A300-600F (361) and ferried it to Victorville (VCV) to be parked [FAT 006116].
DHL Express inducted for conversion a 737-800 (30499, ex-Shenzhen Airlines). The aircraft was ferried to Tel Aviv (TLV) to be converted by Israel Aerospace Industries [FAT 006120].
ASL Airlines acquired and inducted for conversion a 737-800 (33612, ex-Ryanair). The aircraft was ferried to Jinan (TNA) to be converted by Boeing [FATs 006121-6122].
