CX747 wrote:Word on the street is the DC-8s are going to be employed by a new company...
Owww goodies, I hope it will get an actual new livery too when that happens
A388
Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
CX747 wrote:Word on the street is the DC-8s are going to be employed by a new company...
A388 wrote:CX747 wrote:Word on the street is the DC-8s are going to be employed by a new company...
Owww goodies, I hope it will get an actual new livery too when that happens
A388
wjcandee wrote:When we're saying "employed by a new company", it is going to be operated by Skybus, just for a different customer. I suspect they will stick with their classic livery.
MohawkWeekend wrote:FedEx announced yesterday that they were temporarily removing some aircraft from service due to softening demand. Wonder what type?
aristoenigma wrote:CX747 wrote:aristoenigma wrote:The upthread discussion on converting Air India's 4 retired 744s may have a basis in discussions with Indian Air Force who seem to be interested due to overuse of C-17s and Russian issues gumming up safe Il-76 usage for military transport.
https://www.theigmp.org/2022/08/hal-off ... fleet.html
Plenty of ways to fill the need. In this format, a company gets its GOV to pay for the conversion setup. They then knock out 4 jets in return and have the ability to meet additional customer demand with the functional line!!! For those that love the 747, it would continue the "production line" part of the story. That is actually not a bad way to attempt and get one's foot in the door.
Plenty of affordable 747-400s available for conversion, at a cost that is millions less than competing products.
Not sure if time is running out but if this 744 conversion restart idea ever gets wings would IAI have any room to do it in Tel Aviv or is there a possibility that HAL has enough existing structure to set up a facility in India (employment creation) under a JV with IAI?
aristoenigma wrote:aristoenigma wrote:CX747 wrote:
Plenty of ways to fill the need. In this format, a company gets its GOV to pay for the conversion setup. They then knock out 4 jets in return and have the ability to meet additional customer demand with the functional line!!! For those that love the 747, it would continue the "production line" part of the story. That is actually not a bad way to attempt and get one's foot in the door.
Plenty of affordable 747-400s available for conversion, at a cost that is millions less than competing products.
Not sure if time is running out but if this 744 conversion restart idea ever gets wings would IAI have any room to do it in Tel Aviv or is there a possibility that HAL has enough existing structure to set up a facility in India (employment creation) under a JV with IAI?
Do any of the well informed experts on the Cargo thread think the Israeli ban on four engines (landing in Israel) will cause IAI to sunset 747 conversions? If IAI gives Hindustan the franchise to convert in India would that open up a way to stay on side (at least geographically) and allow HAL to convert the 4 ex Air India 744 PAXs plus possibly a handful of the affordable stored 744s? IAI could get a nice royalty and stay on side with the new Israeli position on four holes.
Spacepope wrote:aristoenigma wrote:aristoenigma wrote:
Not sure if time is running out but if this 744 conversion restart idea ever gets wings would IAI have any room to do it in Tel Aviv or is there a possibility that HAL has enough existing structure to set up a facility in India (employment creation) under a JV with IAI?
Do any of the well informed experts on the Cargo thread think the Israeli ban on four engines (landing in Israel) will cause IAI to sunset 747 conversions? If IAI gives Hindustan the franchise to convert in India would that open up a way to stay on side (at least geographically) and allow HAL to convert the 4 ex Air India 744 PAXs plus possibly a handful of the affordable stored 744s? IAI could get a nice royalty and stay on side with the new Israeli position on four holes.
I think IAI is pretty much done with the 747 conversions, both in TLV or in India. If that story had legs, we'd see at least SOME movement on it by now, but it's been about as eerily quiet as progress on the 777BDSF program. The unconverted 747s are just going to be content on being engine donors for all the 767Fs getting churned out still.
wjcandee wrote:I'm sure that by "churned out", Spacepope is referring to the large volume of 767-300 conversions being performed. Some of the airframes being converted may have been in storage long enough that they may well not have had engines hanging on them, although I think most of those probably have been identified and converted already. And of course one needs a pool of serviceable engines that is larger than those in service on one's aircraft at any one time. Interestingly, ATSG is developing such a pool for its own aircraft as opposed to continuing to rely on DL for that service. We will see how that affects reliability; execution is going to be everything.
Stretch8 -- question: Which hangar is the new Engine Hospital going into? Is it still on track to open this month?
sunking737 wrote:If the engines are still being built is it easy to get spare parts for overhaul??
wjcandee wrote:Collins LDS system -- what UPS retrofitted onto its 757s and 767s. Now factory-installed. (For a while, it was retrofit at the factory; now it can go in as original.)
Amerijet seems to like Flightstar at VQQ as a maintenance spot. Probably there for conformity (i.e. being placed on Amerijet certificate).
sunking737 wrote:If the engines are still being built is it easy to get spare parts for overhaul??
MO11 wrote:On Friday, National purchased the 747-400F formerly known as VP-BIM.
MO11 wrote:On Friday, National purchased the 747-400F formerly known as VP-BIM.
ClassicSpotter wrote:Our friends at Skybus Jet Cargo continue to amaze!
They recently acquired 53.2 year old DC-8-60/70 N155CA, an aircraft with many former operators, the most recent being National Airlines.
Is this just for parts or is it possible she will be returned to service? Seems unlikely since N155CA has been stored at Roswell since 2012.
MO11 wrote:On Friday, National purchased the 747-400F formerly known as VP-BIM.
stretch8 wrote:(For wjcandee: I believe GA Telesis, an engine shop, has been established at ILN in last 2-4 weeks, - "a joint venture w/ ATSG" per sign. Believe located in Bldg next to SE corner of Bldg H. Hope helps).
MO11 wrote:stretch8 wrote:(For wjcandee: I believe GA Telesis, an engine shop, has been established at ILN in last 2-4 weeks, - "a joint venture w/ ATSG" per sign. Believe located in Bldg next to SE corner of Bldg H. Hope helps).
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220523005972/en/GA-Telesis-and-Air-Transport-Services-Group-to-Open-Engine-Maintenance-Facility-at-Wilmington-Air-Park
MO11 wrote:ClassicSpotter wrote:Our friends at Skybus Jet Cargo continue to amaze!
They recently acquired 53.2 year old DC-8-60/70 N155CA, an aircraft with many former operators, the most recent being National Airlines.
Is this just for parts or is it possible she will be returned to service? Seems unlikely since N155CA has been stored at Roswell since 2012.
It was purchased six months ago. The conjecture as to what its purpose would be started at post #766.
Flyer92122 wrote:MO11 wrote:ClassicSpotter wrote:Our friends at Skybus Jet Cargo continue to amaze!
They recently acquired 53.2 year old DC-8-60/70 N155CA, an aircraft with many former operators, the most recent being National Airlines.
Is this just for parts or is it possible she will be returned to service? Seems unlikely since N155CA has been stored at Roswell since 2012.
It was purchased six months ago. The conjecture as to what its purpose would be started at post #766.
We parked next to that plane about 10 years ago in MTY, it looked like a museum relic even back then with the old cigar engines. Murray had it flying everyday within the BAX system off and on when one of the “newer” Diesel 8’s with was in long term maintenance. Made our 727s look cutting edge:)
wjcandee wrote:MO11 wrote:On Friday, National purchased the 747-400F formerly known as VP-BIM.
Sweet! Factory freighter, 14.5 years old, per planespotters.net. National continues to make opportunistic buys and keep them busy!
stretch8 wrote:N237CM CAM B763 is scheduled ILN-HNL. Freighter conversion in Singapore? cheers!
MO11 wrote:The second Maersk 767 was ferried to Amerijet on Tuesday.
stretch8 wrote:N152DL CAM B763 BDSF - 2nd test flight today TLV-TLV. cheers!
wjcandee wrote:stretch8 wrote:N237CM CAM B763 is scheduled ILN-HNL. Freighter conversion in Singapore? cheers!
Awesome! Thanks, Yes! Probably QPG. I don't recall if Boeing specified where it was getting the BCF conversion. The other possibility is TPE. But it's definitely getting a BCF conversion. For the first time ever, CAM is sending a few aircraft to Boeing for conversion, apparently because IAI can't get them done on the schedule that CAM needs. After a very long time as the exclusive supplier.
DLNZ wrote:wjcandee wrote:MO11 wrote:On Friday, National purchased the 747-400F formerly known as VP-BIM.
Sweet! Factory freighter, 14.5 years old, per planespotters.net. National continues to make opportunistic buys and keep them busy!
It's a really nice acquisition for them. It wasn't so long ago they were talking about having enough work to double their fleet. Perhaps they will take a few more as the become available.
I suspect the nose-loading capability for them will be useful also.
The lovely 936CA operated DFWAKL yesterday which was an unual route and brought her close to my home base. Off back to HNL now.
In other 747 news, and apologies if noted above as I've been offline for a while. ROM Cargo's YR-FSB (formerley N27063) made it into service, finally, operating a single LGG-FRU-HKG & return on 09/03. Idle since. Sistership YR-FSA remains busy plying that run.
Terra Avia have had some fleet comings & going also. Remember they operated ER-BAG (an ATG machine) for a while but which went back to Aerotranscargo and has been in MX at our friends hangar at GMF since 07/03.
They acquired ER-BAS from Rubystar (leased from Aquiline) but she has since has gone undercover. There's an association with Fly Pro, our friends who operate the two Classics ER-BAR/T.
But of note they have acquired (also from Aquiline) two ex-Transaero preighters, ER-TRV & ER-BOS.
SF Airlines are taking the second of the stored CZ 747Fs. B-2461 is in SF Airlines livery and set to join sistership B-2473 imminently. Good to see both these machines back in service after a prolonged period in storage at CAN.
Finally, many will remember the Travsaviaexport 743SF EW-465TQ which had the air-return at Mombasa, Kenya, way back in March. She eventually left ferried to THR in May, and re-entered service with a trip to TSN and back to Minsk homebase earlier this month.
CX747 wrote:DLNZ wrote:wjcandee wrote:
Sweet! Factory freighter, 14.5 years old, per planespotters.net. National continues to make opportunistic buys and keep them busy!
It's a really nice acquisition for them. It wasn't so long ago they were talking about having enough work to double their fleet. Perhaps they will take a few more as the become available.
I suspect the nose-loading capability for them will be useful also.
The lovely 936CA operated DFWAKL yesterday which was an unual route and brought her close to my home base. Off back to HNL now.
In other 747 news, and apologies if noted above as I've been offline for a while. ROM Cargo's YR-FSB (formerley N27063) made it into service, finally, operating a single LGG-FRU-HKG & return on 09/03. Idle since. Sistership YR-FSA remains busy plying that run.
Terra Avia have had some fleet comings & going also. Remember they operated ER-BAG (an ATG machine) for a while but which went back to Aerotranscargo and has been in MX at our friends hangar at GMF since 07/03.
They acquired ER-BAS from Rubystar (leased from Aquiline) but she has since has gone undercover. There's an association with Fly Pro, our friends who operate the two Classics ER-BAR/T.
But of note they have acquired (also from Aquiline) two ex-Transaero preighters, ER-TRV & ER-BOS.
SF Airlines are taking the second of the stored CZ 747Fs. B-2461 is in SF Airlines livery and set to join sistership B-2473 imminently. Good to see both these machines back in service after a prolonged period in storage at CAN.
Finally, many will remember the Travsaviaexport 743SF EW-465TQ which had the air-return at Mombasa, Kenya, way back in March. She eventually left ferried to THR in May, and re-entered service with a trip to TSN and back to Minsk homebase earlier this month.
Outstanding update on some of the world's unspoken of 747s.
National definitely made a good pickup in VP-BIM, which is now N663CA. With several ex-Russian operated 747s sitting idle, National could make additional moves.