Boeing Completes MD-11 Freighter Transition

Boeing’s aircraft leasing unit, Boeing Capital Corp., has completed transition of two MD-11 Boeing converted freighters (BCF) on multi-year leases to U.K.-managed AV Cargo, which has begun service from the operator's base in Liege, Belgium, on routes primarily to West Africa.

 

Boeing delivered the first of the cargo trijets to the operator in May 2013. The second aircraft began revenue service recently.

 

Originally MD-11 passenger aircraft, the BCFs feature an updated flight deck and cargo-handling system, better fuel efficiency, and increased operating capabilities. The new carrier is the successor to the former Avient Ltd.

 

Overall, Boeing has converted more than 100 MD-11s to freighters.

 

"Conversion extends the aircraft's useful life beyond its passenger service and, thanks to the superior economics and operating performance, it allows us to place into service a good cargo asset despite a soft market," says Frank Duckstein, Boeing Capital senior director of asset management.

 

Neil Glover, AV Cargo managing director and co-founder, says: "This second delivery is an important milestone in our strategic business plan that will allow us to further penetrate and optimize our planned scheduled services, providing us with the necessary redundancy to ensure our customers with frequent and reliable services. The MD-11 is the natural and logical choice to serve our niche market needs in the 65t to 95t payload range, operating into some of the smaller and performance-challenging airports within Africa that preclude most other aircraft." 

 

The operator's third MD-11 is expected to enter service in early 2014.

 

AV Cargo will operate its MD-11 freighters into key Africa cities including Lagos, Nigeria; Bamako, Mali; Entebbe, Uganda; Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo; Freetown, Sierra Leone; and Pemba Island.

 

The MD-11 freighter includes 175 aircraft in active service with cargo operators and freight forwarders worldwide, including FedEx, UPS, and Lufthansa.