30 LUA JAN - FEB 2018
Ethiopian to receive the first AEI-converted 737-800Fs
leased from GECAS in June
newS
SAA Cargo named air freight partner for
South African team at Dakar Rally 2018Turkish Airlines orders three
more Boeing 777 freighters
S
outh African Airways Cargo (SAA Cargo) has been announced
as the air freight partner of the Toyota Gazoo Racing South
Africa Team for the 2018 Dakar Rally. The rally will is scheduled
from 6 to 20 January in Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. The race is
often billed as one of the toughest motorsport events in the world.
It is viewed as a test of team endurance and vehicle durability.
The partnership has been in place since 2012 and involves
transportation of the racing vehicles to Sao Paulo, Brazil, en
route to Lima, Peru, for the start. The shipment consists of three
vehicles and spares, weighing about 7941 kilos.
It takes about 16 hours for the shipment to reach its destination
with 11 hours spent on the aircraft. “Our partnership remains key
to us as the airfreight division of the national carrier. We get the
opportunity to showcase SAA Cargo’s operational capability on a
world stage. There is about two months’ preparation before the ve-
hicles are transported to ensure that the vehicles get there without
any hassles. Our priority is the needs of the client as without them
we do not have a business. All of this is achieved through team ef-
fort and hard work,” said Tleli Makhetha, GM, SAA Cargo.
Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Team Principal, Glyn Hall said,
“In motor racing, development of the race vehicle is critical.
Development takes time, and our partnership with SAA Cargo
means that we don’t have to rely on sea freight to send our cars
to South America. This gives us a significant advantage in our
development strategy.”
The 40th edition of the Dakar Rally will start in Lima, Peru,
proceed to La Paz, Bolivia, and end in Cordoba, Argentina, on
January 20, 2018.A
division of the Ethiopian Airlines Group,
Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics Services,
has committed to lease the first two Boeing
737-800 freighters (737-800SF) converted
by Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) from
GECAS (GE Capital Aviation Services). The
first delivery is expected in June of 2018, fol-
lowed by a second in January of 2019.
“We are excited to take delivery of these
first-ever AEI-converted 737-800SFs. The
aircraft will be a great complement to our
existing fleet of B777 and B757 freighters.
In line with our Vision 2025 Ethiopian
Cargo and Logistics strategic roadmap, we
are expanding our cargo fleet and network
to support trade within Africa and with
the rest of the world by facilitating the ex-
port of perishables and the import of high
value goods into the continent,” explainedTewolde Gebremariam, Ethiopian
Airlines Group CEO.
“We have been working
with AEI on this program since
2015 and look forward to deliver-
ing the first AEI converted 737-800SF to
Ethiopian Airlines. The airline is joining
a growing number of combination carri-
ers planning to operate this aircraft either
for replacement of aging freighters or for
growth,” said GECAS Richard Greener, SVP
& manager Cargo Aircraft Group.
Ethiopian Cargo and Logistics provides
airport–to–airport services across a network
of over 91 destinations on both freighter and
belly hold services (including both direct
service and arranged connection flights).
With six 777 and two 757 Freighters serving
39 cargo destinations in Africa, the MiddleEast, Asia the America’s and Europe,
Ethiopian’s state-of-the-art cargo terminal
delivers an annual capacity of one million
tons with services that range from general
cargo to special cargo (including perishable,
valuable or dangerous goods, live animals
and mail & courier).
The AEI converted freighter accom-
modates eleven full height containers plus
one AEP/AEH, a main deck payload of
up to 52,000 lb (23,587 kg) and has AEI’s
hydraulically-operated cargo door, offering
numerous key features to cargo operators.A
ircraft manufacturer Boeing and Istanbul-based Turkish
Airlines announced that the carrier ordered three more
777 freighters in December 2017. The new order came weeks
after the carrier took delivery of two of the large cargo jets as
part of its plan to further expand its freight business.
“The new aircraft will be delivered this year and will pro-
vide us with additional flexibility to serve more destinations
while we continue to develop our global freight service,” said
M İlker Aycı, chairman of the Board and the Executive Com-
mittee, Turkish Airlines.
The B777 Freighter is the world’s longest-range twin-en-
gine freighter and is based on the 777-200LR (Longer Range)
passenger airplane. The jet can fly 4,900 nautical miles (9,070
kms) with a full payload of 112 tonnes (102,000 kg).
Turkish Airlines has received first of the two 777 freight-
ers from Boeing in the first week of December. A prominent
sub-brand of Turkish Airlines, Turkish Cargo increased its
freighter destinations from 55 to 73 in 2017.