Flight International — 22 August — 4 September 2017

AIR TRANSPORT

For up-to-the-minute air transport news,

network and fleet information sign up at:

flightglobal.com/dashboard

14 | Flight International | 22 August-4 September 2017 flightglobal.com

Q

atar Airways has confirmed

that it is to introduce Boeing

747-8 Freighters to its fleet, after

embarking on a recruitment drive

for flight crew.

The airline states, in an adver-

tisement, that it is hiring freighter

captains and first officers for “our

Boeing 747-8 fleet”.

Qatar Airways has not speci-

fied how many of the type it

plans to take.

But it says that it is seeking

cargo type-rated captains and

first officers able to join the air-

line in 2017-2018.

Captains must have at least

6,000h total time, including a

minimum of 1,000h in command

on 747-400s or -8s, it adds.

The Doha-based airline is al-

ready a 747-400F operator, with a

single example in its fleet.

Qatar Airways has close to 200

aircraft on order from Boeing, in-

cluding 16 777 freighters, but the

airframer has yet to list an order

for 747-8Fs from the carrier. ■

B

AE Systems is suspending

work on the Avro RJ

freighter conversion programme

for a second time, citing a deteri-

oration in market conditions.

It is linking the suspension

partly to ASL Airlines’ decision

to sell a batch of British Aero-

space 146-300QT freighters oper-

ated by its Spanish division.

ASL is putting all eight of its

aircraft – built between 1989 and

1991 – on the market, and BAE

says this will have a “significant

impact” on the launch of the con-

version programme.

At a time when the RJ

modification has been trying to

attract more customers, the sale

of the ASL 146-300QTs, which

are the same size as the RJ100,

puts additional capacity on the

freighter market.

BAE had offered conversions

of 146s to the -300QT and

-200QT in a previous ill-fated

venture involving establishing a

production line in Romania.

Lack of interest meant this con-

version programme failed to gain

traction and, with only a couple

of aircraft modified, BAE aban-

doned the scheme in 2011.

It resurrected the freighter plan

last year with a new programme

centred on converting the RJ100.

“There was some serious mar-

Cargo carrier ASL Airlines has opted to divest a batch of 146-300QTs

AirTeamImages

Jumbo jets would complement existing inventory of Boeing 777s

AirTeamImages

INITIATIVE DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

Low interest puts

BAE conversions

back on the shelf

Freighter modification of Avro RJ100 is “suspended” for a

second time as market saturation dampens sales prospects

OPERATIONS MAX KINGSLEY-JONES LONDON

Swiss ushers regional workhorse out to graze after 27-year stint

The Avro RJ has bowed out of

service with Swiss International

Air Lines, 27 years after the four-

engined jet made its Swiss debut

with the airline’s predecessor

Crossair in BAe 146 form.

Following its last scheduled

Avro service on 14 August, from

London City to Zurich, the follow-

ing day the airline operated a fi-

nal Geneva-Zurich flight.

At the controls for the special

flight (LX7545) for media and

guests was Swiss’s Avro fleet chief

Michael Weisser, accompanied

by his deputy Peter Huber. After

landing, the RJ100 (HB-IYZ) was

given the traditional water-foun-

tain salute by the fire brigade be-

fore being officially retired.

“Making this final landing at our

home airport aboard an Avro was

a very emotional experience for

me,” says Weisser. “The taking out

of service of the Avro aircraft marks

the end of an era in the history of

aviation in Switzerland.”

Swiss’s Avro fleet has been pro-

gressively replaced over the past

year by the Bombardier CSeries.

Ten of the Canadian-built twinjets

have been delivered, with a fur-

ther 20 due by the end of 2018. ■

ket interest [in the RJ100 pro-

gramme],” says BAE Systems Re-

gional Aircraft.

“However, we were not able to

attract sufficient commitment to

justify setting up a conversion

production line which could

generate the economies of scale

required,” it adds.

BAE had suggested that low

fuel prices would offset concerns

about operating a four-engined

regional aircraft.

But jet fuel prices have in-

creased by more than 20% over

the year since the freighter was

unveiled, according to energy

price monitoring specialist S&P

Global Platts.

Although the RJ100 is the

same size as the 146-300QT, it

would have offered improved

performance and a higher pay-

load capability.

BAE says the conversion pro-

gramme has been “postponed”

and could still be revived. ■

RECRUITMENT

Qatar seeking pilots for unordered 747-8F fleet