|
|
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
19th August, 2005: Package delivery, specialized transportation and logistics services major UPS has
come out with an order for eight 747-400 freight aircraft.
Boeing confirmed that the order is the first one by UPS placed directly with Boeing for the 747 Freighter
family. This is also UPS’ first 747-400 order, Boeing said in a statement.
The delivery is scheduled to begin from June, 2007. Three aircraft will be delivered that year, Boeing said. The remaining aircraft will be delivered the next year.
UPS has also zoomed in on General Electric CF6-80C2-B1F engines to power the aircraft. "The 747-400 Freighter, with its unique capabilities, will enable outstanding efficiency and economy as UPS takes advantage of continuing high international cargo traffic growth,” said Ray Conner, vice president, Sales – Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Vice president of Airline and International Operations, UPS, Bob Lekites said, “the purchase of these Boeing 747-400 freighters is a part of UPS's ongoing effort to accommodate strong international volume growth and will allow UPS to continue to increase capacity on our most important international routes.”
Boeing has said in it last World Air Cargo Forecast, released in September 2004, that international air cargo will grow to touch an average 6.2 per cent in the next two decades.
The forecast also said the Asia related routes will even exceed that average. The Boeing forecast sees intra-Asian markets expanding by 8.5 %. North America-Asia air cargo will increase 7.2 per cent and Europe-Asia will
average 6.7% growth, as per the Boeing forecast.
Boeing’s 747-400F can carry 120 tons of cargo. This is 25 tons more than the 747-200 Freighters, which
UPS has in its fleet no, can carry. The 747-400F has a payload capacity of 113 tonnes and consumes 15% less
fuel than 747-200 Freighters. UPS also has a fleet of 20 MD-11 freighters, which fly mostly in is international trunk routes. Before this deal, UPS had ordered 107 Boeing 75 757-200 package freighters and 32 767-300 freighters.
UPS also has Boeing’s 727-100, 747-100 and -200 and DC-8-71 and -73 Freighter models in its fleet, the release said.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
|
