Summary
- China Airlines has enlisted Aircraft Management Services to sell five of its 747-400Fs, which were manufactured between 2001 and 2003.
- The airline has already retired a few of its 747-400Fs and transitioned to the 777F, with plans to accumulate more of the latter before 2024.
- The sale of the 747-400Fs presents a chance for potential buyers as these aircraft have a singular nose-loading capability that streamlines cargo operations.
China Airlines has begun to dump its fleet of 747-400Fs, contracting London-based Aircraft Management Services (AMS) to sell five of the enduring quadjets. In a press release, AMS said that the five 747-400Fs on the market were all manufactured between 2001 and 2003 and can be found for delivery anytime between April and October 2024.
The airline currently has fourteen 747-400Fs in its inventory in Taipei (TPE), all equipped with GE CF6 engines, with ages starting from 2001-2007. Of those, the one aircraft matching the outline of AMS’ listing are registrations B-18708, B-18710, B-18711, B-18712, B-18715, and B18716.
As of mid-November, in the midst of what would normally be peak season for air cargo traffic, eight of China Airlines’ 747-400Fs remained parked. Three of the eight parked 747-400Fs (B-18712, B-18719, and B-18725) have been inactive since last 12 months, with others coming off the flight line inside the last 4 months, in keeping with publicly available flight data.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace – Easy Flying
In line with a 2023 Q2 financial report, China Airlines had elected to sell the five freighters in May. Previous financial statements from 2022 indicated that the airline’s board of directors had reduced the estimated useful lifetime of the aircraft from 25 to 24 years, citing an increasing depreciation on the worth of its aircraft.
China Airlines’ long goodbye to the Queen
China Airlines first began acquiring 747-400Fs in 1999, joining an existing fleet of 747-200Fs that the airline operated alongside 747-400s in passenger configuration. Nevertheless, by the latter a part of the 2010s, the airline was well underway to retiring its fleet. In 2019, China Airlines began removing 747-400Fs from its fleet, with the aircraft taken up by other cargo airlines, including ASL Airlines and National Airlines. China Airlines ultimately retired the 747 400 from passenger service in 2021. In 2021 and 2022, China Airlines would further lease two of the oldest aircraft within the freighter fleet to Air Atlanta Icelandic.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace – Easy Flying
The 747-400F sales don’t come as much of a surprise, and the fleet hasn’t dwindled without alternative. China Airlines began transitioning its cargo operations to the 777F, acquiring seven of the sort since 2020. China Airlines currently expects to take delivery of three more 777Fs before the top of 2024. Taiwan’s other cargo airline, EVA Air, can be waiting on a delivery of the sort to grow its 777F fleet to nine aircraft.
A future throne for five 747-400Fs China Airlines is selling is yet to be determined; nonetheless, the aircraft type could possibly be a lucrative pickup for a lucky customer. The 747-400 was value anywhere between $5.6 and $6.7 million dollars in 2021. Nevertheless, China Airlines 747-400Fs are usually not just any 747-400s.
The 747-400F has a maximum takeoff weight of 875,000 lbs, with a maximum revenue payload of as much as 249,100 lbs, in keeping with 747-400F operator Atlas Air. Unlike other 747-400 converted freighters, China Airline’s 747s feature the all-important nose-loading capability to streamline operations.
Cargo airlines, including China-based Air Central, US-based National Airlines, and Bulgaria-based Compas Airlines, are among the many list of airlines which have acquired 747-400Fs secondhand in 2023. UK-Based One Air launched its cargo operations with a used 747-400 converted freighter earlier this 12 months. In line with data on ch-aviation, twenty-two 747-400 converted freighters remain in lively use by nine airlines, with an extra two 747 classic freighters remaining in operation.
For other operators, the retirement of the 747-400F and the eventual farewell of the 747-8F have created a vacuum that each Airbus and Boeing hope to fill with several 747-400 operators placing orders for either the A350F and 777-8F respectively.
For now, all parties fascinated by purchasing any of the five China Airlines 747-400Fs are instructed to contact AMS.
What do you’re thinking that of the 747-400F retirement? Who do you’re thinking that will buy the second-hand freighters? Tell us within the comments below!