Airbus Updates No.3822

 

India's Pradhaan Air Express begins A320P2F flight ops

Pradhaan Air Express A320P2F© Elbe Flugzeugwerke

10.10.2022 - 07:41 UTC

Pradhaan Air Express (6P, Delhi Int'l) has operated its first commercial cargo flight using its own aircraft - which also happens to be the world's first A320 cargo conversion. The A320-200(P2F) completed its first service for carrier on October 1, 2022, flying Delhi Int'l - Mumbai Int'l - Delhi. Flights from Delhi to Hanoi, Viet Nam began on October 9.

The startup operation only received VT-PNS (msn 02737) in July after it was ferried from the Elbe Flugzeugwerke conversion facility at Singapore Seletar. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, the aircraft went to Pradhaan on an operating lease from ST Engineering.

"It was a significant milestone in the journey of the youngest cargo airline in India as well as for the world's first A320-P2F," says the cargo carrier's social media accounts. The 16.56-year-old jet first flew for LATAM Airlines Brasil (JJ, Sao Paulo Congonhas) and more recently for IndiGo Airlines, ending service there in February 2021.

A joint venture with Kenya's Astral Aviation (8V, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta), Pradhaan Air Express is among a spate of India-based cargo startups getting off the ground recently. Afcom (Chennai) received its first aircraft in September, a B737-800(BCF) while IndiGo Airlines cargo subsidiary IndiGo CarGo took its first A321-200(P2F) earlier this month. Aside from these two carriers as well as SpiceJet (SG, Delhi Int'l) and Pradhaan, the only dedicated cargo airline in India is Chennai-based Blue Dart Aviation.

Speaking after receiving the airline's No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from India's Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) in July, Pradhaan Air Express founder Nipun Anand told local media that the carrier would offer charter facilities to Indian shippers and freight forwarders on domestic and international routes.

"We aim to make our small contribution to the big dreams of the Indian cargo industry," he said. Anand is also the founder of the airline general sales agency Zeal Global Corporation.

Airbus Updates No.3769

 

Astral Aviation to add A320P2Fs, eyes widebodies

EFW A320 Freighter© EFW

15.02.2022 - 06:03 UTC

Astral Aviation (8V, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) will become the A320-200(P2F)'s global launch operator after it announced it would lease two aircraft of the type from ST Engineering through Vaayu Group.

The first of the pair, msn 2737, is currently completing its P2F conversion process at Singapore Seletar ahead of its delivery to Kenya in May 2022. Though it has yet to enter the conversion line, the second aircraft, msn 2724, will tentatively arrive in January 2023, Astral's chief executive, Sanjeev Gadhia, told ch-aviation.

Together, the two A320 freighters will supplement Astral's existing fleet of two B727-200(F)s, one B767-200(SF), one DC-9-30(CF), one Fokker 27(F), alongside two B747-400(F)s wet-leased from Air Atlanta Icelandic (CC, Reykjavik Keflavik). The carrier is also due three B757-200(PCF)s from US-based Aquila Air Capital.

The A320P2F can handle 10 ULD containers + one pallet position on the main deck, and seven ULD containers on the lower deck. It can haul a payload of 17 tonnes up to 4,700 kilometres and 21 tonnes over 3,300 kilometres making it ideal for established general freight and express markets. As such, the A320/321P2F’s fly-by-wire cockpit commonality with the A330 widebody family of passenger and freighter aircraft has lead Astral to consider other Airbus offerings.

"We are truly honored to be the launch operator for the A320P2F which is also the first Airbus in Astral's fleet of 14 freighter aircraft. The Airbus range of freighter aircraft are impressive and will add immense value to Astral's fleet and network expansion, which will result in Astral considering future freighter aircraft acquisitions of the A320, A321-200(P2F), A330-300(P2F), and A350F," Gadhia added

Airbus Updates No.3767

 

ST Engineering Wins First Lease Deal for A320P2F Freighters

by David Donald

 - February 14, 2022, 1:56 AM

The world’s first A320P2F gets towed at Seletar after completion of the conversion by ST Engineering. (Photo: Elbe Flugzeugwerke)

ST Engineering’s commercial aviation business has secured a lease deal with the Vaayu Group for five Airbus A320 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversions, the company said on February 14. Two of the aircraft have already have found a home with an operator, Astral Aviation based in Nairobi, Kenya, which will become the first carrier to operate the narrowbody freighter conversion.

ST Engineering performs the conversions at Seletar, from where the initial aircraft undertook its maiden flight on December 8. The first of the aircraft is due to begin operations in the second quarter of this year. The cargo modification is initially being approved under an EASA supplemental type certificate.

“We are excited to welcome Vaayu as our first A320P2F lessee customer, and for Astral Aviation to be the first airline in the world to operate such a platform,” said Yip Heng Meng, ST Engineering’s executive v-p and head of aviation asset management. “As an aviation asset solution provider that is backed by other integrated life-cycle capabilities including freighter conversion and MRO, we are able to provide comprehensive solutions not offered by other service providers, and help operators gain a competitive edge.”

ST Engineering has partnered with Airbus for the narrowbody P2F program through the joint venture Elbe Flugzeugwerke. The JV also offers P2F conversions of the longer A321. The first aircraft in its size class to provide easy-to-operate containerized loading for both upper and lower deck space, the A320P2F also offers best-in-class fuel-burn figures. The A320P2F can accommodate 10 ULD containers on the main deck with a single pallet position, with a further seven ULDs on the lower deck. Payload totals more than 21 tonnes, which can be transported over 1,800 nm, while a 17-tonne payload can fly to a distance of 2,560 nm.

Key features of the P2F conversion include a main-deck port-side hydraulically-actuated cargo door measuring 142 by 85 inches that can lock electronically. The Class E cargo compartment meets industry requirements fully, with features such as a 9-g rigid cargo barrier, lightweight cargo lining, manually-operated loading system, and reinforced floor panels and floor grid to cater for the higher running loads.