Volga-Dnepr Group and Ilyushin Finance Co. have signed a contract for the purchase of two TU-204C freighters. The mid-range aircraft will be assembled at the Aviastar-SP production plant and are being purchased under a 15-year fi nancial lease arrangement. They will be operated by AirBridge Cargo Airlines, the group’s scheduled cargo airline, for domestic services from its hubs in Moscow and Krasnoyarsk in the Russian Far East. The fi rst aircraft delivery is scheduled for the fourth … [Read more...] about RUSSIA: Volga-Dnepr acquire TU-204C freighters
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RUSSIA: Ruslan AN-124 modification certified
The Russian and Ukrainian Interstate Aviation Committee chose the International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget to present a Supplement to Aircraft Type certifi cate to confi rm that the new Ruslan AN-124-100M-150 freighter aircraft modifi cation is compliant with all international regulationsand aircraft safety requirements. “Today marks another signifi cant step in our project to launch production of a new, modifi ed version of the AN-124 cargo aircraft,” said Alexey Isaikin, … [Read more...] about RUSSIA: Ruslan AN-124 modification certified
MIDDLE EAST: Etihad to add to Far East network
Etihad Airways will start three timesa- week, non-stop service between Abu Dhabi and Singapore in September this year. The UAE national carrier will operate an Airbus A330-200 on the route which will offer a cargo capacity of 14 tonnes. Singapore will be Etihad’s fi fth online destination in the Far East to add to Bangkok, Manila, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, which was launched in January 2007. In addition, Etihad Crystal Cargo serves Zheng Zhou (China) with one of its Airbus A300-600 … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Etihad to add to Far East network
MIDDLE EAST: DFC to forge closer ties with Thailand
The Dubai Flower Centre (DFC) is planning to improve business links with Thailand, Gulf News reported. DFC’s closed-loop automated cool chain supply method uses refrigerated transfer pallets which keep perishables’ temperature constant from the centre to the aircraft - a process designed to maximize shelf-life of the plants. More than 1,000 species of orchids alone grow in Thailand. Air links between the two countries are good with Emirates operating two direct fl ights a day as well … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: DFC to forge closer ties with Thailand
MIDDLE EAST: Emirates launches three new cargo services
Emirates SkyCargo has launched niche capacity cargo operations to fulfi l market demand to the Indian Subcontinent and Africa. The new routes, serving the busy destinations of Colombo, Delhi, and Entebbe, will operate on SkyCargo’s A310-300F’s with a capacity of 36.5 tonnes. Freighter services to Delhi, introduced on May 24th, will operate on Thursdays. The Colombo service, launched on May 13th, will operate twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays. Finally, the new operations … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Emirates launches three new cargo services
MIDDLE EAST: Etihad Airways places $2.2bn Airbus order
Etihad Airways has placed a $2.2bn order with Airbus for 12 new wide-body aircraft including four A340-600s, fi ve A330 passenger aircraft and three A330 freighters. The new aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2008 and 2011 and will increase the UAE national airline’s fl eet to 46 aircraft. The Abu Dhabi-based airline continues to expand its network and has launched fl ights to Kuala Lumpur, Kochi (Cochin), Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and Sydney this year, with Dublin set … [Read more...] about MIDDLE EAST: Etihad Airways places $2.2bn Airbus order