THE air cargo industry had a momentous 2023 as it continued to find a balance after putting the weight of Covid-19 lockdowns aft.
While Asia continued to be a positive area for growth, much of the industry faced setbacks, which begs the question: what can we expect for air cargo in 2024?
The year 2024 is likely to witness interesting changes for the industry as, four years after the onset of the pandemic, long-term plans and programmes put in place in the early days of - and even before - record-breaking demand for air cargo are finally coming to fruition, reports Montreal's Simple Flying.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) expects to earn supplemental type certification (STC) for its 777-300ERSF conversion programme in early 2024. The STC follows years of development that culminated in the first flight of the highly anticipated aircraft type in 2023.
IAI has a long history of successful freighter conversion programmmes, including the 747-400BDSF, 767-200/300BDSF, and 737-800BDSF.
The 777 programme has already racked up more than 50 orders, and the second completed aircraft recently attended the Dubai Airshow. When IAI earns its F and EASA certification, the 777-300ERSF is sure to log more entries in its order book.
IAI's STC won't be the only 777 conversion programme to generate headlines for cargo. IAI is joined by Kansas Modification Centre and Mammoth Freighters in their efforts to develop a 777 converted freighter. Mammoth Freighters also expects to reach its first flight before 2024 is over.
When IAI earns its 777-300ERSF STC, it can focus on its next big freighter project, the A330-300BDSF. In partnership with lessor Avolon, IAI will convert 30 A330-300s with deliveries beginning in 2025. In order to meet that deadline, IAI will have to make serious progress on its first Airbus conversion programme in 2024.
Avolon's first A330-300 for IAI conversion is the nine-year-old N302PF, which has been undergoing pre-conversion testing in Tel Aviv since January 2023. Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) is currently the only aerospace company with an STC for an A330 conversion.
Beyond the world of widebodies, another aircraft conversion company will enter the ring with a new A320 freighter in 2024. Developed by San Diego-based C Cubed Aerospace, the A320CCF should have its first flight sometime soon and will be the second A320 freighter type after EFW earned an STC for the A320P2F in 2023.
The new STC will come at a time when there is a shortage of Airbus narrowbody freighters, with the market largely dominated by the 737-800F. C Cubed also plans to develop an A321 freighter conversion.
The last major update for 2024 will be in the drone industry. While last-mile drone deliveries have largely been delayed due to regulatory challenges involving airspace integration in the United States, a select few companies with beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations are sure to prove themselves in 2024. In September 2023, UPS was granted a waiver to conduct BVLOS operations using the Matternet M2 drone.
While only a very small number of people in the United States will receive these kinds of packages next year, the expanded authority to conduct BVLOS last-mile deliveries will allow UPS to begin utilizing drones and scaling its delivery practices before widespread market adaptation.
UPS' and Matternet's success will be joined by the launch of a new drone type from Amazon: the MK30 drone. This is expected to be deployed in operations in Italy, the UK, and a third location in the United States that will be announced later in 2024, according to a statement from Amazon.
Meanwhile, the development of middle-mile drone services will expand upon their success from last year. Fresh off the successful first flight of its Black Swan drone, cargo drone airline and developer Dronamics won big at the recent Dubai Airshow, where it announced partnerships with Qatar Airways Cargo, Aramex, and the UAE's Strategic Development Fund.
The drone airline expects to begin commercial operations in 2024, starting in Greece and expanding in the Mediterranean.
Ultimately what is left to be seen is what will happen with cargo demand. As the industry has struggled and stagnated in the last year, only time will tell what airlines will do to maintain profitability in 2024 and how the industry will plan for years after.
SeaNews Turkey
While Asia continued to be a positive area for growth, much of the industry faced setbacks, which begs the question: what can we expect for air cargo in 2024?
The year 2024 is likely to witness interesting changes for the industry as, four years after the onset of the pandemic, long-term plans and programmes put in place in the early days of - and even before - record-breaking demand for air cargo are finally coming to fruition, reports Montreal's Simple Flying.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) expects to earn supplemental type certification (STC) for its 777-300ERSF conversion programme in early 2024. The STC follows years of development that culminated in the first flight of the highly anticipated aircraft type in 2023.
IAI has a long history of successful freighter conversion programmmes, including the 747-400BDSF, 767-200/300BDSF, and 737-800BDSF.
The 777 programme has already racked up more than 50 orders, and the second completed aircraft recently attended the Dubai Airshow. When IAI earns its F and EASA certification, the 777-300ERSF is sure to log more entries in its order book.
IAI's STC won't be the only 777 conversion programme to generate headlines for cargo. IAI is joined by Kansas Modification Centre and Mammoth Freighters in their efforts to develop a 777 converted freighter. Mammoth Freighters also expects to reach its first flight before 2024 is over.
When IAI earns its 777-300ERSF STC, it can focus on its next big freighter project, the A330-300BDSF. In partnership with lessor Avolon, IAI will convert 30 A330-300s with deliveries beginning in 2025. In order to meet that deadline, IAI will have to make serious progress on its first Airbus conversion programme in 2024.
Avolon's first A330-300 for IAI conversion is the nine-year-old N302PF, which has been undergoing pre-conversion testing in Tel Aviv since January 2023. Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) is currently the only aerospace company with an STC for an A330 conversion.
Beyond the world of widebodies, another aircraft conversion company will enter the ring with a new A320 freighter in 2024. Developed by San Diego-based C Cubed Aerospace, the A320CCF should have its first flight sometime soon and will be the second A320 freighter type after EFW earned an STC for the A320P2F in 2023.
The new STC will come at a time when there is a shortage of Airbus narrowbody freighters, with the market largely dominated by the 737-800F. C Cubed also plans to develop an A321 freighter conversion.
The last major update for 2024 will be in the drone industry. While last-mile drone deliveries have largely been delayed due to regulatory challenges involving airspace integration in the United States, a select few companies with beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations are sure to prove themselves in 2024. In September 2023, UPS was granted a waiver to conduct BVLOS operations using the Matternet M2 drone.
While only a very small number of people in the United States will receive these kinds of packages next year, the expanded authority to conduct BVLOS last-mile deliveries will allow UPS to begin utilizing drones and scaling its delivery practices before widespread market adaptation.
UPS' and Matternet's success will be joined by the launch of a new drone type from Amazon: the MK30 drone. This is expected to be deployed in operations in Italy, the UK, and a third location in the United States that will be announced later in 2024, according to a statement from Amazon.
Meanwhile, the development of middle-mile drone services will expand upon their success from last year. Fresh off the successful first flight of its Black Swan drone, cargo drone airline and developer Dronamics won big at the recent Dubai Airshow, where it announced partnerships with Qatar Airways Cargo, Aramex, and the UAE's Strategic Development Fund.
The drone airline expects to begin commercial operations in 2024, starting in Greece and expanding in the Mediterranean.
Ultimately what is left to be seen is what will happen with cargo demand. As the industry has struggled and stagnated in the last year, only time will tell what airlines will do to maintain profitability in 2024 and how the industry will plan for years after.
SeaNews Turkey