Boeing Logs Order for Four Additional 777 Freighters From Avion Grouptitle
SEATTLE, Dec. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA)
and Avion Group, based in Iceland, have signed a contract for the purchase of
four 777 Freighters. The airplanes are in addition to an order for four 777
Freighters that Avion Group placed with Boeing last September. The four new
orders were previously posted as unidentified on Boeings Orders & Deliveries
website.
The new cargo planes will be operated by Avion Groups subsidiary,
wet-lease operator Air Atlanta Icelandic.
"Our customers are very enthusiastic about the 777 Freighter," said
Hafthor Hafsteinsson, CEO of Air Atlanta Icelandic. "It became clear after
our initial order that demand for the 777 Freighter would exceed our
expectations. This freighters size and economics make it an excellent choice
for our comprehensive fleet renewal program. The 777 Freighter is a great
complement to the 747 Freighters that we currently operate and will continue
to operate on behalf of our customers."
Air Atlanta Icelandic is the worlds largest ACMI (aircraft, crew,
maintenance and insurance) service provider, offering tailor-made solutions to
other carriers, both in the passenger and cargo industry.
Avion Groups eight 777 Freighters will provide additional capacity for a
number of the worlds top carriers. The first 777 Freighter for Air Atlanta
Icelandic is scheduled for delivery in February 2009.
The 777 Freighter, based on the technologically advanced 777-200LR (Longer
Range) passenger airplane, will be capable of flying 4,965 nautical miles
(9,195 kilometers) with a full payload and market-preferred cargo load
density. The 777 Freighter will fly farther than any other freighter and
provides more capacity than any other twin-engine freighter. With a maximum
takeoff weight of 766,000 pounds (347,450 kilograms), the 777 Freighter will
have a revenue payload capability of 229,000 pounds (103 metric tons).
The 777 Freighter will deliver value to the worlds cargo operators,
featuring the lowest trip cost of any large freighter and excellent
tonne-kilometer economics. The 777 family has proven itself to be the leader
in delivering twin-engine efficiency to the marketplace with lower fuel
consumption, maintenance costs and operating costs. In addition, the 777
Freighter will be designed to integrate smoothly with existing cargo
operations and facilitate interlining with 747 freighter fleets, which
comprise about half of the worlds freighter capacity.
The 777 Freighter will be powered exclusively by the worlds most powerful
commercial jet engine, General Electrics GE90-110B1, and will meet QC2 noise
standards for maximum accessibility to noise-sensitive airports.
Boeing freighters of all models comprise more than 90 percent of the total
worldwide freighter lift. Boeing forecasts that large widebody freighters (65
metric tons and above in capacity) will comprise 31 percent of the market by
2023.
Since the programs launch in May 2005, four operators have joined the 777
Freighter launch team -- Air France, the Avion Group, Emirates and Air Canada.
The first delivery of the 777 Freighter is scheduled for the fourth quarter of
2008 to Air France.
About Avion Group:
Avion Group is a global transportation solutions group founded on Jan. 1,
2005. The company is organized into three business divisions -- Aviation
Services, Charter & Leisure and Shipping & Logistics. Aviation Services
consists of ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) provider Air Atlanta
Icelandic, maintenance provider Avia Technical Services and airport handling
provider Southair. Charter & Leisure is represented by leisure service travel
provider Excel Airways Group and TravelCity Direct. The Shipping and
Logistics division is represented by Eimskip, the prime maritime
transportation company in Iceland, with its fleet of 30 ships. In addition to
the 30 vessels, there are currently 60 Boeing and Airbus aircraft in the
fleet. Avion Group employs close to 4,500 people at 85 operational bases
worldwide.
