Category: Commercial

Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) announced that its subsidiary Airborne Global Leasing has delivered a Boeing 767-300 converted freighter under a long-term lease agreement with Tbilisi-based CAMEX Airlines. The company expects to deliver a second Boeing 767-300 to CAMEX in 2025 under a separate lease agreement.

“Our partnership with ATSG, the leader in freighter aircraft leasing, significantly enhances our capabilities and reach,” said Ketevan Sabashvili, head of administration at CAMEX. “We are proud to offer expanded air freight solutions to our customers throughout the region with the addition of the Boeing 767-300 platform.”

Founded in 2022, CAMEX Airlines provides a variety of chartered air freight services from two main hubs, one in Slovenia and the other in Georgia. CAMEX Airlines’ fleet also includes three Boeing 737-800BCF freighters.

“ATSG is pleased to partner with CAMEX to expand air cargo options in the markets it serves,” said Todd France, chief commercial officer of ATSG. “The delivery of this freighter brings our total number of externally leased aircraft around the world to 90 and further demonstrates the attractiveness of our Lease+Plus package, through which we can supply our customers with access to multiple services that complement the lease.”

DHL Express today announced that it has begun construction on a 305,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art aviation maintenance facility and expanded aircraft apron at its Global Hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). The $292 million facility will enable more efficient repairs, reducing aircraft downtime and improving service reliability to support timely customer deliveries. The expansion of the aircraft apron will allow for the accommodation of more aircraft, increasing the capability to handle a larger volume of shipments.

The LEED-certified, carbon neutral aviation maintenance hangar will be built on an additional 50 acres that DHL is leasing and will be able to house two Boeing-777s side by side. With this expansion project, line maintenance activities will also be weatherproofed and will accommodate maintenance tasks for DHL’s fleet of 737s, 767s, and 777s.

“Over the last several years, we have been enhancing our network capabilities with newer and more fuel-efficient aircraft, and this new facility complements those efforts with additional space for more aircraft to be maintained at the same time.  This translates into faster turnaround times, making the fleet more efficient to handle a growing volume of shipments,” said Rob Hyslop, EVP Global Aviation, DHL Express.

The expansion also includes the addition of 300 employees to support the new maintenance facility as part of a recently developed joint venture between DHL Express and Kalitta Air, a long-time service partner for DHL and provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services to global customers. Kalitta Air and DHL will jointly oversee the critical aircraft maintenance activity at the new facility.

“I am thrilled to support DHL’s continued growth in our state,” Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky added. “This expansion not only brings new jobs to the region, but also strengthens Kentucky’s position as the premier logistics hub in the United States. Thank you to the leaders at DHL for their continued commitment to the commonwealth.”

Additional features of air / landside buildout

• 50-acre aircraft parking apron with 8 new aircraft gates and 3 new maintenance gates
• Hangar accommodates two Boeing 777s or four Boeing 767s, with additional space for aircraft components storage
• Other amenities include GSE staging, underground foam containment, loading dock and service entrance, backup generator, HAZMAT storage, large water tank, offices and employee parking

The new facility is expected to be fully operational by January 2026.

“Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and the new maintenance facility at our CVG Global Hub is a testament to that commitment,” said Andrew Williams, CEO, DHL Express Americas. “By enhancing our operational capabilities, we are not only reducing delays and ensuring faster service but also expanding our capacity to meet the growing needs of our customers with even greater efficiency and reliability.”

“DHL is a valued long-time partner, and we’re pleased they continue to invest at CVG,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, CVG. “DHL’s Global Superhub is an integral part of our regional and state economy. Its ongoing success requires having the facilities and workforce able to serve the global air cargo industry, and this development aligns with our vision to expand aircraft maintenance and support services on campus.” 

DHL’s CVG hub currently operates on 194 acres with 67 aircraft parking gates and 6.4 million
sq. ft. of ramp area. It sits at the heart of the DHL Express Americas network with 117 daily flights and a fleet of 64 aircraft, connecting customers from more than 220 countries and territories worldwide to every corner of the U.S. It is also one of three DHL global superhubs, with the other two based in Hong Kong and Germany.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has chosen Lufthansa Technik’s aircraft component support also for Airbus A350s to be added to its long-haul fleet beginning next year. A recently signed contract for a Total Component Support (TCS) covers all aircraft of the new type and complements the current TCS for SWISS’ Airbus A320ceo, A320neo, A330 and A340 fleets. This also includes the expansion of the existing home base parts stock in Zurich, Switzerland.

“Based on the reliable parts support for our current Airbus fleet, we are convinced that with Lufthansa Technik we have contracted the best possible partner for the fulfillment of our demanding component support demands,” said Claus Bauer, SWISS’s head of technical fleet management. “Hence, we are delighted to expand this trustful cooperation for the modernization of our long-haul fleet. Especially in the challenging global supply chain situation, Lufthansa Technik’s support will help us ensure operational excellence for our A350s in terms of component availability, and give us the opportunity to maintain our competitive edge over the longer term.”

“We are pleased to closely support SWISS in the modernization of their long-haul fleet. With the massive capacity of our 15 global component stocks and flexible transportation solutions, we will ensure that every required A350 component reaches our valued customer in the shortest possible time,” said Kai-Stefan Roepke, senior vice president corporate sales Europe, Middle East and Africa at Lufthansa Technik. “We have already begun our preparations and are looking forward to starting the support for SWISS’ newest aircraft type next year.”

SWISS and Lufthansa Technik have a long history of cooperation, not just in the field of MRO
(maintenance, repair and overhaul) services but also in aircraft modifications. For example, SWISS was one of the pioneers utilizing Lufthansa Technik’s drag-reducing AeroSHARK surface technology that makes commercial aircraft around one percent more fuel-efficient. Meanwhile, the airline’s entire Boeing 777 fleet of twelve aircraft has received the sharkskin-inspired modification developed in cooperation with BASF.

TP Aerospace has extended its partnership with Thai express cargo airline K-Mile Air with a new and updated long-term Wheels and Brakes Program.

The continued partnership will see TP Aerospace supply K-Mile Air with its all-inclusive and plug and play wheels and brakes cost-per-landing program, covering support of the airline’s current and future fleet of B737CL and B737NG aircraft. The program is a fully integrated partnership between K-Mile and TP Aerospace, which will see TP Aerospace further strengthening and intensifying its presence in Thailand and surrounding countries.

“K-Mile’s renewed partnership is a true testament to TP Aerospace’s continued commitment to supporting both established and new airlines in the region with its financial and operational beneficial full-service programs,” says TP Aerospace global program director, Philip Broskov Hansen.

In 2019, TP Aerospace opened an MRO facility in Thailand, from where the signed CFR program will mainly be serviced. The MRO facility is located only 10 minutes from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, where the airline is based.

“K-Mile is delighted to extend our partnership with TP Aerospace and continue to benefit from TP Aerospace’s comprehensive Wheels and Brakes Program. This continued collaboration ensures exceptional, reliable support for our current and expanding fleet and reinforces our commitment to providing operational efficiency and reliable services for our customers,” said Pansith Sasunee, managing director of K-Mile Air. “With TP Aerospace’s growing presence in Asia Pacific, it is with genuine joy that we renew our partnership with K-Mile Air. As our customers continue to grow bigger in their respective market, we grow alongside them with continued committed support,” says regional COO, APAC, Joe Tai, about the partnership.

K-Mile Air, operating as K-Mile Asia, is a specialist cargo operator serving the express freight industry from the airline’s base in Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok. The Thai airline was established in 2004 and began operations in 2006 providing both scheduled and charter cargo flights.

AAR Corp. announced the signing of a multi-year engine parts supply agreement to distribute Chromalloy’s Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) parts for the CF6-80C2 engine high pressure turbine (HPT) Stage 1 and Stage 2 turbine blades. Under the agreement, AAR will be the exclusive distributor of these two PMA blades to the global aftermarket with limited account coverage exclusions, due to Chromalloy’s pre-existing customer agreements.

“This agreement builds on the long relationship between AAR and Chromalloy for connecting innovative solutions to our global aftermarket customers. The combination of the Chromalloy engineering and manufacturing capability, with the AAR global aero-engine channel access ensures that our PMA solutions are accessible by operators and repair stations in every region,” said Chris Celtruda, Chromalloy’s chief executive officer.

“AAR is pleased to partner with Chromalloy and to expand our aftermarket solution offerings to include Chromalloy’s CF6-80C2 parts. AAR provides a complete range of solutions for engine repair facilities, ensuring access to the best value combination for our customers,” said Sal Marino, AAR’s senior vice president of parts supply.

The agreement has an initial term of three years, and AAR has made an initial provisioning order that ensures there is inventory in place to provide for the global distribution of Chromalloy’s CF6-80C2 HPT Stage 1 and Stage 2 turbine blades.