Boeing and the increasing number of MAX incidents send their regards. If there are technical problems with an aircraft or even minimal safety-relevant issues are spotted, some media switch to alarmism. After all, this increases the number of clicks, and their brand ends up at the top of Google or other search machines. This is also the case here.

Here is what happened: A tiny crack was discovered on the aft section of one of the freighters in Lufthansa Cargo’s A321P2F four-unit sub-fleet. This occurred during one of the obligatory technical checks, i.e. during a routine inspection.
As a result, the three remaining freighters of this Airbus type which belong to Lufthansa Cargo’s regional fleet, but are operated by the Group’s subsidiary, City Line, were also immediately inspected. The outcome: a similar problem was discovered on a second freighter. Consequently, the aircraft was promptly taken out of service to rule out any risks and enable the damage to be rectified.

Only minor effects on the regional network
So far, so normal. It is currently unclear how long the repairs will take. According to Nicole Mies, Lufthansa Cargo’s Head of Communications, her company expects the first aircraft (D-AEUC) to be repaired within the planned layover time. She did not deliver any time estimate as to how long the fixing and overhauling process of the second aircraft might take.
Both freighters are now being repaired with only a very limited number of flights needing to be cancelled, leaving little impact on Lufthansa Cargo’s regional European network. This is currently even less of an issue since freight volumes are always relatively low at the start of a new year. 
Ms. Mies went on to say that the cracks had resulted from a weight shift affecting the aircraft, since a heavy new cargo door had been installed in the rear section of the fuselage to enable the fast loading and unloading of shipments.
Asked who will foot the bill for the repairs – whether this will be the lessor, Lufthansa Cargo, the converter, or an insurance company – she remained tight-lipped, stating that “Lufthansa Cargo does not provide any information on financial matters.”

One aircraft, many lives
The above-mentioned D-AEUC freighter has had an eventful history. It initially belonged to the Air Berlin fleet and was subsequently passed on to the Austrian subsidiary, Niki, when Air Berlin bit the dust. After that, it was bought by Lufthansa and operated by Lufthansa subsidiary, Eurowings. Finally, it was sold to San Francisco-based lessor, Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM), which had it converted into a freighter in Singapore by the local conversion company ST Aerospace and Airbus. Since spring 2022, Lufthansa Cargo has been operating the leased aircraft on scheduled services within its regional network, which also includes North Africa. This also applies to the three other leased A321-P2F freighters.
To conclude: compared to the massive Boeing 737 MAX problems mentioned before, these two routinely discovered cracks should not be a real cause for any alarmism.

AeroLogic: FRA flights have been upped
Asked about the role of freight carrier AeroLogic, a DHL Express/Lufthansa Cargo JV (50/50%), Ms. Mies said that the former work-sharing model had been abolished. Originally, the Deutsche Post subsidiary used AeroLogic’s B777-F exclusively on weekdays for services originating and ending in Leipzig, its largest global hub. On weekends or public holidays, however, Lufthansa Cargo utilized the capacity of the AeroLogic B777F fleet for its own purposes, with flights beginning and ending at its home base, Rhine-Main Airport.
This logical but somehow relatively rigid operational model was already skipped back in 2019, Ms. Mies confirmed, resulting in a shift of some of the freight carrier’s B777F flights from Leipzig to Frankfurt. Yet, this operational adjustment has never been officially communicated to date.

Within the next two years, Frankfurt-based leisure carrier Condor intends to take their entire fleet of Boeing 757 out of service. Currently, nine out of eleven of this aging Boeing variant are still operated by the airline. The last B57 will be retired in 2025.

On closer examination, Condor’s fleet decision is another blow for Boeing. Instead of ordering new models from the U.S. frame maker, such as the B737 MAX for medium-haul operations, the carrier placed orders for Airbus variants. These include 28 A321neo and 13 A320neo aircraft. They will replace aging models of the A320 and A321. Some of the 41 new Airbus aircraft ordered by Condor will be leased from the  Los Angeles-based lessor Air Lease Corporation (ALC).

A330 replaces B767
In addition to the B757, Condor is also gradually phasing out its long-haul B767 fleet, even before retiring the smaller Boeing sister 757. The fleet renewal will be completed by spring this year. Here too, Airbus is ahead of the game. This is because the B767s will be replaced by 21 A330neo.

The A330s order was placed by Condor already in summer 2021, with the long-haul aircraft to be delivered successively from end of 2022 onwards.

The A330 decision in particular is music to the ears of Condor Head of Air Freight, Thilo Schäfer and his team. This is because the A330-900 is a very cargo-friendly aircraft. Besides the given 6 standard pallet positions in its forward cargo compartment additional pallet and/or container positions are available depending on passenger luggage. Thanks to this capacity, it almost resembles a small freighter. But in comparison, the Boeing B787 “Dreamliner” offers similar space for transporting cargo in its lower deck compartments.

Commonality is Airbus’ USP
This said, the decisive criteria for Condor’s management when placing the order were that the A330neo offers a lot of flexibility thanks to its commonality with other Airbus variants. This reduces maintenance costs and allows easier provision of spare parts – one of Airbus’ key selling points.

“We are particularly delighted that our new offering to business destinations such as New York, Los Angeles or Toronto is highly appreciated by our cargo customers,” says cargo manager Thilo Schäfer. “Especially on these routes cargo demand is rather strong and non-stop operations put Condor in a much stronger competitive position. In addition, Condor’s new long-haul fleet provides for an extension of services, starting with but not limited to temperature sensitive perishables, e.g. from South Africa.”

Record orders
Over to Airbus again. The European frame maker delivered a total of 735 aircraft to 87 customers in 2023. That is 203 more than arch-rival Boeing, which reported 528 deliveries. This continues a streak, as Airbus has now produced more aircraft than its U.S. competitor Boeing for five years in a row.

Airbus is also ahead in terms of orders. Airlines placed firm orders for a total of 2094 jetliners in 2023, while Boeing received orders for 1314 aircraft. A difference of 780 sales.

And potential new Boeing customers might be driven away after an Alaska Airlines flight was forced to conduct an emergency landing in early January caused by a cabin panel blowout on a brand-new B737 MAX 9 aircraft. Following this incident, the U.S. regulator FAA grounded a number of MAX 9 for safety checks. Positive news sound differently.

Aviation and climate protection – until now, this has been a contradictio in adjecto. According to statistics from IATA, ICAO and scientific institutes, aircraft currently account for around 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, an interesting initiative by freight carrier, Cargolux shows that airplanes can also help in preventing the release of climate-damaging fossil gases – by helping to put out fires.

Last Friday (12JAN24), the Luxembourg-based airline announced the launch of a new business unit: Aquarius Aerial Firefighting (Aquarius AFF). The carrier’s aim is to help control forest and bush fires. These are increasing every year in Europe, North America, Australia, and in the Far East, and are mostly caused by the effects of global warming. Cargolux’s project is based on the assumption that greenhouse gas emissions can be limited or hampered when wildfires are extinguished right after they have been spotted.    

The “Fire Bosses” are coming
According to Cargolux, the amphibious aircraft, AT-802F “Fire Boss”, is an ideal firefighter from the air. Manufactured by Air Tractor, Inc from Olney, Texas, the plane has proven to be very efficient in many operations against wildfires. Equipped with amphibious floats, the AT-802F can land on and scoop water from nearby lakes, rivers or reservoirs. Provided a close water source is available, the plane can deliver up to 14,000 gallons per hour (53,000 liters), for extended attack or ground support. According to Air Tractor’s website, all it requires is a basic runway or water-side ramp, and fuel. The aircraft is propelled by a 1600 horsepower strong Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F turboprop engine, enabling the AT-802F to haul its payload and maneuver in mountainous and/or challenging operational environments.

Alleviating capacity shortfalls
Cargolux has ordered 12 Air Tractor AT-802F, which will be acquired over a period of three years. The first three Air Tankers have already been delivered and are expected to be ready for deployment by May 2024. Through its entrance into service, Aquarius AFF will alleviate some of the capacity shortfall for aerial firefighting in Europe and further afield, which has been a severe problem in recent years.

Deployment in different hemispheres
The carrier emphasizes that its new business unit, Aquarius AFF, will enable the company to drive a solution-oriented project forward by tackling wildfires; a root cause of growing greenhouse gas emissions. “Aquarius Aerial Firefighting is an exciting new chapter in the company’s history. Over the past years, we have witnessed wildfires becoming a growing global issue that requires a rapid response. Not only do such fires emit significant amounts of CO_2, but they also pose a significant danger to lives and livelihoods. As a responsible corporate citizen, I see it as our obligation to help tackle this problem. I look forward to Aquarius Aerial Firefighting becoming an integral part of the solution,” says Richard Forson, President & CEO of Cargolux.

The executive told local media that the amphibious aircraft will be based in the southern hemisphere during the summer season – for instance in Australia – and transferred to Europe to extinguish wildfires as soon as summer begins there.