On Its Way

Launch of a freighter version of the 777 means Boeing will enter the Paris air show in two weeks having filled out the family, which has now accumulated 681 firm orders from 38 customers.

As expected, Air France-KLM's May 19 order for five 777 freighters (with three options) was enough to launch the freighter program. Air Canada previously said it will include two freighters in its order of 18 777-300ER/200LRs (AW&ST May 2, p. 36).

The freighter is based on the 777-200LR, which is now in flight testing. First delivery as a freighter will be to Air France in the fourth quarter 2008.

Boeing began offering the freighter last December as a complement to the larger 747-400/400ER freighters. The smaller aircraft will have the same size cargo door as the larger one; both can accommodate 10-ft.-high pallets on a direct roller-bearing transfer between them. The freighter is the sixth member of the 777 family.

Boeing Vice President and 777 Program Manager Lars Andersen said the company has adjusted the freighter's range and performance slightly since its introduction to reflect airline comments that payload was preferred over range. The aircraft will now carry 229,000 lb. of revenue payload (rather than 222,000 lb.) over a maximum range of 4,965 naut. mi. (rather than 5,200 naut. mi.).

Air France Cargo has been a big 747 freighter customer. It flies five 747-400ERFs and seven 747-200 freighters. The -200s need to be phased out by the end of 2008 to meet Europe's increasingly strict noise regulations, especially at Air France's home base at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.


Boeing is positioning the 777 freighter, launched last week by an Air France order, as a complement to the larger 747-400. The company says its aircraft account for 90% of the world's freighter capacity.Credit: BOEING CONCEPT

TO FURTHER EXPAND its cargo fleet, the carrier has also committed to converting three 747-400 combis into dedicated freighters under Boeing's Special Freighter program.

Air France is one of the largest 777 customers with 25 aircraft in operation and another 10 on order (counting the freighters). The 777 has become the core of its long-haul operations, according to Senior Vice President Pierre Vellay, who heads the airline's new aircraft and fleet planning programs.

Citing the 777's fuel efficiency, Executive Vice President Mark Boueler, head of Air France's cargo operations, said the airline expects to save 20,000 tons of fuel per year per aircraft for the same amount of tonne kilometers flown on its old 747 fleet.

The 777 freighters will be applied to Air France's operations in the U.S., South America and India. The 747-400ERF freighters will serve its Asian routes.