The Boeing 757 is enjoying good health in the air cargo market: despite its age, more and more operators are opting for aircraft of the type converted to freighters from their original passenger-carrying version.
According to a report by The Loadstar, a site specialising in the transport and logistics industry, analysts highlight the 757 value proposition and believe it remains a good long-term investment alternative.
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More carriers choose the converted Boeing 757
According to data from the IBA platform cited by The Loadstar, 23 conversions were completed in 2018, while a further 10 were carried out both in 2019 and 2020. Another 13 were completed in 2021 and a further 15 in 2022. So far, three conversions were carried out in 2023.
The figures reveal that the number of conversions remains stable. According to Jonathan McDonald, IBA Director of Classic Aircraft and Cargo, the market will demand at least eleven more this year.
The air cargo market boomed from 2020 onwards as a result of increased supply demand and continued to grow until reaching a peak in 2021. This led to an increase in conversions to meet demand.
Although activity slowed from 2022 onwards, the sector maintains good growth prospects for the near future, especially thanks to the rise of e-commerce.
Last March, aviation services company AAR Corp announced the purchase of nine Boeing 757 P2F (Passenger-to-Freighter) aircraft that previously operated for American Airlines, implying a likely increase in demand for the type’s operator support services.
Other carriers that recently opted for the converted Boeing 757 include YTO Cargo Airlines, SF Airlines and Cargojet. Neither FedEx, which opted to modernise its cargo fleet by introducing converted aircraft a few years ago, nor UPS, which has a fleet of factory freighters, have announced intentions to reduce the number of 757s in their fleets.
A brief history of the 757
January this year marked the 41st anniversary of the launch of the Boeing 757, nicknamed the «pencil plane» due to its distinctive elongated shape. It was designed to replace the 727 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-9, and was conceived as a more cost-effective and fuel-efficient option.
Its efficiency and range made it ideal for routes that were uneconomical using larger aircraft. It was also popular within airlines operating at smaller airports, as it could land and take off on shorter runways.
The real breakthrough came three years after its entry into service, when the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified its powerplant for ETOPS operations. It was then able to operate over the North Atlantic, where some of the world’s most profitable routes are located.
Production ended in 2004 and its use as a passenger aircraft declined in subsequent years as operators began to replace it with more efficient models. However, its present as a cargo aircraft is fruitful and its immediate future is promising. The Boeing 757 still has a long life ahead of it.
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