U.S.-based National Airlines announced the addition of a Boeing 747-400 ERF (Extended Range Freighter) to its fleet.
The N663CA-registered aircraft, serial number 35237, formerly owned by Russian AirBridgeCargo and stored in Sharjah after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has a nose door and a large side door, allowing it to move sophisticated and bulky cargo for long-haul flights.
It has a maximum gross payload of about 128 metric tons (about 282,000 pounds). The nose door cargo capacity, a unique feature of this type of aircraft, gives National the ability to move customer shipments of greater lengths, which is not possible with the B777 freighter.
The company stated that the addition will help meet the massive demand for e-commerce and production lines. The aircraft is also particularly suited for pharmaceuticals, seafood, perishables and other cold chain shipments.
«The introduction of the B747-400 ERF aircraft is part of our broader vision to modernize our fleet and enhance our service offerings for our customers. Our primary focus is not only on rapid fleet expansion, but also on offering newer and more innovative air cargo solutions for the global post-COVID market to meet the growing demands for specialized cargo,» commented Christopher Alf, president of National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc.
The airline stated that it will continue to add more freighter aircraft to its fleet in the coming months. It currently has six additional Boeing 747-400s (BCFs) for cargo operations; it also has a Boeing 757-200 and an Airbus A330-200 for charter and ACMI operations.
