Flight Pro (aka Flight Global) has reported FedEx ordered 27 Boeing 767-300Fs for delivery from 2014 through 2018 but at the same time deferred 11 777Fs within the 2013-2018 period as cargo demand softens.
The 767s will replace MD-10s, which are more than 40 years old.
Airbus had pitched the A330-200F but it was considered “too much airplane” for FDX. FDX also evaluated the potential 767-400F, but a FDX official told us at ISTAT Barcelona Boeing did not want to proceed with this new variant and risk impacting the USAF KC-46A tanker development. The KC-46A is a derivative of the 767-200, called the 767-2C.
Boeing has to keep the ailing 767 line open until full scale tanker production starts. So pricing probably was in line with that. Then the 767 is significant lighter then the A330 and wingspan is also significantly smaller. For domestic flights probably an advantage. Not introducing new engines from RR or GE seems odd though. Also for the tanker. The savings / business case for >15% fuel reduction / night flying noise restrictions over the next 30-40 yrs must be amazing..
We asked Boeing many times about technical upgrades to the commercial 767 and the answer kept coming back “no,” they were going to focus on tanker R&D and not get distracted by R&D or costs for commercial model.
What engine will the tanker get ?
PW4000 with enhancements.
Will the deferred 777 order remain in place with scheduled deliveries in the future or does the deferrment indicate the possibility that this order could be renogiated depending on the needs at that time.
Order remains in place for now.
Fed Ex is such a special client of Boeing that I suppose there are always ongoing negotiations and flexibility in reconstructing the needs of the Company. The order will thus remain on Boeing’s order book.
UPS ordered 27, must be the magic number. Winglets for FedEx?
Great news for Boeing and the B-767 line.
Logical move, the A330-200 is indeed too much for domestic flying in the US.
I agree, Schorsch. The A-332F is to much airplane, the B-763ERF is just about the right size. The A-332F isn’t big enough for FedEx’s international cargo flights, but they have the MD-11F and B-772LRF for that.
It is the PW-4062 version, with 63,300 lbs of thrust.
Looks like Airbus will be getting no joy out of the freighter business.
Here is Fedex’s current wide-body fleet as listed in planespotters.net
[excluding 777F’s and MD-11F’s; the MD-11’s will probably be replaced by 777F’s]
.
Airbus A300-600 68
Airbus A300B4 3
Airbus A310-200 29
Airbus A310-300 16
McDonnell-Douglas MD-10 73
[Total] 189
They mostly date from the 1970’s and 1980’s, so their replacements could be many more 767F’s, either new aircraft or passenger airplane conversions.
I think this order in no way excludes Airbus from getting a significant A330F order at a later stage. At this moment the 767s were obviously the best choice for the market situation, slot availability, price, fleet composition, operational requirements.
In two years there will be a new market situation, slot availability, price, fleet composition, operational requirements. Maybe the A330F will look different too. (A333F NG?)
The Airinsight.com discussion about the “B767NEO” might have been something worth exploring had Boeing not messed up the B787 program.
I’m not advocating that it should be done but it would have been worth exploring and fun to discuss about.
Well, I believe the only engines that could reengine the B-767 right now would be the 67,000 lb thrust GEnx-2B (B-747-8I engine) and a derated bleed engine version of the RR Trent-1000 (B-787-800 engine), in the same thrust class. The Trent-900, or AE GP-7000 (A-380 engines) have more thrust than the B-767 needs.
keesje, don’t you think one reason why the A-332F isn’t selling so good is because it is bracketed on the low end by the B-767-300ERF, and on the high end by the B-777-200LRF? The A-332F also takes up the parking space of a B-747-400F/ERF-8F for less than half the cargo capacity.
KCTB all new designs (787, A350, 777NG, 777 rewinged, 747-8) have a bigger wing span. There’s a reason for that..
I think the GP7000 was designed for the 767-400ERX and offered for the A330 a long time ago.
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-has-informal-talks-over-use-of-gp7000-on-growth-a330-300-69061/
Correct, but the current models of the B-767 don’t need 70,000 lbs of thrust.
You forgot to answer my question about why the A-332F isn’t selling well.
BTW, do we really know the B-777NG/X/RE will have a longer wing than what is now on the B-77W/L/F (including the raked wingtips)?
KCTB
“You forgot to answer my question about why the A-332F isn’t selling well.”
Airbus pushed back deliveries because of strong A330 passenger demand. Besides the A300 conversions picked up and airlines are pushing for conversions.
With freighters like the 747-8F, A330F and 777F you are competing directly with cheap, converted freighters. Drives down prices. The market was weak during the last 3 yrs. Most freighters are conversions anyway. Hard to make a profit with a spanking new airframe.
http://www.aircargoworld.com/Air-Cargo-News/2011/08/airbus-a330s-head-for-conversion/291679
Since 2005 there have been 8 orders for new build commerical B-747-400F, 5-6 for the B-747-400ERF, 60 orders for the B-767-300ERF, more than 100 for the B-777-200LRF, and about 70 for the B-747-8F. The A-330-200F has gotten about 58 (net) orders since it has been launched. So it has been out sold by even the ‘old B-763F’, in the same time period.
No, I am not counting the KC-46 or the 28 orders for the A-330MRTT, as every one of those orders are for the pax version of the A-332, and then converted to tankers. Airbus ended production of the A-300-600F in 2007 due to lack of orders.
Orders for new Boeing freighters have come from UPS, FedEx, QR, EK, 5Y, NH, KE, 3V, SQ, 9S, and even your own AF.
The A-332F has had 7 gross orders for 2011, but after the cancelations of 12 from Flyington Freighters in Jan. 2011 (?) the net orders for 2011 for the A-330F is -5.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Airbus_A330_operators#Firm_orders_2011_presorted_by_chronology
It is true the majority of freighters are conversions. Boeing has a very successful P2F business, as does IAI. Airbus has converted versions of the A-300 and A-310 in the past, but the A-320 and A-330 P2F programs both currently appear to be still born.
Is EADS/Airbus even interested in the freight (new builds or conversions) business?
KCTboom Boeing sold 106 747-8 during the last 6 yrs
36x 8i’s and 70x 8F’s. Boeing very much hoped it to be the other way around, same for the 777-200LR and -200F.
The biggest competitors for the 77F and 747-8 not Airbusses, but are used 747-400’s converted in China or Israel. Many good 747-400 have become available in recent yrs, being pushed out by A380s and 777-300ERs. Some are even scrapped in the problematic cargo markets. That is the pricing environment for new cargo aircraft. Do you want to be there? A good question..