Page 48 - World Airnews February Magazine Edition 2021

NEWS DIGITAL

FEDEX TO RETIRE ITS REMAINING

MD-10S BY 2023

By Andrew Curran

FEDEX KEEN TO BUY NEW PLANES
Over the past couple of years, FedEx has been on an aircraft buying
Global freight business FedEx appears set to retire its spree. In 2018, FedEx placed an order for 12 767-300ER freighters
remaining Boeing MD-10s by 2023. FedEx currently flies a fleet of and 12 777 freighters from Boeing.
17 MD-10s. But buried in FedEx’s second-quarter report for the At the time, FedEx said it was a positive step in their fleet
2021 fiscal year is the news FedEx will be phasing the planes out upgrade programme as they pursued more efficient, lower
over the next couple of years. emission aircraft.
Over the years, the Boeing MD-10 was a staple of the FedEx fleet. The FedEx MD-10 Series 10 has a payload of 65,091 kg and a
In addition to the 17 still flying, FedEx has operated a further 77 range of 3,704 kilometres. FedEx’s MD-10 Series 30 has a payload
since 1980, many as original McDonnell Douglas DC-10s. of 81,720 kg and a range of 6,852 kilometres. In contrast, Boeing’s
In its second-quarter report issued November 30, 2020, FedEx 767-300ER freighter can carry around 58,000 kilogrammes of
revealed it would retire its five Boeing MD-10 Series 10 before the revenue cargo and has a range of 11,000 kilometres. Boeing’s 777
end of 2021 and 13 MD-10 Series 30s over 2021 and 2022. Between freighter can carry 102,000 kg over 9,000 kilometres before a
then and now, one of the MD-10 Series 10 aircraft, N359FE, was fuelling stop.
retired, reducing FedEx’s current MD-10 fleet to 17. “The Boeing 767 and 777 freighters have brought greater
It’s no secret FedEx was retiring its fleet of MD-10s. The freight efficiency and reliability to our air operations. The 777, with its
operator has been culling its MD-10 fleet for some years in favour tremendous range characteristics, has allowed us to provide faster
of other aircraft types. The old McDonnell Douglas trijets in FedEx transit times around the globe,” said FedEx’s David Cunningham.
colours are familiar sights at airports around the world. But the It’s not just new planes FedEx is buying as it looks to phase out
MD-10s don’t meet contemporary norms when it comes to fuel its older aircraft. As Simple Flying reported yesterday, FedEx has
consumption and environmental footprints. taken a Boeing 777 freighter off Etihad’s hands.
In addition, the surviving FedEx MD-10s aren’t exactly spring FedEx told Simple Flying, “The purchase of this aircraft is part
chickens. The average age of the remaining FedEx MD-10 fleet is of our ongoing fleet modernization plan. The aircraft will go into
40.1 years. operation later in CY21.”
In FedEx’s 2020 Annual Report, the business said it continued to As Simple Flying has previously reported, the freight business is
address the modernization of its air fleet. booming. There is strong demand for both new and used aircraft
“The expensing provision of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act signed in from freight operators like FedEx.
December 2017 encouraged FedEx to order additional Boeing 777F This demand is a rare bright spot for aircraft manufacturers and
and 767F aircraft,” FedEx said. converters.
“The pro-growth incentives in the law made fiscal year 2019 the In the meantime, as freight operators chase efficiencies and cost
optimum time to make these purchases and retire more of our savings, it’s almost the final call for the faithful old FedEx MD-10
less-efficient aircraft.” fleet. Q

World Airnews | February Extra 2021
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