A350F acquisitions
 

Looks like they just announced an order for 20 airplanes and options for 20 more. How do you think this will affect operations?

It’ll be tricky getting the nose door to open.

i thought we would be getting some passenger planes for more AMC stuff but i guess we are moving away from that?

I thought this would generate more talk. This would seem to be very big news for Giant and the ACMI world in general.

This is good news, and an essential move. So many competitors have announced A350F purchases that continuing to rely on inefficient and increasingly unreliable aircraft (-400s) would put Atlas at a significant disadvantage.

A lot remains to be seen. 3 years for the first jet is still way in the future; considering the first prototype has yet to fly.

We are on day two of an Airbus future. It is kind of like telling the kids over dinner that we are taking them to the beach next year. Exciting, yes, but nobody is packing the car.

Questions that can't be answered by us on the forum.

1. Is this really all for growth, or a 1:1 replacement of BCFs, followed by 400Fs. I can't imagine it will be 20 in and 0 out, but any growth is welcome.

2. Will there be a pax 350 order to replace 763 Pax and 400 Pax jets as well? A lease of Pax jets or purchase of older 350s could be a great way to kick-start the program now.

3. Are all these coming to Atlas Air, or will Titan snag some for lease customers?

4. Will there be additional orders? The FAA still has not ruled on the 777F waiver. Getting some, or all 35 jets for immediate growth or BCF replacement would be a huge move.

5. What is the way forward for the 767 fleet? I imagine it to be cheaper in fuel and maintenance to fly a partially full 350 vice a cubed out 767, but acquisition costs could be a deal breaker. I am disappointed Atlas didn't jump on the 3x Maersk birds, but perhaps they didn't fit the strategic objective.

6. Are more (used) 747-8s still being pursued?

A lot of ACMI pilots have been around this industry for quite awhile and are jaded. When we hear an Airbus call V1 we will believe it. However, there are already Atlas pilots on day two after the announcement vying for a position in a fleet that is still 3 years away. 🤦‍♂️

I'll eat my hat if we see pax 350s unless our business model changes. Our pax birds fly with such low utilization a new-ish WB passenger plane would make no sense.

This ^^^
Well….there’s always a silver lining.
It could have been 29 MD-11’s

Congrats to Atlas. Now management needs to pay you all what you’re worth. You’re an industry leader, now you need to be paid like it.

I’m sure they’ll consider a 10% pay raise after dropping the other CM:

https://www.flightglobal.com/safety/...146419.article

EASA was leading that path, but I think they put it to rest last year.