acmi48

anything is possible nowadays
heard also it was via northern lease/iceland for the ex jal 400sf coming out of conversion with b-dek

dug the dog

just heard a rumor they have gone back to a b747-200 for third a/c.so all change again IF it is true!!!

747Comet

Found this today...

Belgium's Cargo B to take first Boeing 747-400 freighter
Brussels-based freight operator Cargo B will take delivery of its first Boeing 747-400 freighter next month for entry into service early in November. The aircraft will be deployed on the cargo airline's three weekly flights to Latin America, serving Sao Paulo, Lima, Quito and Bogota," Cargo B executive VP commercial, Niek van der Weide, says. With the arrival of the -400, the two Boeing 747-200 aircraft which currently make up Cargo B's fleet will operate as back up and offer extended charter capacity with the option to provide extra flights when appropriate, he says.

MaxBlow

charterman,

whatever airplane they get - fact is that crews (pilots & engineers) are being fired - a friend of mine got the call in a hotel at the other end of the world at 3 am before a flight.
Nice wake up call - I bet it has been a pleasant flight home

747Comet

Fortis. One of the main investors with in Cargo B look to be introuble. Have a look at this story

Fortis shares slump anew as financial health debate rages - MarketWatch

Lets see what this does to cargo B and their -400 hopes

belgianconnection

Fortis is not a investor in Cargo B

VORDME2

It's Petercam who is the owner of the 747 via a specialised company

747Comet

News floating around today that the 400 delivery has been put back now to the end of November and that money issues are again causing problems

Any one else hearing the same?

MaxBlow

There's alot more than just a new airplane coming their way

euroflyer

I hear no 744 before January earliest...

747Comet

Maxblow - Do tell more.

BelArgUSA

Sabena is gone, and missed...
Was an airline of nice reputation, although not making money since 1959 (except management).
Sobelair followed the same path.
Then there was CityBird... in memoriam.
Do you remember BIAS, with DC8s and DC6s, back in the 1960/70s...
How about Abelag Airways with a 707, turned into Air Belgium and their 737s...
Shall I mention Young Cargo, the two 707 cargo planes...
Remember TEA, which turned into EBA then... call it Virgin Express, now.
What will it be with Cargo B...? Out of business next year...?
xxx
Brussels is an ideal place. The heart of Western Europe.
Right in the middle of Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Luxembourg, even London is near.
Passenger or cargo, it is a great location. You got NATO and EU in town.
xxx
Then they get FedEx, DHL, and scare them away. Planes are noisy... Right.
You move to live in Diegem or Steenokkerzeel, didn't you know the airport is next door...?
How come taking off from EBBR, I get vectored over the city, middle of the night...?
Yet my Jeppesen map says P-1 (Prohibited Zone 1) - Do not overfly the city.
xxx
Then, let's talk about Belgian politics. They make me laugh.
I was born there. I can bark in Flemish and French.
When I down a Stella, Maes or Jupiler, I can be anything you want me to be.
Yet, anyone who invests for business in Brussels should have their head examined.
When are Belgians going to learn...? What is left in aviation...?
Oh, I know what is left... A Caravelle hanging from the ceiling in the museum.
xxx

Happy contrails

euroflyer

Without mentioning how incompetent the Belgian CAA are, a real joke!
Aviation in Belgium is long gone...

BelArgUSA

Belgian CAA...?
You should have known Mr. Destrée, the chief in the 1970s...
Was not exactly my friend.
I think the day he retired, the entire pilot group had a party.
xxx

Happy contrails

MaxBlow

747Comet - not now. All still classified !

BelArgUSA

What did I say about them...
Now it is OO-CBA and a tail strike taking off from BRU.
Rear pressure bulkhead probably got it.
You know the rest of the story.
xxx

Not so happy contrails

747Comet

I also know for a fact they are struggling to fill the aircraft up out of South America

Zurg

whazitdoinnow

NCA had an agreement with JETT8. Now they have one with Cargo B. Doesn't seem like very reliable partners for NCA. The new airplanes are 230 million a piece so they better have a top notch insurance.

Exup

Just heard Cargo B had a Tail Strike in Brussels, by all accounts a fair bit of damage done.