Originally Posted by
750XL
Do you have any idea of how much ground handling equipment costs, to offload these said dedicated freighter aircraft (ie 747F nose loading). What company in their right mind is going to pay for this equipment to lay idle for months (or years) on end, on the odd chance someone wants to nip in with a bit of freight and pay a few grand for the privilege - when the equipment has cost hundreds of grand?
Did have one on station in the dim and distant past in fact one of the first in the UK was here in the seventies and used by Lufthansa and World 747F models from time to time
That said nose loading isn’t that important indeed is rather avoided much of the time anyway.
Right now though MAG Group really has the more appropriate distribution point a little further east and in a region that has pretty much developed (post mining and steel production) as the national centre of logistics and with the primary domestic food production area on its doorstep.
Though using the same haggered argument as that of the snow ploughs doesn’t’ necessarily wash with a scissor lifter at a normally 30 million 20 + long haul destination and 100,000 tonne airport that’s for sure.
Doncaster seem to have the equipment and indeed the desire to promote freight including the giants and that Includes the obscure and unique IL62 freighter.