747s to Boost Volga-Dnepr's Cargo Fleet
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747s to Boost Volga-Dnepr's Cargo Fleet
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2003/04/21/048.html
747s to Boost Volga-Dnepr's Cargo Fleet
By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer After more than a decade of hauling shipments for Boeing, Volga-Dnepr, the world's leading heavy-lift cargo carrier, is ready to acquire some of the aerospace giant's jumbo jets.
In a move to tap the lucrative general cargo market between Asia and Europe, the Ulyanovsk-based carrier plans either to buy or lease two new Boeing 747-400 cargo jets within the next few months, Volga-Dnepr group president Alexei Isaikin said Friday.
"This year is decisive," he said. "We [will] have a balanced relationship with Boeing as both its customer and supplier."
Volga-Dnepr currently operates a fleet of nine giant An-124 Ruslan cargo craft and three Il-76s. Last year, the company hauled 55,000 tons, posting revenues of $190 million, more than half the global market.
Volga-Dnepr cargo clients include aerospace giants like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, oil and gas companies like ExxonMobil and BP, the United Nations and governments of various countries.
Yet it is a slice of the general cargo market, worth $50 billion per year, that the company is eager to claim. To do so, Volga-Dnepr plans this fall to launch a subsidiary company that will fly its first 747s between Shanghai and Luxembourg. Isaikin said flights would run through Moscow and later, perhaps, through Novosibirsk.
The company will eventually acquire six or eight aircraft, in addition to the two new Boeings, Isaikin said
Loans will be sought from the International Finance Corp. or the U.S. Export-Import Bank, as well as from Russian banks such as Sberbank, he said. He declined to give the amount of the loans, but a new Boeing 747-400 freighter is priced at $187.5 million, according to the company's web site.
Boeing's president for Russia and the CIS, Sergei Kravchenko, said he was pleased with the potential Volga-Dnepr project in light of gloom elsewhere in the transport and travel industry. "Our analytical findings forecast a much faster recovery of the cargo market than the passenger market."
747s to Boost Volga-Dnepr's Cargo Fleet
By Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer After more than a decade of hauling shipments for Boeing, Volga-Dnepr, the world's leading heavy-lift cargo carrier, is ready to acquire some of the aerospace giant's jumbo jets.
In a move to tap the lucrative general cargo market between Asia and Europe, the Ulyanovsk-based carrier plans either to buy or lease two new Boeing 747-400 cargo jets within the next few months, Volga-Dnepr group president Alexei Isaikin said Friday.
"This year is decisive," he said. "We [will] have a balanced relationship with Boeing as both its customer and supplier."
Volga-Dnepr currently operates a fleet of nine giant An-124 Ruslan cargo craft and three Il-76s. Last year, the company hauled 55,000 tons, posting revenues of $190 million, more than half the global market.
Volga-Dnepr cargo clients include aerospace giants like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, oil and gas companies like ExxonMobil and BP, the United Nations and governments of various countries.
Yet it is a slice of the general cargo market, worth $50 billion per year, that the company is eager to claim. To do so, Volga-Dnepr plans this fall to launch a subsidiary company that will fly its first 747s between Shanghai and Luxembourg. Isaikin said flights would run through Moscow and later, perhaps, through Novosibirsk.
The company will eventually acquire six or eight aircraft, in addition to the two new Boeings, Isaikin said
Loans will be sought from the International Finance Corp. or the U.S. Export-Import Bank, as well as from Russian banks such as Sberbank, he said. He declined to give the amount of the loans, but a new Boeing 747-400 freighter is priced at $187.5 million, according to the company's web site.
Boeing's president for Russia and the CIS, Sergei Kravchenko, said he was pleased with the potential Volga-Dnepr project in light of gloom elsewhere in the transport and travel industry. "Our analytical findings forecast a much faster recovery of the cargo market than the passenger market."
Evertonian
Sounds like a good move on their part. The ability to tap into an existing market was somewhat unattainable with the equipment they operated. Not that they physically couldn't do it, I imagine that they were perceived by the market as outsized freight only. This will certainly get them into the mainstream of freight forwarding & a good route to start with too!
Good luck to them.
Good luck to them.
Buster Hyman:
Are you not in the least bit bothered about what some of my brothers might call the "flagging out" or "Gulag Archipelago" effect? Do you think Cargolux et al are going to be happy with this idea?
Every night I see aircraft on the ramp registered "east of Berlin" crewed by 5, 6 and 7 (very nice guys - and I mean that) who are quite happy to share a room with three others, have no crew duty regulations and will do anything but anything to get the job done. What they earn in our part of Europe goes down a very long way back home.
They never go "tech" - their aircraft must be wonderfully built and maintained. In fact, it is astonishing that we are not all flying them - except that the accountants who have actually looked into it have realised that it is better to leave things the way they are. The management love them for they are so very, very cheap.
My son has just starting his flying career. He loves flying just like his father and I just hope he doesn't end up sharing a room with four others and cooking on a portable gas stove. Mind you, I can remember having been involved in many such occasions when I flew for Mrs Windor's Private Airline!
I have no trouble accepting AN124s and the AN225 for there simply is not an equvalent but the rest of it should be resisted.
Are you not in the least bit bothered about what some of my brothers might call the "flagging out" or "Gulag Archipelago" effect? Do you think Cargolux et al are going to be happy with this idea?
Every night I see aircraft on the ramp registered "east of Berlin" crewed by 5, 6 and 7 (very nice guys - and I mean that) who are quite happy to share a room with three others, have no crew duty regulations and will do anything but anything to get the job done. What they earn in our part of Europe goes down a very long way back home.
They never go "tech" - their aircraft must be wonderfully built and maintained. In fact, it is astonishing that we are not all flying them - except that the accountants who have actually looked into it have realised that it is better to leave things the way they are. The management love them for they are so very, very cheap.
My son has just starting his flying career. He loves flying just like his father and I just hope he doesn't end up sharing a room with four others and cooking on a portable gas stove. Mind you, I can remember having been involved in many such occasions when I flew for Mrs Windor's Private Airline!
I have no trouble accepting AN124s and the AN225 for there simply is not an equvalent but the rest of it should be resisted.
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JW411
what is your problem? the story you are talking about is very true for some Russian and Ukrainian operators, but not for Volga Dnepr, who are really professional and reputable outfit if you ask my opinion. Do you have anything against major Russian cargo operator who like to use their traffic rights options operting a modern western widebody freighter? Then you should blame Emirates as well... Then if we look carefully Russian Aeroflot, the flag carrier is doing exactly the same business flying DC10-40Fs from Europe to Japan and China via tech stop in Russia but even not taking care to put aircraft into russian register...
P.S. I'm not VDA guy (but certainly we have some of them here in the forum) but I don't like blaming someone just for the sake of it
what is your problem? the story you are talking about is very true for some Russian and Ukrainian operators, but not for Volga Dnepr, who are really professional and reputable outfit if you ask my opinion. Do you have anything against major Russian cargo operator who like to use their traffic rights options operting a modern western widebody freighter? Then you should blame Emirates as well... Then if we look carefully Russian Aeroflot, the flag carrier is doing exactly the same business flying DC10-40Fs from Europe to Japan and China via tech stop in Russia but even not taking care to put aircraft into russian register...
P.S. I'm not VDA guy (but certainly we have some of them here in the forum) but I don't like blaming someone just for the sake of it
Evertonian
JW...I think u better get a second opinion there, the dosage appears too high!
You've made the mistake of applying your standards to someone else. What's the chance of Russian crews operating for Western carriers? I'm sure there are some, but the way you're portraying them, you make it sound like they were from the '89 dispute in Oz! As you said, they are "Quite happy to share a room". If they're happy, why aren't you?
Get a grip son & pass the Tylenol!
You've made the mistake of applying your standards to someone else. What's the chance of Russian crews operating for Western carriers? I'm sure there are some, but the way you're portraying them, you make it sound like they were from the '89 dispute in Oz! As you said, they are "Quite happy to share a room". If they're happy, why aren't you?
Get a grip son & pass the Tylenol!
The general point, C1 & Buster, is unfair competition.
I do not wish to have to work for a European company which must compete in OUR marketplace with an ultra low cost foreign operator using the methods referred to. (C1 - point about Volga Dnepr taken)
I expect BALPA, the UK government and the EU Parliament to resist any incursion which is not offset by a reciprocal agreement.
As an ex Merchant Navy officer I witnessed the evils of 'flagging out' and also the protectionism of the USA when looking after the interests of its own fleet. - would that we were more protective in that respect.
. . . and don't get me started about British industry, unions, employers, politics
I need to lie down for a bit . . . .
I do not wish to have to work for a European company which must compete in OUR marketplace with an ultra low cost foreign operator using the methods referred to. (C1 - point about Volga Dnepr taken)
I expect BALPA, the UK government and the EU Parliament to resist any incursion which is not offset by a reciprocal agreement.
As an ex Merchant Navy officer I witnessed the evils of 'flagging out' and also the protectionism of the USA when looking after the interests of its own fleet. - would that we were more protective in that respect.
. . . and don't get me started about British industry, unions, employers, politics
I need to lie down for a bit . . . .
Evertonian
Basil. What's the difference between this & Branson setting up in Oz with lower conditions and contributing to the demise of an established airline that had been running since 1936? Did that concern you at all?
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I am sure that you would most likely find that if Volga ever gets its proposed B747F programme off the ground, that they would not be a bunch of 'Happy Guys' but a bunch of grumpy guys from the West. I have had spent sometime with a few very experienced Russian pilots, some ex-test pilots, who have tried to convert to Western aircraft. You have to remember the reason Russian aircraft tend not to be tech to often is they still use circuits which use 1960's valve technology, and most Russian pilots find it extremely hard to get used to computers that use circuit boards and don't make a buzzing sound.
Personally I do not see the Volga 747 taking to the air and believe it to be a grand dream of the Directors. Volga works well with An124 and has a good reputation in the market place, but I feel a scheduled or ad-hoc 747 operate would bring the VDA empire down.
Personally I do not see the Volga 747 taking to the air and believe it to be a grand dream of the Directors. Volga works well with An124 and has a good reputation in the market place, but I feel a scheduled or ad-hoc 747 operate would bring the VDA empire down.
Evertonian
Basil.
I think we are talking about different rules here. I had to work for an Australian company that had to compete with a British company (at the time) that undercut all of the established "costs" of the other 3 incumbents. Yes they flew under Australian rules etc, but they have just slashed all of the associated workplace agreements. I'm not going to argue the rights & wrongs of that, but the fact is, DJ's entry into the market contributed to the demise of an airline on shaky ground.
You need to realise that some of the lifelines that Ansett were after were rejected by the government due to foreign ownership rules. Even though these same rules were in a state of flux at the time. Basically, these rules worked in DJ's favour but not in AN's. That's very simplistic, but concise.
Anyway, we probably actually agree with each other, but are coming at this from opposite ends.
I think we are talking about different rules here. I had to work for an Australian company that had to compete with a British company (at the time) that undercut all of the established "costs" of the other 3 incumbents. Yes they flew under Australian rules etc, but they have just slashed all of the associated workplace agreements. I'm not going to argue the rights & wrongs of that, but the fact is, DJ's entry into the market contributed to the demise of an airline on shaky ground.
You need to realise that some of the lifelines that Ansett were after were rejected by the government due to foreign ownership rules. Even though these same rules were in a state of flux at the time. Basically, these rules worked in DJ's favour but not in AN's. That's very simplistic, but concise.
Anyway, we probably actually agree with each other, but are coming at this from opposite ends.
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Dear Jamesov Bondski
I wish to think that not all guys from UK have the same attitude concerning Russian pilots.
I am Russian, fly B737 more than 8 years and last 5 in B737NG. No one guy in our company ever have any problem with flight computer or western equipment. Pilot who can fly Russian build aircraft can fly everything and flight computer make it only easier.
Yes, there are a lot of various people in Russia as anywhere in the globe and some guys don`t speak English so well as you. But not in this case. Most pilots for expected B747s have at least 5000hrs in western types.
Contrariwise, I remember the incident with BA captain who couldn`t activate STAR in FMC when FO accidenally taken the sleeping-draught. He didn`t ever accept manual approach.
I wish to think that not all guys from UK have the same attitude concerning Russian pilots.
I am Russian, fly B737 more than 8 years and last 5 in B737NG. No one guy in our company ever have any problem with flight computer or western equipment. Pilot who can fly Russian build aircraft can fly everything and flight computer make it only easier.
Yes, there are a lot of various people in Russia as anywhere in the globe and some guys don`t speak English so well as you. But not in this case. Most pilots for expected B747s have at least 5000hrs in western types.
Contrariwise, I remember the incident with BA captain who couldn`t activate STAR in FMC when FO accidenally taken the sleeping-draught. He didn`t ever accept manual approach.
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Pilot31:
My sincere apologies, the message I would have like to have got across, was that I doubt Volga would manage to crew any 747 solely with Russian crews. I strongly believe that some of the best pilots in the world are Russian, just due to the quite extraoridinary things they can so often do with very limiting technology, and still match the best of the West. In turn I know a few Russian collegues who have converted very happily to Western aircraft and are now top of their field.
I can only apologies for my generalisation, but it is so often the case. Congratulations to yourself and keep up the good work.
My sincere apologies, the message I would have like to have got across, was that I doubt Volga would manage to crew any 747 solely with Russian crews. I strongly believe that some of the best pilots in the world are Russian, just due to the quite extraoridinary things they can so often do with very limiting technology, and still match the best of the West. In turn I know a few Russian collegues who have converted very happily to Western aircraft and are now top of their field.
I can only apologies for my generalisation, but it is so often the case. Congratulations to yourself and keep up the good work.
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Dear Jamesov Bondski
Thank you very much for your last letter.
I think you know why Russian pilots are still rare abroad. We just didn`t have western equipment here for long time. You are right, transition from 4 members crew to crew with 2 pilots only is quite complicated for some guys with 15 years experience but easy for others. Anyway, now situation is likely to change, I hope.
All the best to you.
Thank you very much for your last letter.
I think you know why Russian pilots are still rare abroad. We just didn`t have western equipment here for long time. You are right, transition from 4 members crew to crew with 2 pilots only is quite complicated for some guys with 15 years experience but easy for others. Anyway, now situation is likely to change, I hope.
All the best to you.
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Which aircraft will they be?
Loads and loads of talk about these B747-200F ops but who is supplying the aircraft? where are they coming from?
Any clues, please...
Any clues, please...
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The story changes every few weeks.
Before that talks were to start Autumn 2003 with 1 or 2 brand new 747-400F financed by Exim bank (hmm. doubt if Boeing can make a delivery so fast as far as there are no cancelled deliveries for 400F).
Then there was a 742 search evidence on the market (particulary in Asia, for further convertion into freighter) last few month but finally no outcome there as far as I'm aware.
If they talking April 04 now then it should be existing 742F, no time for convertion or at least everything should be confirmed and announced alreday.
There are few 742F available early next year for sale/lease, however most of them JT9D powered and as far as I know VDA was looking for anything but not JT9.
Let's see what happens next. Meanwhile they appointed Peter Yap (ex China Airlines and Atlas) as sales and marketing Asia-Pacific for this project.
Before that talks were to start Autumn 2003 with 1 or 2 brand new 747-400F financed by Exim bank (hmm. doubt if Boeing can make a delivery so fast as far as there are no cancelled deliveries for 400F).
Then there was a 742 search evidence on the market (particulary in Asia, for further convertion into freighter) last few month but finally no outcome there as far as I'm aware.
If they talking April 04 now then it should be existing 742F, no time for convertion or at least everything should be confirmed and announced alreday.
There are few 742F available early next year for sale/lease, however most of them JT9D powered and as far as I know VDA was looking for anything but not JT9.
Let's see what happens next. Meanwhile they appointed Peter Yap (ex China Airlines and Atlas) as sales and marketing Asia-Pacific for this project.
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Hi Guys,
CargoOne, I don`t know the S/N of coming aircraft.
All I know is nobody from Volga-Dnepr is training to 747 now and crew training will start in January in Lufthansa ( Frankfurt Training Center ).
Cheers
CargoOne, I don`t know the S/N of coming aircraft.
All I know is nobody from Volga-Dnepr is training to 747 now and crew training will start in January in Lufthansa ( Frankfurt Training Center ).
Cheers