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by Cargo Facts
Cargo Facts Connect addresses all things freighters and aircraft. Connect delves into what's new in freighter transactions, belly capacity trends, conversion activity and aircraft finance. Brought to you by Cargo Facts, long the industry's leading information resource on freighter aircraft, Cargo Facts Connect gets you inside the freighter business. Cargo Facts has been the newsletter of record of the air cargo and freighter aircraft industries for over 40 years. Cargo Facts, published by Royal Media, provides its readers with timely, actionable news and industry intelligence. The deep value in Cargo Facts centers on its detailed coverage of the market and exploration of every nuance of air cargo and freighter aircraft. Cargo Facts offers a Premium subscription service, which includes a digital monthly newsletter, a weekly email Update, exclusive event discounts, and more. The Cargo Facts Premium subscription provides its subscribers with unparalleled coverage of the market. Subsc
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- Sep 12, 202636 min
Podcast: GSP builds case as alternative cargo gateway
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is positioning itself as an alternative to congested cargo hubs by offering dedicated handling, flexible facilities and room for expansion.The airport can provide customized services and faster turn times for freighter operators and forwarders moving specialized cargo, GSP Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Tom Tyra says in this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect,” recorded during a recent site visit.“If you’re doing an all-freight operation and it’s a unique build, you have the full focus of our team working on every single operation,” Tyra says. “It’s 100% focus on every operation.”GSP established its cargo operation in 2016 and opened an 110,000-square-foot facility three years later. A subsequent expansion increased the building to 160,000 square feet, while the airport doubled the adjoining ramp to about 35 acres, enough to accommodate six 747s simultaneously.The airport’s master plan provides space to double its cargo facilities as demand increases, Tyra says. “We’re well-positioned for the future,” he says. “If air cargo continues to expand in this area, and particularly across the Southeast, we’re well-positioned to take opportunities as they arise.”Customer needsCerulean Commercial Aviation, GSP’s aviation services operation, handles cargo ranging from automotive components and construction equipment to pharmaceuticals, flowers and live animals. Its ability to adapt facilities and handling processes to individual shipments differentiates GSP from larger gateways, Commercial Aviation Services Manager Kelly Wiggs says.“Our model is customized,” Wiggs says. “We can customize for your customer. We can customize for the freight forwarder. We can do things that you might not do at a traditional hub like Atlanta, Chicago or JFK.”GSP is also exploring partnerships with secondary airports in Canada and South America as it works to attract additional scheduled freighter service. The airport sees an opportunity to connect South American perishables with markets in the United States and Canada, Tyra says.One of the challenges for GSP will be to continue growing while not losing its ability to customize and personalize its service.“We can get a lot bigger,” Tyra says. “But we want to need to do it in a way that we don't lose track of what's got us here.”Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear Tyra and Wiggs discuss GSP’s cargo facilities, specialized handling capabilities and strategy for attracting freighter operators and forwarders.
- Aug 21, 202618 min
Charlotte Douglas International Airport sees cargo opportunity in international growth
Charlotte Douglas International Airport expects its express operations to remain steady while new international passenger services create opportunities to increase belly cargo traffic.The presence of other major express hubs nearby limits the potential for freighter growth at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Chief Business and Innovation Officer Ted Kaplan says in this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect,” recorded during a recent site visit.“We’re kind of surrounded by existing national and regional cargo hubs,” Kaplan says. “There likely will not be an opportunity for significant growth with Amazon, FedEx and UPS, given that their networks already have a number of large hubs within relative proximity to our airport.”CLT could support incremental growth by replacing or renovating cargo facilities that were designed for operators twenty to thirty years ago, Kaplan says.“What really came out of [a 2018 cargo study] was where we could significantly improve and possibly expand incrementally,” he says. “The opportunity would be to figure out how to deliver newer facilities that UPS, Amazon and FedEx could transition into and then demolish their old facilities.”CLT has sites that could accommodate new cargo warehouses with airside access if demand materializes. However, the airport would need a long-term commitment from an operator before making a significant investment, Kaplan says.The airport sees more immediate potential in attracting international passenger service that can generate additional belly cargo traffic. For example, Etihad Airways’ new A350-1000 service from Abu Dhabi (AUH), launched in March, has already increased CLT’s cargo throughput, Kaplan says.Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear Kaplan discuss CLT’s express operations, cargo infrastructure and opportunities to expand its cargo business.
- Aug 1, 202625 min
Thrust Capital to enter regional freighter lease sector with Dash 8-Q400s
New lessor Thrust Capital is looking to capitalize on the Dash 8-Q400’s speed, range and container capacity by bringing large-cargo-door variants to the regional freighter market. Founder and Chief Executive Nico von Appen established the company after identifying an overlooked opportunity for the Q400, he says in this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect.” “I looked into it more myself because I was really convinced by the Q400 as a freighter, especially with the large cargo door,” von Appen says. “I was in contact with De Havilland and some regional lessors to talk about feedstock.” Thrust Capital plans to market the converted aircraft as the Regional Eco Wing Freighter and hopes to begin offering two units in 2027. Von Appen has identified four potential aircraft and expects feedstock availability to improve over the next few years. The Q400’s performance and capacity could give it an advantage in overnight feeder operations, he says. “There are analyses showing that you can operate one or two more flights per night compared with an ATR,” von Appen says. “You can get up to two more LD3 containers. You’re faster, you have a better climb rate and you have the power.” De Havilland is supporting Thrust Capital’s efforts to bring the approved large-cargo-door modification to market, while von Appen is in discussions with qualified MRO providers and prospective operators, he says. Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear von Appen discuss the Dash 8-Q400 conversion market, feedstock availability and his plans for Thrust Capital.
- Jul 11, 202624 min
Merlin New Zealand sheds light on pathway to approval
Boston-based Merlin and its New Zealand-based affiliate, Merlin NZ, are working hard to certify the Merlin Pilot autonomous flight software in New Zealand next year.Merlin NZ is prepared to shoulder the load to ensure Merlin Pilot is put into commercial freighter service after certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ), Merlin NZ Chief Executive Grant Crenfeldt says in this week's episode of “Cargo Facts Connect.”“At that point, [we would say that] Merlin, a technology organization, has the Merlin Pilot installed into the Cessna Caravan that we have here in New Zealand,” Crenfeldt says. “And then we’ll take that aircraft, put it onto the Merlin airline AOC, similar to how a fully certified aircraft goes on to a certificate, and then we start flying commercial freight routes using that aircraft.”The anticipated approval of the Merlin Pilot by the CAANZ in 2027 would represent the first time a conventionally crewed fixed-wing aircraft equipped with autonomous flight technology enters revenue cargo service, Crenfeldt says.Merlin is already looking beyond New Zealand and setting its sights on obtaining FAA certification. “The CAANZ and the FAA have a bilateral agreement, which means that if one or the other regulator certifies something, then the other regulator can choose to apply the amount of due diligence to that certification before they approve it as well,” Crenfeldt says.Merlin's technology, for which it obtained an experimental certificate of airworthiness from the CAANZ in 2025, is designed to operate existing aircraft in commercial airspace without requiring changes to air traffic management procedures, he says.Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear Crenfeldt speak with Editor Jeff Lee, Senior Associate Editor Robert Luke and Associate Editor Jay Aelick.
- Jun 13, 202635 min
Alpine Air Express Beech 1900D conversion ‘perfect’ freighter for GAM Air
After beginning revenue service with Australia’s first Beech 1900D Super Freighter at the end of May, GAM Air will soon take delivery of another.The carrier signed a deal this year to purchase three aircraft from Provo, Utah-based Alpine Air Express to operate for Team Global Express in Australia under a ten-year contract. The first unit (UE-254) arrived in April.GAM Air started to seriously evaluate the Beech 1900D Super Freighter about two years ago, when Alpine Air Express, which holds the only STC to convert the type, began marketing it.“We started doing some numbers on the airframe then with what we did know, just from a soft approach to see if that was the right sort of aircraft for our client, and it was really the only aircraft in the market — and still is,” GAM Air Chief Executive Carl Jepsen says in this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect.” “They had a point of difference against the Metros, the Dornier 228, and it blew the socks off the SkyCourier as well.“So for us, and what we do in Australia, the routes that we have, the speed we need and the payload we carry, it was the perfect airplane.”The deal with GAM has opened more opportunities for Alpine as interest has grown, Alpine Chief Operating Officer Bob Frisch says.“I think that this airplane fits a really good niche and it’s got that specific market,” he says. “And I think people are starting to look at that not only because of that niche that they have, but also just at the other replacements and the other costs of the airplanes, and what this can do.”Alpine CEO Michael Dancy says he would be reluctant to sell any Beech 1900D freighters to other operators in the United States.“I think the whole idea is I just don’t want them showing up next to me,” he says. “But there is so much interest from these aircraft in Canada, in Europe, in Africa and so forth.”For now, Dancy is happy to have GAM Air as a partner in Australia and wants to see the Australian carrier be as successful as possible.“So, we’d love for them to be the only operator in Australia, because for us, that's a great relationship,” he says. “We know how advantageous that is.”Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear more about the Beech 1900D as Dancy, Jepsen and Frisch speak with Editor Jeff Lee, Senior Associate Editor Robert Luke and Associate Editor Jay Aelick.
- May 27, 202621 min
Airfreight industry must address people, data, flexibility
The airfreight industry should focus on attracting talent, implementing open data standards and providing flexibility for the rest of 2026 and beyond, according to Flexport.“We have a lot of experienced people today approaching retirement, and the pipeline behind them is very, very thin in all roles: in operations, in customs, in commercial roles,” Milena Milenkovic, head of airfreight for the EMEA region at Flexport, says in this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect.” “And if we don’t fix that, we will create a people problem that no new aircraft or software can solve.”The industry is not doing enough to appeal to young people, and it can do that by being more vocal about the vital role that air cargo plays, Milenkovic says.Two other areas that air cargo must continue to improve are data and flexibility, according to Milenkovic.The industry has the technology to process and share the increasing amount of data generated today but still does not make use of it effectively, she says.Additionally, in a market characterized by instability, carriers must develop flexible options for customers and build redundancy into their networks.Overall, Milenkovic believes the largest hurdle for the industry is still its inability to recruit and retain skilled personnel, and inspire their excitement.“I started this career when I was twenty-two,” she says. “I still love it, and it’s twenty plus years later.”Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear Milenkovic speak with Senior Associate Editor Robert Luke.
- May 9, 202618 min
Lessons from Iran war disruption
Freighter operators remain optimistic about the prospects for the industry and its resilience in dealing with crises, drawing from the handling of disruption caused by the Iran war.As the war broke out on Feb. 28, Compass Air Cargo and Atlas Air were among the many carriers that collectively had fifty or so freighters stuck in the region.Atlas, for one, had a 777F (69788) in Abu Dhabi (AUH) and a 747-8F (60118) in maintenance in Tel Aviv (TLV), Graham Perkins, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa for Atlas Air, said during the opening panel discussion at Cargo Facts EMEA 2026 in Brussels last week.“All the focus at that point in time was on our trying to get our people out, those who were not based there, looking after our people who were living there and are based in the [United Arab Emirates] in particular,” Perkins said. “And then, of course, the aircraft themselves. So, it was people first, and airplanes second in that regard.”Now that most operations have resumed, the industry should learn to react to major events in an even more agile manner to address the demands of customers, Teleport Chief Business Officer Jan Philipp Poter said during the panel.“The world continues to grow; e-commerce continues to grow, and other people move things by air — it’s a structural part of how we move things, and that will stay,” he said. “So, that optimistic view, I think, is important to keep, especially in times of crisis. And if you’re optimistic, you have your crisis playbook and you stay connected, I think you are well-prepared.”The industry should also take pride in how it pivoted during the initial stages of the war, Compass Air Cargo Chief Commercial Officer Rainer Mueller said.“Looking at what has been managed in the Middle East over the last five or six weeks, it is amazing,” he said. “And I’m 100% convinced that we are ready even for the next crisis.”Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear an excerpt from the opening panel at Cargo Facts EMEA 2026, moderated by Editor Jeff Lee.
- Apr 21, 20269 min
Chapman Freeborn’s Saska Gerasimova previews Cargo Facts EMEA 2026
Chapman Freeborn has been especially busy fielding charter requests since the outbreak of the Iran war at the end of February, as airspace closures led to grounded aircraft and a sudden drop in capacity.“It is true that aviation is a very volatile industry,” Group Chief Executive Saska Gerasimova says in this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect.” “So, it’s not about whether a crisis will happen, but it’s a matter of when and where it will happen.”Gerasimova, who was appointed group CEO in October 2025, says that her experience at Amazon Air in Europe, in particular, is helping her understand the needs of cargo customers.“The biggest struggles that our customers have is the uncertainty of the geopolitical situation and the volatility in supply,” she says. “Many customers use these elements as an opportunity and are able to react and adjust quickly, while others are rather postponing the decisions. And this is a very big impact that we’ve seen in the last two or three weeks, for example.”Gerasimova will share her perspective of the freighter market in light of the war and more in a fireside chat on Wednesday, April 29, at Cargo Facts EMEA 2026 in Brussels.“I would really love to challenge the ideas that [fellow executives] present,” she says. “I would really love to hear the ideas that they have of how we can work together to minimize the impact on the customers, [not just] in the short term, but also in the long term.” Tune in to this week’s episode of “Cargo Facts Connect” to hear Gerasimova discuss her upcoming fireside chat with Editor Jeff Lee.
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About Cargo Facts Connect
Cargo Facts Connect addresses all things freighters and aircraft. Connect delves into what's new in freighter transactions, belly capacity trends, conversion activity and aircraft finance. Brought to you by Cargo Facts, long the industry's leading information resource on freighter aircraft, Cargo Facts Connect gets you inside the freighter business. Cargo Facts has been the newsletter of record of the air cargo and freighter aircraft industries for over 40 years. Cargo Facts, published by Royal Media, provides its readers with timely, actionable news and industry intelligence. The deep value in Cargo Facts centers on its detailed coverage of the market and exploration of every nuance of air cargo and freighter aircraft. Cargo Facts offers a Premium subscription service, which includes a digital monthly newsletter, a weekly email Update, exclusive event discounts, and more. The Cargo Facts Premium subscription provides its subscribers with unparalleled coverage of the market. Subsc
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