US-based cargo broker JetOneX has confirmed it has secured another B747-400FSCD, one of a pair put in storage by China Airlines in 2012 and is reportedly also due to add the other of the pair shortly, according to Cargo Facts' sources.
N297CL (msn 30761) was registered in the United States on August 26, 2021, having been previously registered as B-18703 and in storage at Victorville. China Airlines said earlier this year that in light of growing demand for freighters, it would try to dry-lease the aircraft and its sistership B-18702 (msn 30760) out, having decided against reinducting the quadjets into its own fleet. China Airlines' third B747-400(FSCD) retired in 2012, B-18705 (msn 30762), was reactivated in 2019 and is currently leased to ASL Airlines Belgium, which operates it as OE-ILC. All three aircraft remain owned by the Taiwanese carrier.
JetOneX already owns a single B747-400(FSCF), a single B747-400(BCF), and a B747-400 operated as a makeshift freighter. All three aircraft are operated by Bermuda's Longtail Aviation (6T, Bermuda). The carrier did not respond to ch-aviation's question whether it would also operate the newly added ex-China Airlines B747s. JetOneX has also acquired two ex-KLM Royal Dutch Airlines B747-400Ms and placed them with Longtail Aviation but has yet to deploy them into service, the ch-aviation fleets module shows.
China Airlines itself continues to operate eighteen B747-400(FSCD)s. Its cargo fleet also comprises three B777-200Fs with three more on order.
