Air Transport

Boeing has secured its first non-airline, and first non-Asian, customer for its 747-400 Special Freighter conversion programme. US leasing company Guggenheim Aviation Partners has acquired four ex-Singapore Airlines 747-400s through Boeing Aircraft Trading and booked slots with Boeing Commercial Aviation Services for their conversion to freighters between 2006 and 2009. The first two 747-400s will be leased to Air India pending conversion and Guggenheim is marketing the third aircraft for interim passenger-configuration use. Following modification at locations that have still to be decided by Boeing, the company's first two Special Freighters will be available for lease in 2007, followed by one in 2008 and one in 2009.