Aviation Capital Group has bought an Airbus A320 that is on lease to America West, and a Boeing 727-200 that will be hushkitted and converted to cargo configuration for lease to an undisclosed US cargo carrier for eight years. Iberia has begun the next phase of its fleet renewal programme, with the delivery of the first of 16 new Airbus A320 family aircraft, an A320, that the Spanish carrier is leasing from International Lease Finance (ILFC). Six more A320s, along with nine A319s (all CFM International CFM56-powered), will be delivered on lease from ILFC up to the end of next year. A further 52 aircraft are on direct order from Airbus to replace the airline's Boeing 727s, 757s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9s. UK cargo airline MK Airlines has signed an agreement to lease an ex-Southern Air Transport Pratt & Whitney JT9D-powered Boeing 747-200 freighter from Finova. Aerolineas Argentinas has taken delivery of the first of six ex-Philippine Airlines Airbus A340-200/300s on lease from Airbus. The first aircraft, a 225-seat -200, will be joined by three more -200s and two 264-seat -300s. The airline also has orders for six new A340-600s for delivery in 2002. US low-fare carrier Vanguard Airlines has taken delivery of its twelfth 737-200 and signed an agreement for three replacement and growth aircraft, which will be delivered in the second half of the year. Tunis Air has taken delivery of the first two of seven Boeing 737-600s it has on order. Brussels-based DHL International operator European Air Transport has bought an ex-Philippine Airlines Airbus A300B4-200 from Airbus, which it will introduce in December after the aircraft's conversion to a freighter by DaimlerChrysler Airbus. British Aerospace has placed an ex-WestAir Commuter Jetstream 31 to Orlando-based Airline Training Academy for delivery in September. It will be used for on-demand charter work under the Discover Air name.
Source: Flight International
