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Aviation History
1977
1977 - 2319.PDF
312 volume is about the same as that offered by a Boeing 707, though the latter can carry one pallet more than the CL-44's dozen. Average daily utilisation now stands at about 6hr, and the type is no longer operated with slip crews. As a new jet operator, Cargolux suffered slightly after the Yom Kippur war because it could not get enough fuel. The carrier exchanged a thirsty -61 for a DC-8-55, only to find that this variant lacked the volume to carry its full payload. Although cap able of taking 39 tons, the DC-8-55 usually bulked out at around 28 tons. The DC-8-63 is better, however, and can usually take 4043 tons out of a possible 47 tons. Crews normally stage through the Gulf and slip at Kuala Lumpur before continuing to Hong Kong. Initial DC-8 flight-crew training was carried out in the US by United and Flying Tiger, and regular simulator time is bought from KLM in Amsterdam. Among the problems of keeping the fleet on the move, explains flight operations man ager Sigurdur Jonsson, are night re strictions in Luxembourg, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, any of which can call for a planned departure from Luxembourg just before the night curfew time of 10 p.m. But a three-hour refuelling stop at Palma—fuel is cheaper there than in Europe—is often needed to ensure that the aircraft does not arrive further down the route (at Lagos) too early. The company's com prehensive flight-watch communica tions system makes it easy to re-route aircraft away from base. Though the fleet is registered in Ice land and the US as well as in Luxem bourg, this is not a flag-of-convenience arrangement: mortgages cannot be registered in the Grand Duchy to secure financial interests of owner/ lenders. Olafsson is hopeful that this will soon change so that the whole fleet can be registered in Luxembourg. New Hangar A 9,400m2 hangar built in 1974 houses workshops and offices and can accommodate two CL-44s or two DC-8-63s, All GL-44 maintenance except engine overhaul and repair can be undertaken, as well as most DC-8 work. The company carries out a large volume of third-party CL-44 and DC-8 maintenance work, especially for Loft leidir and its International Air Bahama subsidiary. The Cargolux maintenance centre, with a large spares holding, is perhaps the best- equipped CL-44 facility in existence. Parent company Luxair has also built a new and badly needed cargo centre. As the Grand Duchy's flag carrier, Luxair undertakes all cargo" handling for Cargolux in Luxembourg. The cargo centre consists of five large halls covering an area of 7,700m2, with office accommodation on the upper level at the back. Modern cargo- handling techniques are employed and working conditions are first-class. FLIGHT International, 30 July 1977 ;••*«: ;*•?*<»••• Cargolux also supervises a high speed trucking service throughout Europe. A high degree of co-operation between trucking companies and air line is essential, especially to ensure simple and speedy handling of the associated documentation. Eighty per cent of the goods arriving in Luxem bourg by air are delivered by the following day over a network covering thirty European cities. The trend is towards greater use of the unit load and pallets, which are already very popular and beginning to displace igloos. Its well-equipped hangar and cargo centre sets Cargolux apart from the run-of-the-mill freight operators. No ad hoc, fly-when-full tramp line this, but a sophisticated operation run with modern management techniques and using efficient equipment. Olafsson believes that no UK opera tor yet has the right equipment for the Far East run. "The stretched CL-44J is far superior to the standard CL-44, and if the load is available, the DC-8 will always be cheaper than the turboprop," he says. He describes Cargolux as ideally located and not in conflict with other carriers. Some com petitors, says Olafsson, lose flexibility and customer goodwill by trying to work both passenger and cargo opera tions. "The key to the charter business is not to let your overheads get too big," he says. On pricing, Olafsson admits that some operators undercut ma Cargolux, though they rarely if ever offer his company's regularity of ser vice. He expects the market to support Cargolux in the low season. 1977 is seen as a year of consolida tion, partly because one of the DC-8s is dry-leased to Loftleidir for four months, but growth, should start again next year. Olafsson expects by 1980 to be flying bigger jet equipment which will be deployed much as the DC-8s are at present. Although a fourth DC-8-63 has recently been leased, the number will fall to three again when a wide-body arrives. The CL-44 fleet will tlien be sold. "We will have to gear up to handling 100 tons per flight," Olafsson says. Air-portable containers, despite their high invest ment cost, will complement igloos and pallets and he sees units becoming larger and requiring less handling. Last year Cargolux carried 37,509 tonnes of freight, an increase of 23 per cent over 1975. The forecast for 1977 is 38,000 tonnes, of which almost 30,000 tonnes will pass through Luxembourg. Olafsson is looking for a $58 million turnover this year, with income from third-party maintenance expected to reach $9-7 million. Above: mainstay of Cargolux freight opera tions for many years has been the swing-tail Canadair CL-44, three of which are still used by the airline. Below: third-party maintenance is offered to DC-8 and CL-44 operators
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