Emery Worldwide Airlines has picked the McDonnell Douglas (MDC) DC-10 for its widebody freighter needs and signed for an initial five aircraft.
The Dayton, Ohio-based integrated freight carrier has arranged to lease five ex-Continental Airlines DC-10-10s from US lessor Pegasus Aviation Group. The aircraft will undergo freighter conversion by Aeronavali in Italy from the third quarter of this year, with deliveries beginning in early 1999. Aeronavali will increase each DC-10's maximum take-off weight and payload capability.
Emery operates 48 freighters, including seven Boeing 727s, three MDC DC-8-50s, 16 DC-8-60s and 22 DC-8-70s.
The carrier has been evaluating its widebody freighter plans for some time. Towards the end of last year it added four leased Lockheed L-1011 freighters as interim replacements for some DC-8s.
Source: Flight International