The partnership allows Challenge Group to gain hands-on experience with the Boeing 777-300ERSF platform through deployment on Tel Aviv-Hong Kong-Tel Aviv routes via Dubai
Challenge Group has established an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) agreement with Kalitta Air for the operation of a newly converted and delivered Boeing 777-300ERSF.
Aircraft lessor AerCap delivered the first two converted Boeing 777-300 freighters to launch operator Kalitta Air in September after Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) conversion programme gained certification in late August.
Kalitta’s arrangement with Challenge will see the aircraft, registered N771CK, make its first international deployment on the route connecting Tel Aviv – Hong Kong – Tel Aviv via Dubai.
Challenge Group, which in January signed a deal with AerCap to add two converted Boeing 777-300ERSF freighters to its fleet, said the partnership will allow it to evaluate the aircraft’s operational performance and gain hands-on experience with the Boeing 777-300ERSF platform ahead of the arrival of its own aircraft of the same type, later this year.
Challenge Group’s first 777-300ERSF, registered under the Maltese AOC, will be the first of its kind ever registered in the EASA region.
Or Zak, chief commercial officer at Challenge Group, commented: “This partnership with Kalitta Air is a significant step in our long-term strategy to integrate the Boeing 777-300ERSF into our fleet.
"It provides us with the opportunity to test and familiarize ourselves with this new aircraft type, ensuring that when our first converted aircraft arrives, we are fully prepared to operate it at the highest standards. This will ultimately allow us to offer our customers a more efficient, flexible, and environmentally responsible air cargo solution.”
Heath Nicholl, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Kalitta Air, said: “We are pleased to partner with Challenge Group on the introduction of the first-of-its-kind Boeing 777-300ERSF into international service.
"This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting a valued customer with reliable, efficient, and flexible air cargo solutions. We look forward to demonstrating the aircraft’s capabilities while delivering dependable ACMI service throughout the operation.”
