This week the leasing company AerCap took delivery of its 50th Boeing 737-800BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter), a major milestone. This plane, registration PR-GTQ, was later redelivered to the Brazilian airline GOL Linhas Aéreas which now operates three freighters in its fleet.

A major milestone for AerCap

AerCap Cargo was the launch customer of the Boeing 737-800BCF in 2016 and took delivery of its first aircraft in April 2018. Nearly five years later, the company has received the 50th converted freighter. According to data from ch-aviation, there are currently 103 BCFs globally.

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This plane was redelivered to GOL Linhas Aéreas. The Brazilian company will operate the aircraft on behalf of a Latin-American e-commerce company as part of the growth strategy and logistics solution of GOLLOG, Gol's logistics business unit, AerCap said in a statement. The other two BCFs currently in GOL’s fleet are operated on behalf of Mercado Livre, the Latin American e-commerce giant. Rich Greener, the Head of AerCap Cargo, said,

“We are delighted to celebrate this milestone delivery with our partners at Boeing and our longstanding customer, GOL. Since the program launched in 2016, we have seen unprecedented demand for express air cargo from e-commerce retail businesses.”

He added that the 737-800BCF is today one of the most in-demand narrowbody freighter aircraft in the industry due to its versatility and reliability, making it the perfect choice for express air cargo and e-commerce networks.

The conversion of this aircraft was done at COOPESA, an MRO provider with expertise in aircraft modifications and conversions. COOPESA is located at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in San José, Costa Rica.

A render of GOL's Boeing 737-800BCF with a Mercado Livre livery.
Photo: GOL.

The BCF program

This program was developed by Boeing as a more versatile option than the previous B737-300SF. The 737-800BCF has a cargo capacity of 24 tons. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 79,000 kg (174,200 pounds) and a design range of 3,700 kilometers (1,995 nautical miles).

Kate Schaefer, vice president of Boeing’s Commercial Modifications, Engineering & Specialty Products business, thanked AerCap Cargo for their confidence in the 737-800BCF. She added,

“The BCF team has navigated global challenges during the past few years and truly pulled together to deliver this 50th 737-800BCF for AerCap. It is a testament to the ongoing commitment to our customers’ success.”

How many 737-800BCFs are operated globally?

There are 103 Boeing 737-800BCFs in the world as of February 2023, according to data from ch-aviation. ASL Airlines Belgium and Sun Country Airlines have the largest fleet of this particular aircraft, operating 12 each. Other airlines operating this plane are Atlas Air (eight), China Postal Airlines (seven), and Atran (six). In Latin America and the Caribbean, three airlines are operating the model, GOL Linhas Aéreas, Wingo, and SkyCana. It is also expected Aerolíneas Argentinas will receive two BCFs this year.

All of GOL’s current Boeing 737-800BCFs were previously operated by the company as passenger aircraft. They date back to 2006 and 2007. Currently, GOL is renewing its fleet with one of the largest Boeing 737 MAX orders in the Americas.

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Source: ch-aviation.