Boeing delivers AirBridgeCargo's First 747-400 Freighter

On Friday, Boeing delivered the first Boeing 747-400 Freighter to enter the fleet of AirBridgeCargo, a subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr Group, under lease from GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS).

The new airplane is the sixth 747 freighter in the AirBridge fleet, joining five 747-200/-300 Freighters. It is also the first of two 747-400 Freighters that AirBridgeCargo will lease from GE Commercial Aviation Services, and the carrier will take an additional 747-400F on lease in the second quarter of 2008. The Volga-Dnepr Group has also ordered five of Boeing's new 747-8 Freighters.

GECAS has another 747-400F delivery in early 2008; which also will be leased to AirBridgeCargo.

The new airplane will be used on AirBridgeCargo's routes worldwide. AirBridgeCargo's new Boeing 747-400 Freighter is powered by General Electric CF6-80C2 engines.

"The Boeing 747-400 Freighter is the world's leading cargo airplane and will bring new efficiencies to AirBridgeCargo," said Gennady Pivovarov, senior vice president of Production, AirBridgeCargo. "The 747-400 Freighter will allow us to provide superior service to our customers, while reducing operating costs and increasing reliability and profitability. It will help us to open new routes and explore business opportunities in new markets, in particular North America."

The most recent Boeing World Air Cargo Forecast projects that the cargo market between the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe will grow at an overall average annual rate of 5.7% during the 2005 - 2025 forecast period.

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