Oct 9, 2026 · 41 min · 9 segments
In this week’s episode, **Mike Yeomans** speaks with **Jonathan McDonald** about the trends shaping the cargo aircraft market, from sustained demand for older freighters such as the 767 and A300 to…
Jonathan McDonaldGuest
Mike YeomansHost
So, I mean, August, I beg your pardon, September the 29th, Tuesday, September the 29th, the A350F made its first flight.
um stream of the event the aircraft took off on time um mid-morning um to lose time into lovely clear skies accompanied i think by a falcon slightly gusty conditions but not a problem so they had nice clear weather in which to make a flight which i think lasted about four hours and ten minutes maybe four hours and fourteen that kind of area throughout the Occitanie region of France, the southwest region of France, where Toulouse happily sits.
The aircraft looked fantastic in its new colours, special colour scheme devised by two young gentlemen who I believe themselves are progressing really well with their careers now in the aviation industry.
But I do think it's a very historic day in terms of, you know, on the more serious sort of business aspect of matters.
I say 90 tons because the lowest capacity aircraft in the heavy sector at the moment is the now admittedly rather rare MD-11, but at least that aircraft is now back in service with FedEx following its grounding.
But everything above that kind of transgresses 100 tons converted 777 freighters, Boeing's own 777F, which we'll come to in a moment, which is 103 tons.
Then, of course, the 747s, the 400Fs, all the way through to the 8Fs, which are, you know, can go up to 130 tons plus.
It's virtually the same size as the 777-8F in terms of dimensions, which will come out in a few years' time.
It's a slightly larger aircraft than today's 777-F. both dimensionally and capability-wise, cargo capability-wise.
But the real significance is, you know, this large aircraft sector has historically been dominated by Boeing.
So going back a little bit in history, Lufthansa Cargo took delivery of the first JT9D powered 747-200F aircraft.
And really, in terms of, you know, in those days, that was just above 100 ton capacity for those earlier gross weight 747s.
And since then, you know, Boeing delivered substantial numbers of 200 freighters up until 1991.
So, I mean, August, I beg your pardon, September the 29th, Tuesday, September the 29th, the A350F made its first flight.
um stream of the event the aircraft took off on time um mid-morning um to lose time into lovely clear skies accompanied i think by a falcon slightly gusty conditions but not a problem so they had nice clear weather in which to make a flight which i think lasted about four hours and ten minutes maybe four hours and fourteen that kind of area throughout the Occitanie region of France, the southwest region of France, where Toulouse happily sits.
The aircraft looked fantastic in its new colours, special colour scheme devised by two young gentlemen who I believe themselves are progressing really well with their careers now in the aviation industry.
But I do think it's a very historic day in terms of, you know, on the more serious sort of business aspect of matters.
I say 90 tons because the lowest capacity aircraft in the heavy sector at the moment is the now admittedly rather rare MD-11, but at least that aircraft is now back in service with FedEx following its grounding.
But everything above that kind of transgresses 100 tons converted 777 freighters, Boeing's own 777F, which we'll come to in a moment, which is 103 tons.
Then, of course, the 747s, the 400Fs, all the way through to the 8Fs, which are, you know, can go up to 130 tons plus.
It's virtually the same size as the 777-8F in terms of dimensions, which will come out in a few years' time.
It's a slightly larger aircraft than today's 777-F. both dimensionally and capability-wise, cargo capability-wise.
But the real significance is, you know, this large aircraft sector has historically been dominated by Boeing.
So going back a little bit in history, Lufthansa Cargo took delivery of the first JT9D powered 747-200F aircraft.
And really, in terms of, you know, in those days, that was just above 100 ton capacity for those earlier gross weight 747s.
And since then, you know, Boeing delivered substantial numbers of 200 freighters up until 1991.
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