TNT Boeing 757 combi for NATO

[sn26567]

In reply to a queestion of KLM asking whether they were the only airline still flying combi aircraft, Johan Vanneste has this surprising answer on Twitter: "No you are not the only airline with combi aircraft. TNT Airways has 757 Combi under construction for NATO, to enter service Jan 2012."

This is a scoop for me. Does anyone have further information?

[andorra-airport]

You mean this? (In Dutch) http://www.express.be/sectors/nl/logist ... 130073.htm

[stratofreighter]

More info:
http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php? ... 2&p=514610

[andorra-airport]

In reply to a queestion of KLM asking whether they were the only airline still flying combi aircraft

No, they are not, Air France (F-GISD) , Alaska Airlines, Asiana , Air China, and others like Air Cathams. I guess even moren I just had a quick look......

[Homo Aeroportus]

quote from Express.be :
AWACS is gevestigd in het Duitse Gelsenkrichen, waar zeventien radarvliegtuigen operationeel zijn ...
end quote.

So they moved?

I still remember when the AWACS were based at GEILENKIRCHEN, ETNG.


H.A.

[AF036]

TNT has a B757-200 (ex OH-AFK) under conversion at ST Aerospace's Singapore facility.
It is targeted for redelivery to TNT by end-2011.
Belgian CAA officialy attributed registration OO-TFA in March 2011.
OO-TFB was also reserved for them...

[Bertrand21]

US-based Global Aviation Holdings and Singapore Technologies Engineering announced that North American Airlines (a subsidiary of Global) would be the launch customer for a 757-200 passenger-to-combi program offered by VT Systems (ST Engineering’s North American subsidiary). This follows the announcement in September of a 757-200 P-to-combi conversion program by Pemco (with National Air Cargo as the launch customer), and the November launch of Precision Conversions’ 757 combi program by Cargo Aircraft Management (CAM).

The impetus for all three programs is the expectation that the US military will soon issue an RFP for airlift to replace the DC-8 combis currently operated by Air Transport International (which, like CAM, is a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group). There is also likely to be a small market worldwide for a combi version of the 757-200. It is an aircraft well-suited to the needs of military support operations, but demand for it will not be anywhere near as big as the market for the pure freighter version. (ST Aero has already converted two 757-200s to multi-role military transport configuration for the New Zealand Air Force.)

Nonetheless, we now have three carriers launching programs at three conversion houses, all aimed at a program that will require only a small handful of aircraft, and which will be awarded to only one competitor. What will become of the other two? Cargo Facts suspects (though we don’t know for sure), that some or all of the programs will be carried only to the point at which the road forks between combi and freighter. That is, the engineering will be completed, and the aircraft modified with a large cargo door. Then, the winner will carry on with a cargo compartment in front and a passenger compartment in the rear, but the losers will have the option of going to full freighter configuration.

[stratofreighter]

Photo of the first 757 combi for NATO still being painted @ Singapore:
http://twitpic.com/7qh2vc
Yep, NATO grey...

[earthman]

Photo of the first 757 combi for NATO still being painted @ Singapore:
http://twitpic.com/7qh2vc
Yep, NATO grey...

They seem to have forgotten to mask the cockpit windows before painting...

[stratofreighter]

And the TNT Boeing 757 OO-TFA Combi for NATO has finally arrived at Luik/Liege.

Photo: http://skyliner-aviation.de/viewphoto.m ... picid=7715

Photo by: Simon Camps (Date: 18.03.2012)
Airline: TNT Airways [OO-TFA]
Type: Boeing 757-200
Airport: Belgium Liege (LGG)

Comment: TNT Airways hat eine erste Being 757-200 übernommen, die in Singapur zum Passagier & Fracht-Kombi umgebaut wurde und für die NATO zum Einsat kommen wird.
/
TNT Airways acquired a first Boeing 757-200, having been converted at Singpaore to a passenger & cargo combi aircraft to be operated on behalf of the NATO.

[WC_EEND]

The stealthy grey quite suits the 757 actually.

[sn26567]

TNT has asked the US Department of Transportation (DOT) an authorisation to fly passengers between the US and the EU in their 757 combi OO-TFA used as a charter.

DOT has just granted the authorisation, and TNT has already since a long time the authorisation to fly passengers out of the EU on charter flights.

When and between which airports will be the first passenger charter flight? I'm curious. Just remember that the aircraft is usually based at Geilenkirchen Military Airport and used for NATO as a logistics aircraft in support of the E-3A component (AWACS).

[andorra-airport]

Half of that aircraft has no windows.. Is everybody going to sit in the back?

(edit- although I found out that Alaska does the same: http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4043/4607 ... a661_z.jpg)

[flightlover]

Sad not see a lot more combi planes. An A380 combi would make sense to me.

[sn26567]

TNT Airways Boeing 757-200 Combi [OO-TFA] Landing in Los Angeles LAX

[Tomskii]

I thought TNT Express stopped pax flights (mainly with the 737's and Bae146's) so due to this contract they do use the 757 partly as a chartered pax plane right?

[Lenoest]

To confirm Tomskii's thoughts, indeed TNT Airways stopped all PAX flight, and all QC aircraft (737 and BAe146) have left the fleet.
And to answer Andorra-airport's question. Yes, a combi aircraft has a defined main deck freight section (here at the front), and another PAX section (here at the back).

[Nevihta]

OE-LFB is a "new" 757 for TNT, not combi this time, wearing new colors

[Bralo20]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/l8rmt/17150633205

[KriVa]

Looks like they ran out of paint somewhere in the middle.
I'm not a fan of the new livery, but that just might be because I found the old one stupendously beautiful.