AEI delivers first dhl b737-400sf 11 pallet conversion to southern air

Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI), is pleased to announce that it has delivered the first of five B737-400SF freighters to Southern Air who will operate for DHL Express in the Americas. The first aircraft is a standard gross weight B737-400SF (MSN 29487) built in 1999 and was converted at Commercial Jet’s Dothan facility, which is one of five authorized AEI Conversion Centers worldwide. The aircraft was sourced, and financing provided thru Strategic Air Finance LLC. This is AEI’s 6th of the anticipated 30+ freighters to be delivered in 2014.

“We operate Southern Air to the same exacting standards as DHL and will continue to enhance our fleet and air cargo capabilities in order to offer DHL safe, reliable and fuel efficient air lift at competitive costs,” said Daniel J. McHugh, Southern Air’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “AEI’s collaborative approach was instrumental in converting these aircraft from passenger to full freighter capability in record time.”

Current planned routes for the B737-400SF’s include flights from Caracas (CCS) Venezuela, to Barbados (BGI) and Trinidad and Tobago (POS) in the Caribbean, as well as from Caracas to Bogota (BOG) Colombia, and Panama (PTY). In the United States, the B737-400SF’s will add flights from the DHL Express Cincinnati Hub in (CVG) to several cities along the Northeast and Midwest, including Philadelphia (PHL), Hartford (BDL) and St. Louis (STL).

The AEI B737-400SF is the only passenger to freighter conversion product that offers operators ten full height 88” x 125” container positions. This unique capability is achievable due to AEI’s Main Deck Cargo Door location which is approximately 40” further back than the competition. The additional container position increases AEI’s volumetric carrying capability by 10% which places the freighter in a class by itself.