Latest news with #Awesome
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mexican carrier Awesome Cargo receives first heavy-duty A330 freighter
Startup Mexican airline Awesome Cargo, which provides dedicated aircraft and flight service to logistics companies and other customers, has taken delivery of its first fully capable freighter aircraft after operating two light-duty freighters since its inception 18 months ago. Airbus affiliate Elbe Flugzeugwerke announced Tuesday it has completed the first conversion of an Airbus A330 passenger jet to cargo configuration for Air Lease Corp., which is leasing the plane to Awesome Cargo. The A330-200 converted by EFW is an ex-Alitalia airframe that was operated until last year by ITA Airways. After some training flights on Wednesday, the aircraft will depart Dresden, Germany, for another facility where it will be painted, EFW spokeswoman Anke Lemke said in an email. Awesome couldn't be reached by press time to determine a specific entry-into-service date, but the company is likely to carry out training and other procedures before flying commences later this summer. Awesome Cargo, incorporated as TM Aerolineas S.A., currently leases two Airbus A330-200 aircraft that were temporarily modified with a Class E cargo compartment to carry light boxes in the main cabin. The partial modification, which is less capital-intensive than a full overhaul but quicker to complete, involved removing the seats and other cabin structures and adding a smoke detection system. The use of auxiliary passenger-freighters was common during the COVID crisis, when travel dried up and airlines yanked seats from some aircraft to take advantage of soaring cargo demand to earn revenue. Industry experts say the planes don't make economic sense at normal cargo rates, especially when fuel prices are high, because the capacity is much less than a heavy-duty freighter and manually loading through the narrow cabin door is labor intensive. Only one of Awesome's aircraft is currently in service, according to Flightradar24 tracking data. Awesome and Air Lease plan to fully retrofit the two aircraft with a cargo door, reinforced floors and walls, and a cargo loading system so they can handle large containers on the main deck. Based at Felipe Angeles International Airport outside Mexico City, Awesome Cargo operates twice weekly to China, via Los Angeles International Airport (returning via Seoul, South Korea, and Anchorage, Alaska), and to Latin America for e-commerce platforms and logistics providers. On May 6, it began a weekly service focused on perishable goods from Tijuana Airport in Mexico to Zhengzhou, China, under a contract with California-based ARC Global Logistics, according to a LinkedIn post. Flight data only shows two Tijuana-China flights so far. The A330-200 converted freighter has a gross payload of 61 tons at a maximum range of 4,200 nautical miles. It is more suited for heavier, general cargo, whereas the A330-300 is the preferred choice for lighter e-commerce shipments because of its extra volume. 'We are adopting a strategic approach that balances fleet expansion with market demand and operational efficiency,' said Awesome Cargo CEO and founder Luis Ramos in the EFW news release. Ramos previously held a senior management position at Mexican carrier Aerounion before taking over as CEO of Mexican ground handling and sales agent Aerocharter de Mexico in 2016. Aerocharter established a U.S. subsidiary at Los Angeles International Airport and then established Awesome Cargo. In 2024, Aerocharter formed a joint venture with PrimeFlight Aviation Services. It typically takes about nine months to convert an A330 to cargo configuration. EFW has fallen behind schedule with A330 deliveries since 2023 because of labor, engine and supply chain challenges, as well as some management missteps. But all aircraft manufacturers and conversion shops are experiencing some level of delay these days for similar reasons. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. Sign up for the weekly American Shipper Air newsletter here. Air Canada reaffirms cargo commitment after 777 freighter cancellation New Air Canada freighters help offset decline in cargo revenue The post Mexican carrier Awesome Cargo receives first heavy-duty A330 freighter appeared first on FreightWaves.
CBC
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
As son battles cancer, London musician's guitar raffle raises thousands for charity
Enter the Haggis guitarist says guitar raffle raised nearly $50K for cancer charities Image | Enter the Haggis Caption: Enter The Haggis performing at their last show in Troy, New York. Left to Right: James Campbell: percussion, Trevor Lewington: guitar/vocals, Tom Barraco: drums. (One Awesome Night Photography) After three decades, a London musician is stepping back from touring to be with his 12-year-old son, who is battling brain cancer. Trevor Lewington plays guitar and sings in the Celtic rock group Enter the Haggis, which performed their final shows in mid-March in Troy, N.Y. The band's sound features bagpipes, a violin and trumpet, and it' been featured in films and on television, including a PBS special. During the band's 18-show final tour in the U.S., Lewington says he decided to raffle off his first-ever guitar, a 1991 American Telecaster purchased at a Toronto pawn shop in the 90s, to raise money to fight paediatric brain cancer. After selling nearly $50,000 worth of raffle tickets to fans during the tour, the band held a draw on Mar. 25, and on Thursday, Lewington presented cheques of the proceeds to two London-based charities. More than $35,000 was donated to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, and more than $11,000 to Childcan. "It's beyond the financial support. It's just knowing ... there's a community of people that are there," he said. Childcan has been particularly helpful for the family over the past year, he added. "They're always reaching out to see how we're doing and trying to see whatever they can offer." Image | Enter the Haggis cheque presentation Caption: Trevor Lewington (second from the left) presents a cheque to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. Lewington - a guitarist and singer with the band Enter the Haggis - raffled his 1991 Fender Telecaster to raise money for cancer research. His 12-year-old son is currently battling brain cancer. (Matt Allen/CBC Radio) Open Image in New Tab Jennifer Schmittlein of Massachusetts won the raffle, and gifted the guitar to her husband, Jeffrey. The couple have become friends of the band over the years, and in January, took part in Camp Haggis, an annual winter getaway the band holds in Vermont. At the camp, Jennifer approached Lewington, asking if she could buy one of his guitars for Jeffrey's birthday. Out of sheer coincidence, the couple also took home the raffle Telecaster. "We bought one ticket, and out of the thousands of people that bought a lot of tickets, we got lucky," Jeffrey Schmittlein said. The two have followed the band for a long time, attending several shows during the final tour, he said. Media Audio | Afternoon Drive : London musician donates proceeds from guitar sale to fight pediatric brain cancer Caption: Trevor Lewington, a guitarist with the band Enter the Haggis has raffled off his first-ever guitar and raised $50,000 in the process, with proceeds going to pediatric brain cancer charities, as his own son battles the disease. Winners Jeffrey Schmittlein and his wife Jennifer are the lucky fans who took home the guitar. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. After hearing the news about Lewington's son, "I said ... we have to help support Trevor in this project. This is amazing, and he's an amazing guy." Enter the Haggis is known for playing New Year's shows every year at Iron Horse, a venue in Northampton not far from the couple's home. (Lewington proposed to his wife in the venue's green room during one of the annual shows.) During a recent show in Maine, the band was asked to name their favourite place to play gigs. Jeffrey thought the answer would be Iron Horse, but instead, "they talked about so many places and so many people." "It hit me, they know their fans' first names and who they are and what their life is like from so many other places," he said. Not only is the band musically creative and talented, but "they're also just nice people," he said. Back home in London, Lewington says the family's perspective on life has changed since their son's cancer diagnosis, and spending quality time together is the main priority. He says the raffle is a good news story in the midst of the political turmoil engulfing the two countries. "We've had the pleasure of knowing so many wonderful people in the U.S. over the last 25 years of touring in the U.S." he said.
USA Today
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
With a dog named 'Awesome' by her side, Jin Young Ko looks to win fourth Founders Cup
With a dog named 'Awesome' by her side, Jin Young Ko looks to win fourth Founders Cup Show Caption Hide Caption Golfweek instruction video: How to practice properly for longer drives Averee Dovsek explains the key to unlocking power and that next level of endurance with practice on the range. Jin Young Ko typically begins each year with a winter training session in a warm place in Asia with a host of other students, including many juniors. But not this year. This time, the former No. 1 decided to bring her parents over to the U.S., along with the family dog, to gear up for 2025 in Florida. Ko's 9-year-old Maltese named Dae-bak, which translates to "Awesome" in English, captained the fan club at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions wearing a pair of red-rimmed sunglasses. Ko took a share of fourth in her TOC debut. Awesome heads next to the Founders Cup in Bradenton, Florida, where Ko looks to win that title for a fourth time over four different courses. "I had to stop by Dallas because he has to rest because of the long flight," said Ko of her dog's journey from South Korea. "He has jet lag when we were in Dallas. He's sleeping all day like two days in a row. Then he wakes me up 3 a.m. He was hungry." Ko, 29, said she often felt like she couldn't take a break at those winter training camps because all eyes were on her. In Florida, she could work at her own pace quietly with her manager and physio on hand to help. "I realize I'm getting old," she said. "I think I need to take time for myself." Until 2024, Ko had won on the LPGA every year dating to 2017. A 15-time winner on tour, the two-time major winner's last victory dates to the 2023 Founders Cup in New Jersey. Ko's first Founders Cup victory goes back to 2019 when the event was held in Arizona. She also won the tournament at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, New Jersey, and then again two years later at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton. This year's Founders Cup will be held Feb. 6-9 at Bradenton Country Club, site of last year's Drive On Championship, won by the hometown hero, Nelly Korda. Ko didn't compete in last year's event, so this will be her first time playing the Donald Ross design. The Drive On became the Founders Cup after Cognizant dropped its title sponsorship. While Ko came to the U.S. in early January, she actually got back to work on her game Dec. 1, taking only a week off after the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship. She has long been vocal about her desire to get into the LPGA Hall of Fame and needs seven more points to get there. "I want to win," said Ko. "I like to win. I like to win major, especially." Several years ago, it looked like Ko and Korda might engage in a back-and-forth rivalry on the LPGA, but injuries from both derailed that storyline. Ko has spent 163 weeks at World No. 1, while Korda sits at 83 weeks and counting. Now they head to Bradenton with their own unique history at an event that celebrates the LPGA's origins in this 75th anniversary season. Korda, who finished runner-up to A Lim Kim last week, matched Ko's Sunday effort of 65 at Lake Nona. They both walked off the course feeling good about what's to come. "This is what I love about golf," said Korda, "being in the hunt on a Sunday, going down the back nine." Ko called her tee-to-green efforts last week "perfect," but noted that she has 23 events left to go in 2025. Now in her eighth season on the LPGA, Ko hasn't played more than 19 events since 2019. "I'm still hungry," she said of a season that could hit all the right notes.
