Latest news with #ClassE
Yahoo
4 days ago
- 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.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Governor Jeff Landry addresses Louisiana OMV computer crisis with new commissioner
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has named a new Office of Motor Vehicles chief to address emergency deficiencies in the agency's ancient computer system that consistently crashes, creating delays and backlogs for customers and employees. Landry tapped his state Fire Marshal Bryan Adams to step in temporarily to oversee the agency. Previous Commissioner Dan Casey resigned last week. Adams eventually will return to his job as fire marshal. Adams said the agency is working closely with the state's office of technology to boost the current system's efficiency until a first round of new software can be implemented within 12 to 18 months. "We've been using Band-Aids to try to fix an outdated system from the 1970s; now we're going to upgrade to duct tape with our technology partners to stabilize the system until we can provide the permanent solution, which is a new system," Adams said in an interview with USA Today Network. The ongoing outages prompted Landry to declare a state of emergency March 21, waiving late fees for Louisianans to renew Class E licenses, the most common driver's license. "(Adams) is committed to modernizing the outdated OMV system to better serve the people and ensure it operates efficiently moving forward," Landry said in a statement. "I am excited to see Bryan Adams step into the role of commissioner, and I am confident he will work tirelessly to ensure the OMV serves the people as it should,' Adams said the Legislature is committed to fund the modernization of the OMV computer system and Landry's emergency declaration allows the state to finance the project with few procurement requirements to shorten the process. More: Louisiana wildlife secretary joins President Trump administration in key immigration role Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Here's the latest in Louisiana's Office of Motor Vehicles outage crisis
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Gov. Jeff Landry names new Louisiana OMV commissioner
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Gov. Jeff Landry named State Fire Marshal Bryan Adams as the new commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Landry said Deputy Chief/Chief of Staff Dale 'Ed' Branch will replace Adams as state fire marshal. Adams aims to return to the state fire marshal's office after he serves the OMV, the governor's office explained. 'With a lifelong career in public service and his experience as State Fire Marshal, Bryan Adams is exceptionally qualified to lead the Office of Motor Vehicles. He is committed to modernizing the outdated OMV system to better serve the people and ensure it operates efficiently moving forward. I am excited to see Bryan Adams step into the role of Commissioner, and I am confident he will work tirelessly to ensure the OMV serves the people as it should,' Landry said. Adams was appointed state fire marshal in January 2024. He has over 40 years of experience in fire service and plans to bring successful approaches to the OMV. 'I am thrilled about the opportunity to enhance service delivery within another state agency. I am dedicated to improving our systems and ensuring that we provide exceptional services to our citizens. Our current system has faced challenges for too long, and I am eager to bring the successful 'One Team' approach that we implemented at the State Fire Marshal's Office to the Office of Motor Vehicles. Together, we can make a meaningful difference,' Adams said. Landry announced Friday that Dan Casey had resigned as OMV commissioner. The resignation came as the OMV system has been experiencing frequent outages due to its aging mainframe applications. In a March 21 statement, the Office of Technology Services (OTS) and Unisys have been actively investigating outages but hadn't found the issue. The governor said work to find a permanent fix for system issues continues. An executive order signed by Landry on March 20 declared a state of emergency and suspended late fees for Class E driver's licenses up to 30 days past the expiration date. In other administrative changes at OMV, Landry announced Monday that Matthew Boudreaux will be the new OMV deputy commissioner. Landry merges homeland security agency with Louisiana National Guard NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams to discuss extended ISS stay Gov. Jeff Landry names new Louisiana OMV commissioner GOP senator: Trump 'wasn't advocating' for third term One dead, two hurt as car strikes pedestrians in Baton Rouge Sunday Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre says she has four days to live Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Louisiana OMV technical issues trigger emergency declaration
The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles location on Veterans Boulevard in New Orleans. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator) Gov. Jeff Landry has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana, citing the need to immediately address system outages at the state Office of Motor Vehicles that have caused crippling delays in processing drivers' licenses, vehicle titles and registration services. An executive order Landry issued Thursday notes that for the past several weeks, OMV's computer system has been experiencing frequent outages due to its 50-year-old mainframe applications. The state Office of Technology Services and Unisys, the state's IT contractor, are actively investigating the outages to restore stability to the system but have not been able to identify the issue, according to the governor. The order also notes the mainframe lacks redundancies, leaving it vulnerable to cyber attacks, though Landry spokeswoman Kate Kelly said she knew of no attacks that caused the most recent outages. OMV Commissioner Dan Casey cited a need for a completely new system to replace the current mainframe. 'We are grateful for Governor Landry's support in modernizing our system,' Casey said in a statement. 'We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience these outages may have caused.' In addition to inconveniencing drivers, the OMV shortcomings also impact law enforcement and other states that need to access motorist records. The state of emergency will give the governor enhanced powers to quickly procure a new system for OMV without having to go through the normal oversight and public bidding process. Landry's order also suspends late fees for Class E driver's license renewals, the most common one issued in Louisiana. The emergency status also allows the governor to bypass the state's procurement rules to purchase a replacement mainframe as soon as possible. The emergency remains in effect for 30 days, expiring on April 19, 2025. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
