ABX aircraft in CVG

[AV82SKI]

I was just curious as to why there are always eight to ten ABX DC-9's parked on the DHL ramp in CVG every time I am there. They always seem to be in the ABX paint as opposed to the DHL yellow. Hopefully, they are not just being stored there, but it does look like a DC-9 graveyard.

My guess is that ABX has more A/C than needed and they are stored in CVG bacause of a lack of ramp space in Wilmington. Someone tell me the real story.

 

[abxaviator]

Nothing else to tell, your "guess" is correct.

 

[Clipperskip]

ABX A/C in CVG

These aircraft in CVG are in "Hot" or Cold" storage. The "Hot" storage A/C are occassionally swapped out with operationaly A/C in KILN. As of Saturday May 13th there were 16 DC-9s and 3 DC-8s.

 

[AV82SKI]

These aircraft in CVG are in "Hot" or Cold" storage. The "Hot" storage A/C are occassionally swapped out with operationaly A/C in KILN. As of Saturday May 13th there were 16 DC-9s and 3 DC-8s.

Oh well, not what I really wanted to hear. The number seems to be slowly increasing everytime I pass through CVG. So much for being hopefull for ABX to finish recalling and possibly hiring anytime soon.

Seems strange to park so many DC-9's while ordering 767's. I hope they have a good PLAN to use the 767's.

Best of luck to the ABX'ers.

 

[abxaviator]

While I would certainly prefer to see those 9's on the line full-time, I don't think it's a bad trade to add 767's. When I started we had 76 DC-9's and zero 767's; now we're flying about 60 DC-9's (plus those that are parked) and 42 767's flying/bought (don't know where the DC-8 fleet stands right now). I say, keep 'em coming! DHL changes the routes and cities seemingly weekly, hopefully that will settle out at some point, but I don't expect it will for a couple more years while they fight for market share and profitability in the US.

 

[LarryinTN]

FWIW, The DC9 fleet peaked at 74 aircraft.

 

[abxaviator]

picky, picky

 

[Bitter]

From what I am hearing, many more 9's and the rest of the 8's are headed to CVG, probably before the summer is out.

With MCI, DET and EWR set to be given to Astar in June, how much longer will we have an 8 fleet? With only ORD,BWI and MDT left, probably not long before Astar gets those too!!

It looks like ABX maintence is packing up in EWR, should be out some time in June. The entire station is to go to Astar, and as they don't have spare lift, they wet leased the fliying to Express.net.

The race to the bottom has begun. With CAT & Express.net hungrily looking for work, come the end of June, it seems Astar will get many more 9 cities to wet lease out, just like EWR.

What is DHL thinking?

My guess, is that furlough letters are imminent!!

At this rate ABX will be a 45 airplane airline in a year or so......a 300 hundred pilot airline............So much potential, so sad!

 

[freighthound]

You would worry me Bitter if you were ever right, but based on past posts there is very little fact in what you say.

The real problem is if the Germans don't hurry up and figure out that on time performance is the driving factor in competing in the US express market,then ABX, ASTAR, CAT, ExpressJet, Joe's fly by night service , etc won't have to worry about work because the entire system will be carried in one suitcase.

You can't leave freight sitting in an airplane, truck, sort center, etc. Americans expect there shipments to arrive on time. DHL is now in the express business, as well as handling oversized freight. I have to believe all the loses are getting at least a little attention.

Personally I don't fear other carriers because if DHL Worldwide thinks they can compete with UPS and FedEx with carriers whose subpar dispatch rates then the overall plan is doomed to failure.

For now I won't worry about all ABX's plans being parked, especially since I'm busy watching for the bird flu and keeping a good eye on the sky since I just saw a posting that it may be falling. Who is this Rhoid guy anyway?

 

[erichartmann]

The 8's have been going away for years Bitter. That's not new.

Unless something has changed since I last heard we now have two 76's down because of the mecury spill. 702 may not be economically repairable. I'm told at the very least it needs a new floor. I don't know if the power's that be will spend that kind of money or simply scrap it and look for a new airframe. Either way we're down an airframe for months.

I don't know what the decision is on 767AX.

So it's choice time. 811 was scheduled to be retired rather than "C" checked. Do we check it, at the cost of several million dollars and two months out of service which doesn't help the lift problem casued by the loss of 702, and by which time another 767SF should be in service, or do we simply park it and contact the needed lift elsewhere for the time being. From a business stand point I know what I would do, particularly if I could contract the lift at less cost than operating a DC-8-63 which I had planned to retire anyway.