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ERJs converted into freight planes?

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It can't even take all the the people and all the bags now. This will be a freighter like all the parked J31s and Saabs are.
 
"after the airlines are done with them"?? are you f'n kidding? After 10 years the best thing that could happen to an RJ is for it to have the engine and avionics taken out andused as an artificial reef down in FL or something. Talk about a "throw away" airplane...if there was ever one, that is it.
 
If you look around the web, there's more than one company offering conversions of ATR's for freight use. I think this where you are going to see the expansion of the feeder industry...larger turbo props. You might see the SAAB 340's and Beech 1900's coming to replace all those Jetstreams that places like Superior use.

Interesting question on whether or not regional jets will make it to the cargo world, though. At the feeders, it seems as if we have a pretty good working relationship with mainline...so I would have to say that I would rather not see any regional jets down by us, ever. A couple more ATR-42's would be nice, but I don't want to see our "happy home" disturbed with the mainline v. regional type stuff you guys have at the passenger airlines.
 
FlyChicaga said:
Hmm, like a Lear cabin?

Lears carry bank checks....which is not something that requires a very wide cabin, and is not something that would require an airplane as large as an ERJ either.
 
I think I saw an ATR painted up in cargo colors down in Tennessee last month.

As for the disposable ERJ, I couldn't agree more. I just flew two of the old birds and I could swear I saw a gremlin climbing on the wing messing everything up.
 
what about a CRJ, then? isn't their cabin bigger than an ERJ? i've never been in one, so i dunno, but i think that i remember hearing the seats go 2 seats, aisle, 2 seats. does it have a better payload capacity than the ERJ?
 
labbats said:
I think I saw an ATR painted up in cargo colors down in Tennessee last month.

When CoEx retired the ATR, they sold the ones we owned (not leased) to one of the Fed Ex feeders.

There's one that stays in LFT as well.
 
This is a very realistic idea. Even with a load limit of 8000lbs it would offer good range to connect to the FedEx, UPS and DHL hubs to smaller cities. Especially if the aircraft could be utilized for more than 2 legs a day. JMHO.
 
T-REX said:
Why not post this on the major forums as well?? Im sure some UPS/FDX guys might have some input on RJs flying feeder work for them.
Touche. Wouldn't that be a kicker? All of these freight dawgs who think that their career is so secure compared to the airlines. The same thing will happen in freight, its just a matter of time. All thanks to the Wal Mart world that we live in.
 

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