Irish Aviation Research Institute

                                                                    Ethiopian Cargo has taken delivery of its third Boeing 737-800 freighter, with the aircraft transiting Dublin on it's delivery flight from the United States. The aircraft underwent its passenger to freighter (P2F) conversion at Aeronautical Engineering, Inc. authorized Conversion Center, Commercial Jet, in Miami. The aircraft registered ET-AYL Boeing 737-804(F) msn 32903 routed Dothan-Washington Dulles-Dublin-Addis Ababa on the 23-25 March 2021 using callsign 'ETH 9201'. The aircraft landed in Dublin at 1950 local on 24 March departing next day at 1104 local. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said "I would like to express my delight upon the delivery of the B737-800SF converted freighter aircraft. The delivery of the aircraft is a significant addition to our freighter capacity and frequency and will enhance our capability to serve short-haul destinations in Africa and the Middle Ea

                                                                  Thursday 18th March saw a very unique Belarus airline Rada Airlines operated EW-450TR Ilyushin Il-62MGr serial number 4546257 arrive in Shannon Airport from Orsha Belarus for an overnight stop departing next day to Zargeb, Croaita. The aircraft has a very interesting history with first flight on 31st October 1985 later delivered to East German carrier Interflug on 12th December 1985 as DDR-SET later taking up registration D-AOAK. It was later sold by Interflug with service across the CIS with a number of carriers Aeroflot, Abakan-Avia, Uzbekistan Airways, Panaf Airways and KAPO Gorbunov. The airline Rada Airlines has no base airport as such but has agreements with the airports in Orsha and Gomel in Belarus. In an interview with Russian Aviation Insider CCO Dmitry Ishchenko said "As a charter airline we are planning to fly around the world without being tied to Belarus".  The airline operates a fleet of two TCO-

                                                                  On Thursday 25th March new Maltese carrier Malta Medair Airbus A320-214 registered 9H-AEO msn 2768 visited Dublin operating a charter to and from Malta as MMO1220/1 arriving at 1051 local departing at 1148 local. The aircraft is painted in "Valletta - European Capital of Culture" special colours and operated in 168 seat class economy layout. Malta MedAir is a private company registered under the name of Malta Air Travel Ltd, with its main shareholder being the Government of Malta. The company is operating as a European-based airline and was registered in Malta in January 2018 operating a single A320-200, 9H-AEO (msn 2768). The airline flies under a Maltese AOC and provides a range of services to aviation and non-aviation business customers in Europe and beyond. The airline’s activities include ACMI and charters both for short and long term. Image courtesy of Elevationair   Irish Aviation Research Institute © 28