16 July 2002
FEDEX SIGNS FOR 10 A380s
FedEx has signed a contract for ten firm orders plus ten options of the A380 freighter version of the aircraft.
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, will take its first delivery of the aircraft in 2008. In total, Airbus will deliver three A380F aircraft to FedEx in 2008, plus three in 2009 and 2010, and one in 2011. FedEx has not yet announced its engine selection.
“This is a major milestone for FedEx on two counts,” says FedEx Corporation Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Fred Smith. “The agreement secures the most efficient, long-range aircraft in the world for the future needs of the FedEx fleet.”
“FedEx was one of 20 carriers that worked from the beginning with Airbus on the concept of the A380,” says Airbus President and Chief Executive Officer Noël Forgeard. “It’s very rewarding to see that early participation in the programme has resulted in the creation of an aircraft that our customers not just want, but order. FedEx is the third customer to place a firm order for the A380 freighter, which offers 20 per cent lower tonne/mile costs than other freighters.”
The FedEx A380F will carry a freight load of 150 tonnes/330,000 pounds (with a cargo volume capacity of 40,000 cubic feet) a distance of nearly 6,000nm. These performance characteristics mean the A380F can cross the Pacific in a single flight, eliminating up to a day from door-to-door delivery time.
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