Kalitta Air adds two 777-300ERSF freighters to its fleet

Kalitta Air, a major American cargo airline, has taken delivery of two 777-300ERSF freighters, also known as the ‘Big Twin,’ converted by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

The two aircraft are Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) 32789 and MSN 32792. MSN 32789, registered as N778CK, is a 20.5-year-old former Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, while MSN 32792, registered as N770CK, is also an ex-Emirates 777-300ER and 19.3 years old, according to the data from Planespotters.net.

Kalitta Air plans to place both aircraft into revenue operations in early October, with further deliveries of the aircraft taking place over the coming weeks.

Flightradar24 data confirms that both aircraft have arrived at Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport (OSC) in Oscoda, Michigan, which serves as a major operational base and maintenance facility for Kalitta Air. Both freighters flew from Tel Aviv (TLV) with a stopover in Detroit (DTW). N778CK departed TLV at 20:13 hrs on September 11 and landed at OSC at 02:34 hrs on September 12, while N770CK left TLV at 19:54 hrs on September 12 and arrived at OSC at 03:33 hrs on September 13.

Both aircraft are on lease from the lessor AerCap. Notably, Kalitta Air is the launch customer for IAI’s 777-300ERSF.

Following the delivery of these two aircraft, five more 777-300ERSFs are scheduled to join Kalitta Air’s fleet, with some already converted and slated for delivery in the coming months. According to data from Planespotters.net, the aircraft are registered as N769CK, N770CK, N771CK, N778CK, N779CK, N780CK, and N790CK, of which N778CK and N770CK have now been delivered to the carrier.

“We are delighted to deliver the very first 777-300ERSF to our unwavering partner Kalitta Air, who have been with us shoulder to shoulder throughout this journey. With certification now received from both the CAAI and FAA, we are pleased to begin delivering the aircraft to our customers, a significant milestone for the program,” says Aengus Kelly, CEO of AerCap.

IAI’s 777-300ERSF programme faced delays primarily due to the pending Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other regulatory agencies, which pushed back aircraft deliveries.

Earlier this month, IAI secured the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from both the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI).

To date, the company has secured around 60 conversion orders. The 777-300ERSF conversion programme was launched by AerCap in partnership with IAI in October 2019. The deal was initially announced by GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), which was later acquired by AerCap in November 2021 in a $30 billion transaction.

In March this year, Japan Airlines (JAL) and Kalitta Air announced a codeshare partnership for regular cargo flights on the Narita–Chicago route, with operations scheduled to begin on May 10, 2025. At the time, JAL noted that Kalitta would deploy its 777-300ERSF on the service. However, the route has been operated instead by Kalitta’s Boeing 747-400 freighters, initially planned only for a limited period from April 4 to 26. Current Flightradar24 data shows that the route is now being served only by JAL’s passenger flights using the Boeing 777-300ER.

Connie Kalitta, CEO of Kalitta Air, says, “Kalitta Air has always embraced new technology to serve our customers, and we are proud to be the launch operator for the first 777-300ERSF. This aircraft will give us greater range and payload capability to meet growing demand in the global cargo market.”

With the delivery of the 777-300ERSF, Kalitta Air may eventually begin operating the sector as planned.

Kalitta Air currently operates a fleet of 32 aircraft, comprising 22 Boeing 747-400 freighters, 8 Boeing 777 freighters, and 2 777-300ERSF freighters.

The global cargo carrier operates both scheduled and charter services across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.