Kalitta flies Big Twin’s first commercial flight for DHL

The first Boeing 777-300ERSF Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) converted aircraft, registered as N779CK, completed its first commercial flight for DHL Express operated by Kalitta Air as K4510 from Cincinnati to Atlanta on Tuesday (October 7, 2025). The aircraft flew back from Atlanta to Cincinnati on Wednesday. 

The first four B777-300ERSF, which are part of a larger seven-aircraft order, was delivered to the US operator Kalitta in September 2025. Kalitta Air became the launch operator of AerCap Cargo 777-300ERSF conversion programme in 2020, as part of their strategy to replace their ageing Boeing 747 freighter fleet.

Nicknamed The Big Twin, the B777-300ERSF is the first passenger-to-freighter conversion of Boeing’s 777-300ER model. Developed jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the aircraft lessor and financier AerCap, the aircraft promises greater efficiency and payload capacity than earlier widebody freighters.

According to Aercap, “the 777-300ERSF is poised to redefine the future of air freight with an impressive capacity of 100 metric tons / 220,000 pounds payload, 811 m3 / 28,640ft3, and can significantly lower operating costs versus in-service widebody freighters.”

In early September, IAI received the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from both the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAI). Launched in October 2019, the programme has lined up around 60 conversion orders so far.

The project was originally announced by GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), which AerCap later acquired in November 2021 as part of a $30 billion deal.

In a parallel move to support its growing freighter operations, DHL Express began construction on a 305,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art aviation maintenance facility and expanded aircraft apron at its Global Hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) in October 2024.

The $292 million facility, expected to be fully operational by January 2026, will be able to house two Boeing 777s side by side. With this expansion project, the facility will accommodate maintenance tasks for DHL's fleet of 737s, 767s, and 777s.

The expansion also includes the addition of 300 employees to support the new facility under a joint venture between DHL Express and Kalitta Air. The two partners will jointly oversee critical aircraft maintenance, leveraging Kalitta Air’s long-standing experience in providing maintenance, repair, and overhaul services to global customers.