Still No Plane... But Plenty Of LOIs

Officials of Freight Feeder Aircraft Corporation tell ANN the end of 2008 marks the 1st anniversary of incorporation and acquisition of the program. Freight Feeder Aircraft Corporation was formed as a US private corporation in December 2007, when it acquired the Freight Feeder aircraft technology and development program from Utilicraft Aerospace Industries, Inc.

While the company has yet to fly its redesigned FF5000 widebody turboprop cargo feeder aircraft, FFAC says it has accomplished several milestones over the past year. Company officials say they have $825,000,000 in potential sales from worldwide customers, confirmed with signed Letters of Intent (LOI) for the purchase of 50 FF5000s from operators in Africa, Europe, and Australia.

FFAC underwent a "strategic re-design" of Utilicraft's original FF-1080 concept earlier this year, widening the high-wing aircraft's cargo deck to accommodate larger 96in x 125in "main deck" standard industry containers and pallets. The company says it has since received revised production tooling from its primary subcontractor, Metalcraft Technologies, Inc., and construction of the prototype is "well underway."

"These significant first year milestones have been achieved without a major global marketing campaign, without a flying demonstrator prototype aircraft, and with limited capital investment," said John J. Dupont, President and CEO of Freight Feeder.

The company says it will wait to launch a global marketing push for the aircraft until the prototype makes its first flight, an event not expected to occur before late 2009.

The main appeal of such an aircraft lies in its ability to accept a loaded cargo container off a freight operator's larger, full-sized aircraft, without the need for breaking down that container's contents. Currently, regional providers for companies such as FedEx and UPS must unload those containers, and transfer the contents onto much smaller aircraft -- such as FedEx's C208 Cargomaster fleet, or any number of aged piston or turboprop planes -- for transport to outlying areas.

FMI: www.utilicraft.com, www.freightfeeder.com