SmartLynx takes delivery of 1st A321PCF

SmartLynx has taken delivery of its first of two A321PCFs. The aircraft, registered 9H-CGA (891), was handed over to the airline on 10 June. The Airbus was previously operated by Air Méditerranée as F-GYAR (between 2004-2015) and Swiss as HB-IOJ (between 1998-2004).

It had been stored for a while before being picked-up by lessor Vallair and marked for conversion into a freighter. It served as the prototype for the A321PCF-programme launched by Precision Aerospace and converted at that company's site at Orlando-Sandford (FL).

After receiving certification, it was flown to Montpellier in France on 18 May 2021, where it was painted before the hand-over to SmartLynx.

As previously reported by us, SmartLynx will operate its A321PCFs for DHL and the duo will be based out of Leipzig and integrated into DHL's European network.

The airline now has a fleet of eight A320s, nine A321s (one freighter) and two A330-300s, spread between the airline's AOCs in Latvia and Malta.

Photo by SmartLynx.