Recent Projects

• Evaluated the market requirements for feeder freighter aircraft with pay­loads from 4,000 pounds to 20,000 pounds for manufacturers planning to de­velop new aircraft programs or freighter conversion programs for exist­ing passenger models. 
• Evaluated the market for transport category aircraft rang­ing in size from 737–300s to 747–400s. Some of this work was done at the request of leas­ing companies with ownership in aircraft suitable for freighter con­ver­sion. Other work was done at the request of engineering and/or mod­i­fi­ca­tion firms interested in the future prospects of specific passenger aircraft models for freighter aircraft application.

Freight Market Analysis

• Assembled and analyzed industry traffic flow data to validate the pro­posed route structure and flight equipment purchases for a major U.S. ex­press carrier.
• Provided market intelligence support to a major cargo airline.
• Identified airlines in Africa, South America and Asia-Pacific suitable to ACMI lease or dry lease 767-200 or 767-300 model freighter aircraft.

Business Plan and Financial Assessment

• Researched the financial structure, operating capacity, and business stra­tegies of U.S. domestic and international parcel express and courier firms for major investment banking institutions. 
• Provided comprehensive analysis of future widebody freighter demand to as­sist a start-up operator and its lenders to select the proper fleet of used passenger jets for conversion to freighter configuration. 
• Developed a business plan for an all-cargo carrier operating under bank­ruptcy protection that presented five-year projections of revenues, ex­pens­es and cash flows, identified new sources of revenues, recom­mended changes to the management structure and proposed changes to the car­rier’s airport leases, fuel contracts and aircraft financing com­mit­ments.
• Projected future freighter requirements by aircraft type through 2021, fore­cast­ing demand for freighters to double over a twenty year period. 
• Developed a business plan for an Asia-based client to enter the freighter air­craft conversion business for transport-category aircraft.

Aircraft Operations Planning and Performance

• Assisted in the launch of cargo operations for a start-up U.S. flag combi­na­tion carrier serving a developing overseas market, and for an estab­lished major airline beginning trans-Pacific service.
• Retained to audit current cargo operations for a major U.S. com­bin­ation car­rier involving evaluation of aircraft handling procedures, U.S. Postal Service and major forwarder/corporate account contracts, and cargo sales and marketing strategies for the carrier’s airport-to-airport freight, small pack­age and time-definite freight products.
• Assisted various airlines and airports in comparative route authority pro­ceedings before the U.S. Department of Transportation.
• Audited a national U.S. combination carrier’s cargo operations with the ob­jec­tive of developing a lower deck freight program concurrent with the de­li­very of a new aircraft type. The effort consisted of ACMG: (1) defining the current cargo market sizes of and competition in each of the carrier’s lane segments; (2) researching the current pricing environment within these lane segments and recommending changes to the carrier’s sales and marketing strategies to maximize yields; (3) reviewing the carrier’s staff levels at each station and making recommendations for adjustments to these levels; (4) identifying previously untapped sources of business from express companies, forwarders, major corporate accounts and government agencies; and (5) recommending freight management application vendors (e.g. EDS, Mercator, etc.) for the implementation of a new cargo control system. ACMG also evaluated the carrier’s contract ground handling ven­dors to ensure proper customer service levels and capabilities to handle existing and planned freight traffic.
• Sourced freighter aircraft support for a major Asia-based air cargo con­sol­i­da­tor.

Airports

• Completed a cargo development study that reviewed the cargo ca­pa­bil­i­ties and facilities of major international airports along the West Coast of the U.S. (i.e. LAX, SFO, PDX, SEA and ANC). The study provided a de­tailed evaluation of these airports’ existing and planned airport cargo ware­house facilities and ground handling companies. Further, ACMG evalu­ated the existing level of air cargo facilities and on-airport air cargo ser­vice providers at Vancouver International Airport, and recommended the development of additional ramp and warehouse facilities, additional ground handling companies and the acquisition of necessary cargo hand­ling equip­ment.
• Conducted marketing efforts to attract all-cargo carriers to Rickenbacker Field (LCK, Columbus, Ohio) following the termination of the Flying Tigers/FedEx lease. ACMG also completed a feasibility study evaluating the overall capabilities of the airport’s on-airport and off-airport cargo fa­cil­i­ties.
• Prepared a white paper identifying the prospects for developing air cargo services at former U.S. military airfield, Brown Field (SDM, 13 miles SE of San Diego). The report provided expert opinion regarding whether Brown Field could be developed successfully into a U.S. domestic and in­ter­na­tion­al airfreight center. Our analysis specifically considered the char­ac­ter­is­tics of the regional marketplace and the preferences of market par­tic­i­pants (carriers, forwarders, logistics providers, etc.) as they related to the re-development of a special pur­pose all–cargo airport.
• Retained to identify and recommend the necessary services and cargo hand­ling facilities to attract major international passenger and all-cargo car­ri­ers, along with major freight forwarders and commercial shippers to Portland International Airport (PDX).