FedEx Express
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| Founded | 1971 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | "SuperHub" United States:
Latin America-Caribbean: Europe/Middle East/Africa: Asia Pacific: Canada: | ||||||
| Fleet size | 671 (+98 orders, 15 options) | ||||||
| Destinations | 375+ | ||||||
| Parent company | FedEx Corporation | ||||||
| Headquarters | Memphis, Tennessee | ||||||
| Key people | David J Bronczek, President and CEO of Express division | ||||||
| Website | http://www.fedex.com | ||||||
FedEx Express is a cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. It is the world's largest airline in terms of aircraft, operating 671 planes. FedEx Express is a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation and delivers packages and freight to more than 220 countries each day[1]. Its headquarters are in Memphis with its global "SuperHub" located at Memphis International Airport; regional hubs are at Indianapolis, Fort Worth, Oakland, Newark, Anchorage, Paris, Subic Bay, Toronto, and Miami.[2] FedEx Express has hubs under construction at Greensboro, NC[3] and Guangzhou, China[4].
History
FedEx Express was established in 1971 as Federal Express and started operations on April 17, 1973. Federal Express was founded by Fred Smith, chairman of Federal Express Corporation (now known as FedEx Corporation) and began operations with 14 Dassault Falcon 20s from Memphis International Airport that connected 25 U.S. cities. The air cargo deregulation in 1977 allowed Federal Express to grow rapidly and as a result use larger aircraft. Following several international acquisitions Federal Express began overseas operations in 1984 with services to Europe and Asia [1].
The "Federal Express" name was officially dropped in 2000 and replaced with "FedEx" which was an unofficial abbreviation for Federal Express. The "Express" was added to FedEx to identify a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation when the company restructured to offer other shipping services[5].
In 1989, FedEx Express acquired Flying Tigers to expand its international service[6].
In 1995, FedEx Express acquired air routes from Evergreen International Aviation to start serving China and opened its Asia and Pacific hub in Subic Bay[7].
In 2000, FedEx Express and the United States Postal Service signed a 7-year contract to transport all Express Mail and Priority Mail. The contract also allowed FedEx to place drop boxes at every USPS post office. The USPS contract has recently been extended until September 2013 and USPS continues to be the largest customer of FedEx Express[8].
In 2005, FedEx Express began expansion of its Indianapolis hub, projected to be completed in 2010. After the expansion the sort facility will be over 2.5 million square feet[9].
In 2006, FedEx Express acquired ANC, a UK courier company. The acquisition added 35 airport sort facilities to the FedEx network and FedEx introduced Newark, Memphis, and Indianapolis routes directly to UK airports instead of stopping at FedEx's Hub at Charles De Gaulle Airport[10].
In December 2008, FedEx Express will open its new Asian-Pacific hub at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China. The new hub will allow FedEx to increase service in China[11].
In 2009, FedEx Express plans to open its Mid-Atlantic U.S. hub at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. FedEx has been fighting complaints since it first chose the airport in 1998 about the possible noise generated by its planes because most FedEx flights are scheduled at night. Despite the complaints, FedEx has continued with construction on its hub and the airport has continued with infrastructure upgrades to handle the additional flights.[12]
Fleet
FedEx Express operates the world's largest civil air fleet with 671 aircraft:[13]
| Aircraft | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600 | 66 | |
| Airbus A310-200/300 | 66 | |
| Boeing 727-200 | 90 | Exiting from service 2008-2016 Replacement aircraft: Boeing 757-200 Fitted with hush kits |
| Boeing 757-200 | 7 (83 used orders) |
Entry into service: 2008-2016 Replacing Boeing 727-200 |
| Boeing 777 Freighter | (15 orders) (15 options) |
Entry into service: 2009-2011 Replacing McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 and DC-10-30 |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 | 5 | Exiting from service: 2009-2011 Replacement aircraft: Boeing 777 Freighter |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 | 13 | Exiting from service: 2009-2011 Replacement aircraft: Boeing 777 Freighter |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10 | 58 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-10-30 | 7 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-11 | 58 | |
| ATR 42-300/320 | 29 | Operated as FedEx Feeder |
| ATR 72-200 | 13 | Operated as FedEx Feeder Replacing Fokker F-27 |
| Cessna Caravan 208B | 243 | Operated as FedEx Feeder |
| Cessna Caravan 208A | 10 | Operated as FedEx Feeder |
| Fokker F-27 | 6 | Operated as FedEx Feeder Exiting from service Replacement aircraft: ATR 72-200 |
FedEx Express had ordered ten Airbus A380 freighters, with options on ten more. FedEx was to be the launch airline for the Airbus A380-800F and planned to introduce the first aircraft to service in August 2008 for use on routes between hubs in the United States and Asia. The aircraft ordered were to be delivered between 2008 and 2011 With A380 delays of more than two years, FedEx cancelled these orders[14] and replaced them with an order from Boeing for fifteen 777 Freighters with an option for fifteen more, to be delivered in 2009 through 2011. FedEx said that Airbus will allow them to move their nonrefundable deposits to purchases of future aircraft. FedEx has stated they may consider the A380F when Airbus is less constrained by construction developments.
In 2007 FedEx revealed plans to acquire 90 Boeing 757-200 aircraft at a cost of US$2.6 billion to replace the ageing Boeing 727 fleet[15]. The 757's debut for revenue service was on May 28, 2008.
The very first Dassault Falcon 20C delivered to FedEx (N8FE) is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum.
In September 1984, FedEx took delivery of the last Boeing 727 built.
On the 12 July 2007 FedEx took delivery of the last A300/A310 built[16].
FedEx Express is the largest member of the United States Civil Reserve Air Fleet in terms of aircraft pledged.[17]
FedEx Feeder
FedEx Feeder is the branding applied to all FedEx Express prop aircraft which feed packages to and from airports served by larger jet aircraft.
In most cases FedEx Express operates FedEx Feeder on a wet lease program where a contractor will lease the aircraft and supply the crew and insurance while FedEx will supply the aircraft, registration, landing fees, and ground crews. Some flights may operate with a FedEx Express flight number (FX) but most flights use the flight number of the contractor.
List of contract carriers:
- Air Contractors
- Air Tahoma
- Baron Aviation Services
- Corporate Air
- Empire Airlines
- Merlin Airways
- Morningstar Air Express
- Mountain Air Cargo
- West Air Inc.
- Wiggins Airways
Major incidents and accidents
- April 7, 1994 - Flight 705, N306FE, a DC-10-30F experienced an attempted hijacking by a soon to be terminated employee. Auburn Calloway, the hijacker planned to use the aircraft for a kamikaze attack on FedEx Corporation Headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. The crew of Flight 705 were able to fight off Calloway and land the plane safely.[18]
- September 5, 1996 – N68055, a DC-10-10F was written off after it was destroyed by fire at Stewart International Airport, Newburgh, NY. The aircraft made an emergency landing at the airport because a smoke alarm was going off, after landing the fire consumed the aircraft.
- July 31, 1997 - Flight 14, N611FE, a MD-11 was written off after it crashed during landing at Newark International Airport from Anchorage International Airport. The No. 3 engine contacted the runway during a rough landing and caused the aircraft to flip over and catch on fire.[19]
- October 17, 1999 - Flight 87, N581FE, a MD-11 was written off after landing at Subic Bay International Airport from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Upon landing, the aircraft continued down the whole length of the runway and plunged into the bay where it was completely submerged.[20]
- July 26, 2002 - Flight 1478, N497FE, a Boeing 727-200 was written off after it crashed into the tree line on approach to Tallahassee Regional Airport from Memphis International Airport. The aircraft's landing gear snaged onto a tree about 70 feet high and 3,100 feet short of the runway and caused the aircraft to crash into the trees and catch fire on impact.[21]
- December 18, 2003 - Flight 647, N364FE, a MD-10-10F was written off after it ran off the runway at Memphis International Airport from Metropolitan Oakland International Airport. The right rear landing gear collapsed and caused the aircraft to veer off the runway and catch fire.[22]
- July 28, 2006 - Flight 630, N391FE a MD-10-10F was written off after its left rear landing gear collapsed at Memphis International Airport from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. After the landing gear failed the engine contacted the runway causing a small fire and severe structural damage to the aircraft.[23]
Northrop Grumman Guardian
In 2003, FedEx Express partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and Northrop Grumman to develop and flight test an anti-missile system, the Northrop Grumman Guardian that could be deployed on commercial airliners, to protect them from terrorist attacks such as the 2003 Baghdad DHL shootdown incident. FedEx supplied an MD-11 and a leased 747 for the flight test phase. FedEx then became the first air carrier to deploy the Guardian on a commercial flight in September, 2006, when they equipped a MD-10 freighter with the pod,[24] FedEx Express currently has eight aircraft equipped with the system for further testing and evaluation.[25] Because of the program's huge success, the US Congress directed DHS to expand the program to passenger-carrying aircraft[26].
See also
- FedEx Corporation (Parent company)
- UPS Airlines (Competitor)
- ABX Air (Competitor that operates as DHL's United States air fleet)
- USPS (Competitor and biggest customer)
- Air Line Pilots Association, International (Collective bargaining representative for FedEx pilots)
References
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 81.
- ^ FedEx Express Facts
- ^ Piedmont Triad International Airport
- ^ FedEx Setting Up China Hub - TheStreet.com
- ^ http://www.fedex.com/us/about/today/history/timeline.html
- ^ http://www.fedex.com/us/about/today/history/timeline.html
- ^ http://www.fedex.com/us/about/today/history/timeline.html
- ^ Usps News Release: U.S. Postal Service, Fedex Express Agree To New Contract For Air Transportation Of Mail
- ^ Mayor, airport officials announce major expansion of FedEx hub at Indianapolis International Airport
- ^ FedEx - About FedEx - Press Releases
- ^ FedEx Setting Up China Hub - TheStreet.com
- ^ PTIA Greensboro Airport Construction Projects
- ^ FedEx Express Facts
- ^ FedEx Cancels Its Airbus A380 Order
- ^ FedEx to spend $2.6 billion to replace its fleet of 727s - OrlandoSentinel.com
- ^ "Airbus delivers last A300 to Fedex". Airbus.com. 2007-07-12.
- ^ http://www.acq.osd.mil/log/tp/new_airlift_policies/craf_study_final_%20may12003.pdf
- ^ ASN Aircraft accident description
- ^ ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas MD-11F N611FE Newark International Airport, NJ (EWR)
- ^ ASN Aircraft accident description McDonnell Douglas MD-11F N581FE - Subic Bay International Airport (SFS)
- ^ AirDisaster.Com: Accident Photo: FedEx Flight 1478 (2)
- ^ DCA04MA011
- ^ ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas MD-10-10F N391FE Memphis International Airport, TN (MEM)
- ^ Doyle, John M. (September 17, 2006). "FedEx To Fly Counter Manpads-Equipped MD-10". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ "The Department of Homeland Security C-MANPADS Program", Northrop Grumman
- ^ Northrop Grumman - Article Four