FLEET UPDATE: Aerolineas Argentinas Cargo 737-800F LV-CTC in cargo livery entered service on 03May23 (photo)

Aerolineas Argentinas Cargo 737-800F, LV-CTC (30570/879), pictured in its sparkling new livery, probably at the Fabrica Argentina de Aviones airfield in Cordoba where it was painted, on 13Apr23. (Photo: Source Unknown)

Aerolineas Argentinas announced on 30Dec22 that it would be adding two 737-800F's to its fleet in the first half of 2023 with the aircraft formng the first pure- freighters flying for the carrier in 16 years. 

The aircraft are slated to transport automotive parts and household and industrial electrical products manufactured by Mirgor S.A. in its Rio Grande factories located in the province of Tierra del Fuego in extreme southern Argentina, which is highly-dependent on the air transport of goods as surface options, such as highways, are scarce in the rugged region.

Mirgor has contracted for exclusive use of the aircraft for 12 hours each day with the freighters available for the transport of other cargo by Aerolineas the rest of the time.     

LV-CTC (30570/879) was delivered to the Argentinean national airline on 22Dec11 as a passenger aircraft after first having flown for Air Berlin for a few months earlier in 2011.  The aircraft left the Aerolineas fleet during the pandemic on 03Dec20 and spent the next 16 months in storage in Goodyear (GYR) (Arizona) and Miami (MIA) before flying to Dothan (DHN) (Alabama) in April 2022 where it was modified to a pure freighter configuration with the work completed and the plane arriving back at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on 23Feb23.  

The aircraft features a large cargo door measuring 2.14m x 3.40m allowing for up to 11 large freight containers and 1 small one on the main deck totalling 23,900kg in weight.    

LV-CTC flew to the Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA) airfield in Cordoba on 28Mar23 where it was painted in the above-pictured Aerolineas Argentinas Cargo color scheme, returning to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on 15Apr23.  The aircraft entered service on 03May23.

Aerolineas' second 737-800 freighter will be a 737-85(BCF) "Boeing Converted Freighter" with registration LV-KHQ and is scheduled to join the Aerolineas fleet in the coming months. 

Sources:

https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/12/aerolineas-argentinas-incorporara-dos-boeing-737-800-cargueros/

https://www.aviacionnews.com/2023/02/llega-a-la-argentina-el-primer-carguero-puro-para-aerolineas/
https://www.planespotters.net/airframe/boeing-737-800-lv-ctc-aerolineas-argentinas/e91v8r

https://www.aviacionline.com/2023/02/llego-al-aeropuerto-de-ezeiza-el-primer-boeing-737-800sf-de-aerolineas-argentinas-cargo/

https://www.aviacionline.com/2023/02/el-primer-boeing-737-800sf-de-aerolineas-argentinas-cargo-recibira-el-livery-de-la-empresa-en-fadea/
http://linea-ala.blogspot.com/2023/04/un-carguero-para-aerolineas.html