Page 11 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022 Online Magazine

intercontinental passenger wide-body routes.
According to estimates more than 10,000
aircraft out of a global fleet of 35,000 are cur-
rently parked or stored.
The downturn in passenger traffic during the
global pandemic has many carriers re-thinking
their fleet plans.

Alternative Use of Aircraft
One element in long-term planning is alterna-
tive uses for aircraft, and how the pandemic
drive freighter conversions demand. “All of a
sudden, cargo has changed from a contribution
to fixed overhead, to virtually the lone source of
revenue for many airlines. Airlines have started
placing their passenger aircraft back into ser-
vice temporarily as quasi freighters, carrying
cargo at first on the seats, but more recently
removing the seats entirely,” Mark Diamond,
Vice President of Strategic Aviation Solutions Administration (FAA) for its B737-800SF freighter conversion. AEI
International (SASI), a global aviation consul- is also the only conversion house to have gained ETOPS approval
tancy, said. for the Boeing 737-800 platform.

Conversion is the New Buzz The ETOPS 180 approval allows the B737-800SF freighter to fly
The International Air Transport Association 180-minute extended operations over water and remote regions.
expects demand for air cargo to exceed This opens operational routes in areas such as Northern Africa and
pre-pandemic levels to about 15 per cent more Western China. “AEI continues to unleash additional advantages for
in 2022. This has resulted in an expansion of customers operating our B737-800SF freighter,” Convey added.
aircraft types undergoing conversion from pas- The AEI converted B737-800SF freighter offers a main deck pay-
senger-to-freighter (P2F). load of up to 52,700 lbs. (23,904 kg) and incorporates eleven full
“Over the last three years, we’ve seen an height 88” x 125” container positions, plus an additional position for
increase in freighter conversions worldwide, an AEP/AEH. The conversion also incorporates new floor beams aft
from 58 delivered in 2019 moving up to 81 in of the wing box, a large 86” x 137” Main Cargo Door with a single
2020 and to 104 during the first half of 2021,” vent door system.
experts at AirInsightGroup noted. A recent
symposium on cargo noted that the market loss AEI’s design allows for containers to be loaded into the aircraft a
of cargo capacity amid reduced passenger air- full 16.5” aft of the forward door jamb, ensuring ground operators
craft operations during the COVID-19 pandemic have sufficient maneuvering room which minimizes potential door
has spurred an influx of freighter conversion and aircraft strikes. Additionally, the AEI B737-800SF includes a
orders that is filling order books into 2024. flexible Ancra Cargo Loading System, a rigid 9G barrier, five super-
numerary seats as standard, a galley, and full lavatory. According to
This has created an opportunity for aircraft Convey, since the company’s founding in 1958, AEI has developed
manufacturers, maintenance organisations, over 130 Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) and has modified
airlines, and leasing companies. Specialists over 510 aircraft with the STCs.
in the field such as Aeronautical Engineers
(AEI) have seized the opportunity. The Miami- Growing Demand for Conversion
based company offers both Passenger to Albeit there was a demand driven by the needs of the big integrators,
Freighter and Passenger to Combi Conversion pre-dates COVID-19, the pandemic has undoubtedly added more
Programs for the Boeing 737-800 and are fuel to this fire. ST Engineering, another leading conversion house
marketed as B737-800SF (Special Freighter) that has redelivered over 400 aircraft through its Passenger-to-
and B737-800C (Combination Passenger and Freighter (P2F) programmes since 1996, is also witnessing growing
Freighter). Besides 737-800s, AEI also deals demand for conversions. ST Engineering, Airbus and their joint ven-
in conversion of 737-400s and 737-300s, the ture, Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) achieved a key milestone in their
MD-80 series and CRJ200s. “We have been joint A321 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion programme
experiencing a strong up-tick in conversions in September 2020 with the re-delivery of the ‘head of version’ to
across all types since May 2020,” said Robert launch customer, Vallair. The A321 converted freighter, operated
T. Convey, senior vice president of sales and by Qantas for Australia Post, entered service on October 27, 2020.
marketing for AEI. Early this year, AEI received EFW had received the original Supplemental Type Certificate
ETOPS 180 approval from the Federal Aviation (STC) for the A321P2F from the European Union Aviation Safety

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