Page 13 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022 Online Magazine

version lines with Cooperativa Autogestionaria
de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) in
Alajuela, Costa Rica. The first of the new con-
version lines is expected to open in mid 2022,
with the second anticipated later this year.

Boeing forecasts 1,500 freighter conversions
will be needed over the next 20 years to meet
growing demand. Of those, 1,080 will be stan-
dard-body conversions, with nearly 30 per cent
of that demand coming from North America and
Latin America. “COOPESA has demonstrated
the technical expertise and commitment to
quality and execution necessary to help us
meet the growing customer demand for the
737-800BCF, including in the Americas,” said
Jens Steinhagen, director of Boeing freighter
conversions.
Currently, Boeing converts 737-800 passen-
ger airplanes to freighters at three locations:
Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services (BSAS)
in Shanghai, China; Guangzhou Aircraft
Maintenance Engineering Company Limited
(GAMECO) in Guangzhou, China; and Taikoo
(Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd.
(STAECO) in Jinan, China.

“The A330P2F programme is considered very popular delivering According to Boeing, to date, the 737-800BCF
best-in-class capability and fuel-efficiency. We are confident it will has won more than 180 orders and commit-
serve Altavair and MasAir Cargo well.” The A330-200P2F variant ments from 15 customers on four continents. In
offers a gross payload of up to 61 tons and a range of up to 4,200 March last year, Boeing re-delivered the 50th
nautical miles. MasAir Cargo will use the aircraft to expand into 737-800BCF since entering service in 2018.
new markets and fly longer routes. Boeing also has plans to partner with special-
Paul Newrick, president and managing director of Altavair (UK), ists including Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.
added: “This investment reflects our belief that the A330 will be the (IAI) and Mammoth Freighters to convert its
premier freighter going forward in the widebody segment.” Altavair, passenger jets for cargo use to keep up with
a commercial aviation finance and leasing company, has on order soaring demand.
several A330P2F comprising both the A330-200P2F range variant
and the A330-300P2F volume variant. Late last year, IAI Aviation Group signed an
agreement with World Star Aviation to con-
More Conversion Sites and Partnerships vert 10 B737-800 passenger aircraft to cargo
In contrast to other solutions providers who rely on reverse engi- configuration, with an option for an additional
neering, ST Engineering and EFW’s Airbus P2F programmes are 10 conversions. The cargo conversions will
developed using OEM technical data to convert passenger aircraft take place at IAI’s partially owned subsidiary,
into well-optimised and reliable freighter workhorse. Bedek Lingyun (Yichang) Aircraft Maintenance
Airbus has performed numerous analysis and participated in design Engineering Co., Ltd (“Belinco”) in Yichang,
reviews, which helped lead to design solutions that are far superior Hubei Province, China, and in other locations.
in terms of performance, reliability, maintainability and life cycle Executive VP & GM of IAI Aviation Group,
cost. To meet the rising demand for freighter conversions, ST Shmuel Kuzi said: “This agreement is also a
Engineering and EFW plans to establish new conversion sites in result of the rising e-commerce which has
China, Germany, and the U.S. this year and ramp up total global increased demand for cargo jets. I am certain
conversion capacity for all their Airbus P2F programmes to about we will see many more similar agreements with
60 slots per year by 2024. World Star Aviation in the coming years, and
we are always ready to provide top solutions
Sensing the strong demand for production and converted freight- in additional locations worldwide.”
ers, U.S. airframer Boeing formed a new partnership with a Costa
Rica-based maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider to Small is Also Big
create additional conversion capacity for the 737-800 Boeing Small regional aircraft are also being converted
Converted Freighter. Boeing plans to open two 737-800BCF con- to handle freight. Sweden-based Taby Air

ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE January/February 2022 | 13