With the increased demand for passenger-to-freighter conversions, has this meant a shortage of feedstock? Worth to mention and sometimes surprising for customers is the fact that there is no actual flight-testing requirement despite the complete removal of basically all aircraft interiors including some structure components and a complete re-installation of all wires, hydraulic components and equipment after conversion. Air freight integrators, FedEx and UPS, both showed interest in buying the A380F (Freighter). lighter than the competition! Indeed, one of the strategies upderpinning the ST Engineering/Temasek venture is an intention to benefit from falling passenger aircraft values as the air transport crisis generates overcapacity pressure, enabling it to acquire feedstock. Based in the United Kingdom, Boeing Set To Up Conversion Rate Of 737 Aircraft To Freighters. How much does it cost extra to fly with one additional passenger? P2F conversions serve as a form of investment for airline companies. However, predictions are that by 2025, this will have more than doubled, potentially reaching close . Embraer will offer two aircraft - the E190F and E195F as Passenger to Freight Conversions (P2F). EFW's first ever A321P2F conversion, that flew in 2020. Drift correction for sensor readings using a high-pass filter. Typically, airliners that undergo passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion are about 15-20 years old; often . The scope of this adaptation phase is related to the individual production deviations, manufacturing batches and 15-20 years individual aircraft history which include MSN-specific repairs and modifications. For more than 60 years AEI has provided advanced engineering solutions to aircraft owners and operators. googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot2', [[468, 60], [728, 90], [300, 100], [320, 50]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767472470-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); Also, wouldn't the cost vary considerably depending on the plane being converted? Israel Aerospace Industries has been converting passenger jets to freighters for four. Interest in our A321P2F conversion solution has been on a significant rise over the past year, says chief executive Andreas Sperl. Is the A330F main deck cargo compartment pressurized? Ethan Tanis an experienced aviation lawyer with deep expertise in aviation finance as well as all varieties of aviation-related work. How much does a Black Box Underwater Locator Beacon (ULB) cost? PREVIOUS NEWS STORY. In fact, IATA data for March shows a record for air cargo, with cargo tonne kilometres (CTKs) flown 4.4% above the same month in 2019 well before Covid-19 appeared. Indeed, in April this year rates on the Hong Kong-North America lane spiked to $8.48/kg, higher even than the $7.73/kg seen in May last year, driven upwards by reduced capacity due to stricter quarantine regulations in Hong Kong. We are convinced that the significant benefits of operating containers in the bellies of Airbus A321P2Fs will enhance the quality of service, especially since containers provide protection for sensitive goods under all environmental conditions such as rain, snow and heat. Airframe overhaul facilities are scrambling to keep up with the demand for converting used passenger jets into dedicated cargo jets. Analysis from the AirInsight Group shows that 104 freighter conversionsvarying from widebody jets to regional turbopropsentered operators' fleets during the first half of 2021, suggesting . Today,. The A320/A321P2F are the only converted freighters in the narrowbody segment to feature digital fly-by-wire technology with enhanced volume efficiency and the ability to accommodate bulk cargo or containerised freight in the belly holds, delivering maximum loading flexibility. We examine what makes this aircraft operationally unique, as well as the technical and conversion considerations for operators who plan to bring this type into their fleets. Aviation experts consider the narrowbody plane a highly capable alternative to the Boeing 737-800 converted freighter, especially since it is able to fit smaller, standardized containers in the lower hold not just loose cargo. Out with the old Virtual Hong Kong airline to lease new 777 converted freighters, Freighter frenzy could lead to oversupply of cargo jets. If not, what is the purpose of the structural cargo access door? Passenger-to-freighter Conversion Business Booming in Asia-Pacific | Air Transport News: Aviation International News The A330 conversion programme is finally underway. Desktop computers and computer software used to be sent by air. T.C. Also, conversion candidates with a lower deck Cargo Loading System (CLS) already installed may be a good baseline to avoid extra spending. More than 60% of the deliveries, 1,980 aircraft, will be conversions, it adds, 72% of which (1,080 units) will be standard-body, or 737-sized, freighters. Nevertheless, there can still be some unavoidable differences between candidate feedstock aircraft, for example if the new P2F fleet is being created from six A321s purchased from airline X and four A321s purchased from airline Y which will likely comprise aircraft originally from different production batches. We recommend that customers assign heavy checks to the modification site (ST Engineering and EFW) in conjunction with the P2F conversion. How much does a D-check cost compared to a new aircraft? Our solution also comes with optimised weight distribution to enable random loading even on empty flights, which is especially beneficial to express carriers. Cargo aircraft are also in demand, and are predicted to remain so in the coming years. But the pandemic has undoubtedly added more fuel to this fire. In short, WV standardisation can be part of specific agreements with customers if conversion feedstock is acquired from multiple sources. We also highlight the A320 Familys unique cargo belly hold (ie lower deck) which allows for mixed-fleet operation and interlining between Airbus single-aisle passenger aircraft and freighters, which is a significant operational and commercial advantage for airlines. The planemaker will open two 737-800BCF conversion lines with Cooperativa Autogestionaria de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Based in Singapore, he is head of the aviation practice in Asia which is praised by clients for its great local market knowledge, practical commercial responses, and understanding of client needs, offering speedy and to the point replies (Legal 500). Guide to Business Aviation Training and Safety 2022. Over the past 10 years, the type of cargo flown by air has shifted to highervalue and more specialised products, claims Goater. This allows us to locate the rigid cargo barrier at this position. We have a standard P2F kit that fits at say 90% of the final scope. In addition, the A321s Doors 4 L/R are removed and re-skinned, which is necessary to accommodate a 14thfull-size container position without limitation. Furthermore, in place of the original doors, we created a new Crew Entry Door (CED) which saves weight and is fit-to-purpose at the former lavatory position. Clearly it is the absence of belly-hold capacity that is keeping rates buoyant. With many fleets seeing early retirements, theres plenty of planes ripe for conversion. Boeing is this year cutting output to two aircraft per month, including an unknown number of 777Xs. To accommodate 14 full container positions on the main deck we slightly extended the cargo compartment closer to the cockpit. Formed in 1958, Aeronautical Engineers Inc. (AEI) is the oldest conversion company in existence today. At these prices, further demand can be expected. Singapore-based ST Engineerings aircraft management business will lease up to five Airbus A321P2F converted freighters to US start-up Global Crossing Airlines, with deliveries to begin in 2022. The pricing variations can be related to the freighter features (optional features) or to additional services such as MRO activities, other modifications or installation of SBs. To support it in fulfilling this demand, it has today announced a new partnership with a Costa Rica-based maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider to create additional conversion capacity for the 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighter. Thanks for contributing an answer to Aviation Stack Exchange! Loaded & Rolling (Enterprise Fleet News/Analysis). This will bring the global conversion . The identity of the launch customer further strengthens the case for the programme argues one industry insider: I dont think its owner has put a foot wrong in all the years its been in operation.. 2023 Reed Smith LLP. Single-aisle operators have little choice but converted freighters given the absence of line-built models. From the carnage of Covid-19, passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversions are emerging as a rare growth sector thanks to a combination of factors. Managing Editor - Joanna has worked in publishing for more than a decade and is fast becoming a go-to source for commercial aviation analysis. Israel Aerospace Industries is to set up a European facility in Naples to convert passenger aircraft into freighters. Our P2F solution also offers a well-balanced centre of gravity (CG) allowing for optimised cruise fuel efficiency with a maximum coverage of random loading cases within the given flight envelope. Narrowbody conversion costs range from US$2.85m for a Boeing 737-300 through a range of $4.3-6m for a 737-800, up to $6.1m for an Airbus A321-200. And in recent days, one of its freighter conversions caught people's attention, because it involved a rather young jet. Your email address will not be published. Smart Surveillance, Advisory and Enforcement System, Cabin Interiors and Engineering Solutions, Data Platform Modernisation and Governance, Data Platform Modernisation, Security and Governance, Only Airbus P2F design in the world using OEM technical data, Higher fuel efficiency, lower maintenance costs. He has won two regional Gold Medals from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government coverage and news analysis, and was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Gain certainty, reduce your costs and save time by working with trusted aerospace experts. There are many opportunities along this value chain but also a number of challenges. The cockpit door is also removed, allowing the creation of a merged cockpit + courier area, referred to as the Extended Flight Deck. What does the future of aviation look like in 2022? Learn more. Boeing sees the cargo market as a whole growing at an annual rate of 4% over the next 20 years, resulting in the need for a freighter fleet 60% larger than todays, rising from 2,010 to 3,260 units. . With this in mind, most of our customers are electing that we at EFW and ST Engineering perform heavy maintenance checks in parallel to the freighter conversion process. The prospects for the Airbus narrowbody will be aided by a choice of engines, allowing operators to avoid over-reliance on one manufacturer. Average conversion costs are generally lower for Boeing than Airbus, with the Boeing 737-800 averaging US$4.16 million and the Boeing 757-200 at US$5.2 million, compared to US$6.14 million for the A321-200. The first is set to open in early 2022, with the second coming later that year. Examples: - Small: US$10-$12 million - Medium nnarrowbody: US$15-$20 million - Medium widebody: US$20-$30 million - Large: US$55-$65 million Overall air cargo rates remain at elevated levels because of stronger demand and an ongoing capacity crunch caused by a reduction in belly-hold services, says Damian Brett, editor of FlightGlobals sister publication Air Cargo News. AerSale's Goodyear, AZ heavy-MRO facility has been performing P2F conversions on 757 aircraft since 2013. To help address the increasing demand for airfreight and capacity, we also have innovative short-term solutions for passenger aircraft operators who wish to carry more cargo per flight. The converted freighter, dubbed the "Big Twin," is a collaboration between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). Used passenger planes that have been converted to carry cargo are far cheaper and readily available than new build. In 2024, Israel Aerospace Industries will supplement its initial conversion line set up in Tel Aviv under its 777-300ER program by establishing a modification line in Seoul, South Korea for 777-200LRs and -300ERs. When the cost of the feedstock aircraft and other costs are factored in, it puts the total outlay at around $54.5 million for an aircraft that will be able to carry a little over 100t. Few options remain at largest end of the market. Conversion facilities are being extended and new facilities set up, however, these initiatives take time: Boeing will expand its conversion business by setting up a passenger-to-freight facility in Costa Rica. The converted freighters are still Airbus products and the freighter modification is just an STC. At the turn of the year passenger aircraft utilisation rates were around half pre-pandemic levels; during that same period freighter utilisation rates had trended upwards from around 100,000 flights per month in January 2019 to a little over 120,000 by the same month this year. The passenger aircraft's modification Read More. High containerised cargo volume This website uses cookies to improve your experience and for ads personalisation. Transforming a passenger airliner to a freighter seems to be common. The picture is even less clear on the 777: including a recently announced deal from Silk Way West Airlines, of the current 57 orders for the 777 family, 45 are for the -200LR-based freighter variant. EFW is converting A320/321 and A330 aircraft to freighters. While no figures are officially available, IBA estimates the conversion cost of a 2005-built 777-300ER to be around $32.5 million. googletag.defineSlot('/21776187881/fw-responsive-main_content-slot2', [[728, 90], [468, 60], [320, 50], [300, 100]], 'div-gpt-ad-1665767737710-0').defineSizeMapping(gptSizeMaps.banner1).addService(googletag.pubads()); The B757-200PCF offers the lowest Operating Empty Weight available in a B757 freighter at just 115,500-116,000 lb. gptAdSlots.push(gptSlot); For any asset owner this will provide a great opportunity to leverage future growth and replacement waves, underpinning the already great value proposition of the A321 today., Head of Sales for Airbus Freighter Conversion - EFW, Aircraft Type Training & Related Initial Training, Efficiency & Sustainability Systems Upgrades, Aerospace Integrated Research & Test Centre. Space-efficient door configuration Nevertheless, we expect that air cargo, and the ancillary services relating to it, will increasingly become an integral part of the aviation industry and a complementary piece to the usual passenger services. googletag.enableServices(); 747-8i aircraft that are available at that time will have less cycles and are in better condition than other available 747s. Aviation Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for aircraft pilots, mechanics, and enthusiasts. That makes it 1,500-1,800 lb. Last year, the company finished 19 conversions of the A320/321 and the larger A330 family. The E190F will be able to handle a payload of 23,600lb (10,700kg) while the E195F a payload of 27,100 lb (12,300 kg). Conversion specialists set a record last year with more than 170 overhauled airframes, up from a record 120 conversions in 2021 and triple the amount completed in 2019, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium. Boeing predicts the cargo market as a whole will grow at an annual rate of 4 percent over the next 20 years, resulting in the requirement for a freighter fleet 60 percent larger than we have today. Quite a number of cargo airlines choose to operate a first-hand quality converted freighter. Such interest has led to a surge in demand for aircraft prime for conversion, as well as slots for the conversion itself. Of course, growing demand for conversions pre-dates the pandemic, driven by the need of the big integrators express parcel carriers such as FedEx, DHL and UPS, and Amazon, to a degree to update their fleets of smaller freighters. Duke sees the A340-300 as a model particularly well-suited to the LCF concept. The 757 continues to dominate the larger narrowbody space, says IBA; an additional 20 examples are pending conversion having been retired from passenger roles, it says, adding to the 298 units in operation as freighters at February 2021. 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