Avianor reconfigures first 787, expects more temporary mods

Montreal-based cabin and engineering company Avianor has completed the cargo reconfiguration of the first (35511) of two 787 aircraft for Kenya Airways — the first time this kind of modification has been approved on the 787 and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Avianor said that, since October 2020, it has seen a new wave of interest in temporary cargo reconfigurations of passenger aircraft from both airlines and lessors, and expects to modify around six to eight additional aircraft in the next several months. Last year, the company reconfigured 777-300ERs and A330-300s for Air Canada, A340-300s for Hi Fly and A330-200s for Air Transat . [caption id="attachment_415317" align="alignright" width="560"] Kenya Airways is the first airline to receive FAA approval for a reconfigured 787. (Photo/Avianor)[/caption] Avianor, which carried out its first reconfiguration in April 2020 for Air Canada, told Cargo Facts that the 787 poses its own challenges because it uses a seat track design that is different from most other major aircraft types. Broadly, Avianor’s reconfiguration package involves the removal of seats from the passenger cabin and the designation of cargo-loading zones on the floor. Cargo is restrained with nets that are attached to the seat rails lining the cabin floor. With the 787, however, the seat tracks are incompatible with the nets used. So Avianor’s engineers designed straps specifically for the 787 that can be affixed to the seat track and added shackles to them; these shackles are then used to hold cargo nets in place. Avianor told Cargo Facts that Kenya Airways’ two reconfigured 787s have had virtually all their seats taken out — except a few to be used by crew or to act as a barrier — and now feature thirty cargo-loading zones: sixteen capable of 300 kg each and fourteen capable of 900 kg each. Kenya Airways approached Avianor around August or September 2020. The two companies conducted virtual walkthroughs of the aircraft to confirm the modification, the certification of which had been expected around the end of 2020. Kenya Airways now has approval from the FAA and Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority. The fact that Kenya Airways sought FAA approval suggests it may operate this configuration to the U.S. The airline, currently flying around seven of its nine 787-8s in active service, has already been using them for cargo-only flights to destinations such as Amsterdam (AMS), London (LHR), Sharjah (SHJ) and Guangzhou (CAN). Kenya Airways has two 737-300Fs (29088 and 29750) but told Cargo Facts it is in pursuit of widebody freighters. Recently, Avianor obtained approval from Transport Canada for the reconfiguration of another new aircraft type: the A340-600. Malta-based AirX Charter, which does not have any cargo aircraft, confirmed to Cargo Facts that it will soon add to its certificate one A340-300 and two A340-600s, all reconfigured for cargo by Avianor, and that it plans to begin operating them from March. Ethiopian Airlines also reconfigured two 787-9s last year , but the extent and nature of that reconfiguration is unclear.

Avianor reconfigures first 787, expects more temporary mods

Kenya Airways is the first to obtain FAA approval for a 787 reconfigured in this way, and will soon be flying two.

Avianor reconfigures first 787, expects more temporary mods

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