PEMCO flexes its combi muscles

PEMCO World Air Services passed a milestone yesterday in the development of its 737-700 Passenger-to-FlexCombi conversion program.

Donning protective eyewear, John Chisholm, owner of Bahrain-based launch customer Chisholm Enterprises, made the final cuts in the skin of unit 30293, an ex-Yakutia 737-700 that will, following certification and redelivery, be operated by Chisholm subsidiary Texel Air.

Why did PEMCO choose “FlexCombi” as the official name for its 737-700 passenger-to-combi conversion? Because, unlike most combi-configured aircraft, PEMCO’s conversion will allow operation in three interchangeable configurations rather than having a single, fixed configuration.

• A 24-passenger cabin plus a 2,640-cubic-foot cargo hold for up to 30,000 pounds of payload in six pallet positions;

• A 12-passenger cabin plus a 3,005-cubic-foot cargo hold for up to 35,000 pounds of payload in seven pallet positions;

• A full-freighter mode consisting of a 3,370-cubic-foot cargo hold for up to 40,000 pounds of payload in eight pallet positions.

• Six of the pallet positions will accommodate 88” x 125” or 88” x 108” pallets, with the seventh and eighth positions accommodating smaller pallets.

PEMCO said it expects to receive supplemental type certification (STC) approval from the US FAA for the  program by the third quarter of 2018 with EASA and CAAC certification to follow shortly thereafter.

In addition to the combi, PEMCO will also offer a full-freighter conversion for the 737-700. The P-to-F will feature nine pallet positions, up to 45,000 pounds of payload, and 3,844 cubic feet of total volume. Eight of the positions will accommodate 88” x 125” or 88” x 108” pallets, with the ninth position accommodating a smaller pallet. Certification for the full-freighter conversion is expected by the end of 2018.