The narrowbody freighter fleet in 2016 — Part III

Today we conclude our three-part analysis of the worldwide narrowbody jet freighter fleet with a look at the state of the passenger-to-freighter conversion market at the end of 2016. You can read Part I here, and Part II here. Conversion from passenger configuration is the only source of narrowbody jet freighters. Operators and lessors of widebody […]

• David Harris
• November 30, 2016

Narrowbody freighters: the state of the new P-to-F programs

US-based conversion specialist Aeronautical Engineers, Inc (AEI) booked a firm order for fifteen 737-800 passenger-to-freighter conversions, with an option for fifteen more, from an unidentified customer. That order, combined with recent launch order announcements from Boeing and PACAVI, makes this a good time to take a look at the overall state of the new narrowbody conversion […]

• David Harris
• May 18, 2016

PACAVI cements A320 conversion partnership with GAMECO

US-based PACAVI Group and Chinese MRO GAMECO expanded their A320/A321 passenger-to-freighter conversion agreement, saying they intended to jointly offer a “one-stop-shop concept, offering tailored turnkey packages of airframe sourcing, purchase, customized conversion, and leasing or sale to airline customers of all tiers, worldwide.” PACAVI inducted the prototype A320 for conversion at the HAITEC facility in […]

• David Harris
• February 10, 2016

Conversion conundrums

The 2015 edition of the Cargo Facts Aircraft Symposium is officially over, and the speakers, delegates, and sponsors are flying back to their homes in Asia, Europe, and North and South America. We will publish a full report on the Symposium, the most successful and enjoyable in recent memory, in the next issue of Cargo […]

• David Harris
• October 29, 2015

ACG orders 15 737-800 P-to-F conversions

MIAMI — US-based lessor and asset manager Aviation Capital Group placed a firm order for fifteen 737-800 passenger-to-freighter conversions with Aeronautical Engineers, Inc (AEI), with options for fifteen additional conversions. The announcement was made at the Cargo Facts Aircraft Symposium in Miami. AEI launched its 737-800 conversion program last year, and at the Paris Air […]

• David Harris
• October 26, 2015

IAI launches 737-800 P-to-F

Several weeks ago, we reported that Bedek Aviation Group, the MRO and conversion arm of Israel Aerospace Industries, had launched a passenger-to-freighter conversion program for the Boeing 737-700. Bedek has now confirmed the -700 program, and also announced the formal launch of a similar P-to-F program for the 737-800. Bedek declined to comment when asked […]

• David Harris
• June 9, 2015

GAMECO to convert prototype A321 for PACAVI

Aircraft management and engineering company PACAVI and Guangzhou-based MRO GAMECO expanded their strategic partnership, saying that GAMECO would perform passenger-to-freighter conversion of PACAVI’s first A321 Freighter LITE, with work to commence “no later than the fourth quarter of 2015.” In January of this year HAITEC began conversion of PACAVI’s prototype A320 at its Frankfurt Hahn […]

• David Harris
• May 13, 2015

Launch orders for new narrowbody conversion programs

HONG KONG — Launch orders totaling 92 passenger-to-freighter conversions were announced for 737-800 and A320 conversion programs at the fourth annual Cargo Facts Asia event in Hong Kong today. Aeronautical Engineers Inc launched their 737-800 P-to-F program at last year’s Cargo Facts Asia, and today confirmed launch orders for a total of 50 conversions from two customers. AEI […]

• David Harris
• April 21, 2015

Freighter conversion action continues in China

Yesterday we reported that PacAvi had inducted its first A320 for conversion at the HAITEC facility in Frankfurt Hahn. Today our focus stays (to begin with) on PacAvi, but moves geographically to China, where PacAvi has reached an agreement with Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co., Ltd. (GAMECO), under which GAMECO will perform passenger-to-freighter conversions of […]

• David Harris
• January 27, 2015

The A320 freighters are coming!

PacAvi Group inducted its first Airbus A320 aircraft for conversion to freighter configuration at the HAITEC facility at Frankfurt Hahn Airport (HHN). German-American aviation company PacAvi launched its A320 Family P-to-F conversion program in September last year, and provided a more detailed look at the program a few weeks later at the Cargo Facts Aircraft […]

• David Harris
• January 26, 2015