Air China Cargo wins first place out of eight Airbus A330P2F aircraft

Germany-based aircraft maintenance company Elve Furkzakwerke (EFW) has completed the first Airbus A330-200P2F passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion for China International Cargo. The 16-year-old aircraft, registered as B-6090, was re-delivered to the Chinese flag carrier in a ceremony held at the EFW facility in Chengdu (CTU) on Friday.

The cargo plane is the first of eight A330-200P2Fs the airline will receive. EFW said in a statement that the second aircraft on the conversion order has already begun the conversion. His B-6090, powered by two Rolls-Royce engines, was first delivered to Air China for passenger service in 2007. Today, the B-6090 has been modified with larger cargo doors forward of the wings and a reinforced main deck, allowing it to carry up to 61 tons of cargo over a range of up to 3,900 nautical miles.

This redelivery is a milestone for EFW’s operations in China and marks the first conversion completed at CTU’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Corporation (AMECO) facility. AMECO is not new to the modification business, as the CTU facility has previously modified Boeing 757s.

EFW provides the engineering expertise and holds the supplementary type certificate (STC) for the A330-200 modified freighter, and AMECO provides the touchwork. EFW partners with at least five MROs around the world for A330 refurbishments. The STC holder currently oversees the conversion of at least 10 A330-200s, and recently redelivered Hawaiian Airlines its first A330-300P2F conversion to be operated for Amazon Air.

Other companies in the freighter conversion field are also noticing the popularity of A330 conversions. Following the success of the 767 and the new 777-300ER/SF conversion, Israel Aerospace Industries is preparing to develop its own STC for the A330.

The new Airbus-converted freighter will join Boeing’s fleet of freighters. Air China Cargo currently operates nine 777Fs and three 747-400Fs. The airline also has one 757-200F in its fleet, which was converted into a cargo plane in 2014. However, that aircraft (B-2855) has remained parked since May, according to Flightradar24.com.

cargo ship competition

Photo: Elbe Air Base

It is not unheard of for both Boeing and Airbus to operate freighters, but the selection of the A330-200P2F could be a step forward for Airbus. Both aircraft manufacturers are currently in a fierce competition to develop the A350F and 777-8F freighters to replace the aging 747-400F aircraft. Air China also operates both A350s and 777s in passenger service, and maintains another 18 of his A330-200s in passenger configuration, which could serve as raw material for conversion in the distant future. .

The Republic of China’s China Airlines is currently looking for replacements for its 747 freighter fleet. The company recently entered into an agreement with GE to put some of his 747-400Fs up for sale while continuing to hold other 747-400Fs.

Growing Asian cargo market

Air China is not the only airline to use A330-200P2Fs alongside Boeing freighters in China. Belgian Airlines operates three 747-8F freighters and two A330-200P2Fs on behalf of Beijing-based Hongyuan Group. Other Chinese widebody freighter operators, such as China Cargo Airlines and China Southern Airlines, maintain fleet uniformity with the 777F. Sichuan Airlines operates the large A330-300P2F in parallel with its three A330 production freighters.

Asia, as a region, is proving to be an exception to an otherwise turbulent freight industry. Recent data from WorldACD shows a strong performance of the sector in the region. Nearly one-third of all new freighters built in 2023 were delivered to operators in Asia, according to Boeing’s Orders and Delivery Report.

What do you think about Air China’s A330P2F order? Will redelivery be a windfall for Airbus? Let us know in the comments.