Airbus To Launch A330P2F Cargo Conversion Programme
By Pritha Dey
Airbus, ST Aerospace and EADS EFW have signed an MoU for a strategic partnership to develop the A330 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) conversion programme.
This agreement, setting out the project’s foundation and granting Authorisation To Offer[1] for the A330P2F, was signed by Chang Cheow Teck, President of ST Aerospace; Tom Enders, President and CEO of Airbus and Andreas Sperl, CEO of EADS EFW; in the presence of Stanislaw Tillich, Prime Minister of German’s Federal State of Saxony.
For the project, ST Aerospace will lead the A330P2F engineering development, working with Airbus and EADS EFW who will subsequently be responsible as programme lead during the industrial phase, and will undertake most of the conversions at its facilities in Dresden, Germany. Under the agreement it is planned that EADS EFW will become the European centre for ST Aerospace’s global maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. The project is subject to the definitive agreements being finalised in the coming weeks and also to regulatory clearances.
The A330P2F programme includes two versions – the A330-200P2F and the larger A330-300P2F. Of the two models, the larger A330-300P2F will be particularly suitable for integrators and express carriers thanks to its high volumetric payload capability with lower-density cargo. Complementing this will be the A330-200P2F which will be optimised for higher-density freight and longer range performance. Entry-into-service for the first A330-300P2F is targeted for 2016.
Chang Cheow Teck, President of ST Aerospace said, “Aircraft conversion is one of the most complex modifications which demands precision and engineering finesse. We are thrilled to partner industry experts Airbus and EADS EFW for this new A330P2F conversion programme.”
Andreas Sperl, President and CEO of EADS EFW said, “The strategic partnership with ST Aerospace is the right step at the right time.”
Tom Enders, President and CEO of Airbus said, “Alongside our highly efficient A330-200F factory-built freighter, Airbus has always been committed to extending its freighter portfolio, and the A330P2F is the perfect next step to building the Airbus Freighter Family.”
Stanislaw Tillich, Prime Minister of German’s Federal State of Saxony said, “The aircraft industry has a long tradition in Dresden since the first German passenger jet was built there.”
Approximately 2,700 freighters will be required over the next 20 years, and around half of these will be in the mid-sized freighter segment, including 900 conversions. Addressing this requirement, both the A330-200P2F and the A330-300P2F facilitate the change to environmentally-friendly, new-technology converted freighters, while recognising the operators’ focus on capital cost. Complementing the factory-built A330-200F in service today, the A330P2F freighter conversion programme will also enhance and sustain A330 Family residual values by extending the economic lives of A330 airframes.
