Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company (GAMECO) has cut its first Boeing 767-300BCF cargo door, while Chinese-owned lessor CDB Aviation has separately taken delivery of its first freighter.
GAMECO announced the on-schedule door cutting on April 24, following its recent opening of China’s first 767-300BCF conversion line. The 767 capability builds on GAMECO’s experience with the 737-800BCF, for which the company already has three conversion lines in operation. A second 767 line will be opened at the same site before the end of 2022 to help meet strong market demand for freighter conversions.
“This expansion will enhance our capabilities to include a new aircraft type and lead to greater efficiency and innovation throughout our conversion process,” GAMECO general manager Norbert Marx said.
Boeing has accrued more than 100 orders and commitments for the 767-300BCF to date and, over the next 20 years, the U.S. manufacturer has forecast a demand for 1,720 freighter conversions.
Meanwhile, CDB Aviation announced the handover of its first-ever freighter on April 25. CDB took delivery of the Airbus A330-300 passenger-to-freighter (A330 P2F) conversion from Elbe Flugzeugwerke’s Dresden, Germany facility.
CDB Aviation CEO Patrick Hannigan said the delivery was the result of two years of “intense work and collaboration,” after CDB took the decision to enter the cargo leasing sector.
The A330 P2F is one of a pair that will be leased to Mexico City-based cargo carrier MasAir, with the second scheduled for delivery in May.
“Operating the -300 variant will open amazing opportunities in regional markets, where there is a need for highly reliable aircraft, providing enough volume,” Mas CEO Luis Sierra said.
MasAir, which launched cargo operations in 1992, operates a fleet of 767s and A330s. The airline is now branded as “mas.”
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