SINGAPORE—China’s Ameco Beijing and German conversion specialist Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) are partnering on an Airbus A330 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) program.
Announced at Zhuhai Airshow in China on Nov. 8, the pact will see an A330 conversion line added at Ameco’s facility in Chengu, China. The first aircraft is expected to be inducted in 2023.
Chengdu will become the A330P2F’s third conversion site, after EFW’s home in Dresden, Germany, and Istanbul, where Turkish Technic will begin conversions from the third quarter of 2023.
“Conversions have always been a strategic product of Ameco,” Ameco CEO Lun Chen said in a statement. “This cooperation will expand the P2F market and provide better service to our customers.” Ameco is already performing freighter conversions of the Boeing 757, primarily for local cargo carriers such as SF Airlines.
The A330P2F program covers both the A330-200 and A330-300. In March, freighter lessor Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) committed to 29 A330P2F conversion slots with EFW. These are contracted to be performed from mid-2023 through 2027.
ATSG said demand for the A330P2F is strong and it has received deposits for the forward half of the 29 aircraft.
Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database shows there are 227 passenger A330-200 and A330-300 aircraft in China.
EFW is co-owned by Singapore’s ST Engineering, which holds 55%, and Airbus, which holds the remaining 45%.
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