Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Aviation Group has delivered the first passenger-to-cargo converted Boeing 737-700 to Chines airline – Tianjin Cargo Airlines, which will become the first operator of this type of aircraft in China. The conversion work was carried out at the Tianjin MRO site, under a partnership agreement with IAI and Haite Group for developing the B737-700 and B737-800 STC. The two companies have been working together since 2017, to meet the increasing demand for cargo aircraft in China and around the world.
With the rise of e-commerce and the resulting higher demand for cargo aircraft, together with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, cargo aircraft have become the lifeblood of the Chinese economy. In recent years, most narrow-body cargo aircraft were based on the Classic Boeing 737 family, in particular the 737-400 model. As the Classic models are nearing the end of their lifecycle, they are being replaced by the Boeing 737 NG (New Generation) with the B737-700/800 models. These aircraft provide improved performance, avionics, and fuel consumption.
