AELF FlightService has partnered with Montreal-based Avianor for the conversion of its passenger A330-200s to auxiliary cargo configuration.
An aircraft maintenance and cabin integration specialist, Avianor supplied the custom Supplemental Type Certificate (“STC”) conversion kit and parts support for the modifications, in which all passenger seats are removed from the cabin and netted cargo restraints installed.
The Avianor contract covers four of the AELF FlightService A330-200s. The first two aircraft, MSN 700 and MSN 472, have completed the embodiment of the Avianor STC, and each aircraft now has a cargo capacity of 230m³ of volume and 58T of payload. Two additional aircraft, MSN 466 and MSN 871, are currently undergoing the conversion.
With increased demand for urgent transport of medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE), the netted cargo capacity offered by AELF FlightService’s A330’s has particular value now. The grounding of a significant percentage of passenger flights globally that would normally transport freight in aircraft cargo holds has implications for the timely and efficient distribution of a wide variety of critical cargo, including vaccines for COVID-19.
