Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), the joint venture created by Airbus and ST Engineering has achieved the first flight of the A320 Passenger-to-Freighter aircraft, the A320P2F. The flight took place on December 8, at ST Engineering’s facilities in Seletar Aerospace Park in Singapore and follows the conversion to freighter configuration, which commenced in March this year. The A320P2F complements EFW’s current line-up of freighter-converted Airbus aircraft which are in service today, including the A321P2F, A330-300P2F and A330-200P2F.
Over the next few weeks, MSN2737, originally a passenger-carrying A320-200, will prepare for its ‘new life’ by undergoing a series of flight-tests which will culminate in the issuance to EFW by EASA of the aircraft’s Supplemental-Type-Certificate (STC). It will subsequently be leased by ST Engineering Aerospace Resources (STEAR), the aviation leasing arm of ST Engineering, to Vaayu Group. Its re-entry into service as a freighter is scheduled to commence in 2022. Vaayu revealed last month that it will lease five A320P2Fs from STEAR.
