Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is considering launching a conversion programme for the Boeing 787 as it weighs up future projects.
Speaking to FlightGlobal sister publication Air Cargo News at the Farnborough International Airshow, IAI executive vice president and general manager, aviation group, Shmuel Kuzi explained that the business is always looking ahead to its next freighter programme.
IAI is hoping to soon receive a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the US Federal Aviation Administration for its Boeing 777-300 programme and has also been working for more than 18 months on an Airbus A330 conversion project, which he hopes will receive its STC in around two years.
But looking further into the future, Kuzi says the firm is weighing up the 787 as a future option.
He says the model would offer a payload in the 60 tonne range, meaning it could compete in the medium-widebody sector against the likes of the A330 and ageing Boeing 767.
The age of the aircraft means earlier models will be coming up to the right age for conversion by the time the programme is launched, he explains.
“We are now starting to look into the 787. The model started flying in 2009 so they are around 15 years old,” he says.
“It will take three or four years to gain the STC and this will be the time airlines will be deciding what they are going to do with their fleet.”
However, Kuzi admits the conversion would not be without its challenges given the model is constructed from composites – a first for IAI.
“This aeroplane is something else because it is constructed with composite materials. I’m sure we’ll find a way to do it, but it is a different animal and something that we haven’t done yet,” he says.
“We are going to challenge ourselves with that and I’m sure we will find a way to do it – we like challenges.”
He adds: “The challenge is cutting the aeroplane. When you cut metal, we have a lot of experience with that, we do it all the time and know what to expect.
“When you are cutting a composite aircraft it is different. Also, the avionics in the aircraft have become increasingly complicated.
“We take this with a lot of responsibility and we are prepared. We have a lot of experience with composite material but it is very different from creating something out of composite material and changing something. But I am sure we can tackle this challenge.”
However, he adds that the composite material would also be an advantage for the freighter because of the weight efficiencies it would offer.
In March, IAI launched a ‘Global Control Center’ (GCC) system that aims to help reduce the freighter conversion timeframe.Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is considering launching a conversion programme for the Boeing 787 as it weighs up future projects.
