Airbus has pushed the target certification date of its A320 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion programme for a second time, to late 2012.
Airbus initially planned to start work on the first A320P2F at the beginning of 2011 and complete the first aircraft at the end of 2011. In June ATI reported the target certification date had slipped until mid 2012.
Airbus Freighter Conversion VP of marketing and sales Michael Fuerst says there has been a second slip, from mid 2012 to November 2012, which was decided "during the last couple of months". Both slips were driven by the economic downturn.
AerCap, which signed up in 2008 as the launch customer for Airbus' A320P2F programme with an order for 30 conversions, announced on 19 October that European cargo carrier West Atlantic agreed to be the launch operator of the A320P2F as part of deal to lease three aircraft.
Fuerst says the first of the West Atlantic aircraft will be the prototype A320P2F. He says Airbus now plans to start working on the prototype at the EADS EFW facility in Dresden at the end of 2011, and re-deliver the aircraft in November 2012.
Starting the A320P2F deliveries at the end of 2012 made more sense given demand and aircraft availability, says Fuerst. "We thought it wasn't ready," Fuerst said on the sidelines of the 19 October Cargo Facts Aircraft Symposium in Miami. "We need the right feedstock and the right prices of feedstock."
Fuerst says the on-ramp cost of an A320P2F is now $9 million to $11 million, including $4.5 million for the conversion and $4.5 million to $6.5 million for the aircraft itself. Fuerst says the feedstock price is down "at least a few million" compared to when the A320P2F programme was launched.
"We can now see feedstock values going down, so our product is very attractive and very competitive," Fuerst says. "It was already attractive. Now surely it will be even more attractive."
Fuerst says Airbus and AerCap are now speaking to several other potential A320P2F operators. "We have some other campaigns. We hope the next one would be signed up the first half of next year," he says.
In 2009 Fuerst indicated the launch customer would likely come from Asia. But he now says Asian carriers "were more affected by the crisis and brought back their fleet renewal plans".
Fuerst also explains his expectation in 2009 was a launch operator for the A320P2F would be secured by the end of 2010. He now reveals Airbus and AerCap were close to securing a launch customer last year but the customer decided to pull out due to the downturn.
AerCap VP technical portfolio management Eric Vermeulen says West Atlantic will take the first, third and fourth aircraft that will be converted. There is no customer yet for the second slot. Vermeulen says AerCap has identified a couple of aircraft candidates for the aircraft, and will announce a selection by the end of this year.
After taking the first A320P2F in November 2012, West Atlantic is slated to take its second and third A320P2F in early 2013. Fuerst says the first four A320s to be converted will all start the conversion process by the end of 2012. "We will start with at least four in 2012 - one will be delivered in 2012. The others will be delivered in 2013."
Fuerst says Airbus plans to convert 15 to 16 aircraft in 2013. In addition to Dresden, a second A320P2F conversion line is slated to open in 2013 through a partnership with Russian joint venture partner United Aircraft.
Once both lines are at full capacity, Airbus will have the capability to convert 30 aircraft annually, says Fuerst, including 15 at each conversion centre. "We can cope with big numbers. We'll have to see what the demand is."
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
