Airbus believes there is still a market for the A320 passenger-to-freighter conversion, but that it will take longer to emerge than originally predicted.
The A320 P2F programme was cancelled just before the Paris air show after the airframer cited a weak business case for proceeding.
Executive vice-president for programmes Tom Williams said: "People are struggling to get an airframe with enough hours and that's low in price."
He estimated that customers would need to seek aircraft costing no more than $8-9 million, and perhaps as low as $4 million, given the requirements for preparation and conversion.
"If you can't get the right airframe with enough hours it doesn't make a good prospect," Williams said, but stressed that Airbus saw an eventual market for converted A320s.
Airbus and EADS's specialist conversion division EFW had been partners in the P2F venture with Russian firms Irkut and United Aircraft.
Source: Flight International
