BRITISH AEROSPACE Aviation Services' Airbus A300B4 passenger-to-freighter conversion programme has been boosted by a $25 million order from a US lease-management company, for three conversions.
C-S Aviation Services of New York has contracted BAe for the conversion of three ex-Air France A300B4s, to be completed by mid-1997. The contract also includes a major overhaul (D-check), a full corrosion-prevention-control programme and a repaint for each of the aircraft.
BAe launched its cargo conversion programme in 1995, in conjunction with Flight Structures, of Seattle, Washington, which was responsible for the design of the door. The first contract was received in February 1996 from Bournemouth, UK-based freight carrier Channel Express for the modification of one ex-Eastern A300B4, with three options.
BAe undertakes the conversion work at its Filton factory, while Greensboro, North Carolina-based maintenance company TIMCO provides conversion and support capability in North America. BAe which, competes in the A300 conversion market against its Airbus partner Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus, quotes a sticker price of around $5.5 million for its conversion.
Source: Flight International
