The newly formed Boeing Aerospace Support Center (BASC) at the former Kelly US Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas, will begin undertaking McDonnell Douglas DC-10 freighter conversions later this year.
The division has initially been contracted to convert a single DC-10-10 to freighter configuration as part of the FedEx MD-10 conversion programme.
Boeing says that the exact number of future DC-10/MD-10 conversions to be carried out at BASC is "-being determined right now", and adds that the outcome depends to a great extent on how well the modification is handled. A similar single-aircraft conversion contract was also awarded to Mobile Aerospace in Alabama, which holds options on further MD-10 conversions.
The DC-10, one of 60 ex-United Airlines and American Airlines DC-10-10s being put through the MD-10 programme, is due to arrive at the BASC site in September. The first aircraft to undergo maintenance work at the BASC site is a C-17, which will arrive in August as part of the US Air Force's flexible sustainment agreement with Boeing.
Other sites already undertaking freighter conversions for the MD-10 effort include Aeronavali in Italy, Dimension Aviation in Phoenix, Arizona and Mobile Aerospace in Alabama.
BASC is also bidding for of military work for the site.
Source: Flight International
