GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Boeing Commercial Aviation Services (BCAS) aims to finally launch its long-awaited 747-400 Special Freighter conversion programme by year-end, as it catches up with Israel Aircraft Industries, which is already going ahead with its modification.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes' leadership team has agreed that BCAS can start offering the modification for service entry in late 2005.
The company admits the revised target date has slipped, but says: "A lot of customers are interested, and coupled with the availability of a lot of large aircraft, this is the time to make it offerable."
Assuming launch in the next two months, conversion of the initial batch of aircraft is expected to be completed over 18 months, with flight testing, certification and service entry being completed by the fourth quarter of 2005.
Conversion work on the first three aircraft will be undertaken by Taikoo Aircraft Engineering in Xiamen, China, with Boeing providing detailed engineering design work. The aircraft will be configured with upper-deck seating for up to 19 and will have a structural payload capacity of around 113,000kg (250,000lb) with a design range of 7,600km (4,100nm) and a maximum take-off weight of up to 394,625kg.
Source: Flight International
