Israel Aerospace Industries' Bedek division is preparing for first flight later this month of the 767-300ER Bedek Special Freighter (BDSF).
Bedek, which is partnered with Japan's Mitsui for the 767-300ER cargo conversion programme, began converting its first 767-300ER early this year. Bedek's corporate vice president and general manager of marketing and business development, Jack Gaber, told the Cargo Facts 2009 conference in Seattle earlier this week that first flight will take place by the end of September and the 767-300ERBDSF will be certified by the end of November. Portuguese wet-lease carrier Euro Atlantic was revealed early this year as the launch customer.
M&B Conversions sales and marketing director Hideaki Katsube says the first aircraft is scheduled to be re-delivered to Euro Atlantic by the end of this year. M&B is the Irish-based joint venture company IAI and Mitsui has set up to oversee the 767-300ERBDSF programme and lead marketing efforts.
Katsube says the second 767-300ERBDSF is also now on the conversion line in Israel and is scheduled to be re-delivered next year to leasing company Guggenheim Aviation Partners. He says M&B is now in talks with a potential third customer for a conversion that would keep the line busy in 2010.
M&B is the second provider to offer 767-300ER conversions after Boeing, which launched its 767-300ER Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) programme in 2005. Boeing now uses Singapore Technologies to convert 767-300ERs and so far aircraft have been converted for Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA).
Boeing Commercial Aviation Services vice president freighter conversions Dennis Floyd says the 767-300ERBCF programme is progressing as scheduled but it is difficult securing new orders in the current environment. Besides ANA, Boeing so far only has secured one other order for the 767-300ER BCF, a 10-aircraft deal with Q Aviation that was signed in early 2008.
Floyd says Boeing also continues to study a 767-300 non-ER cargo conversion product but currently there is not enough demand to warrant development of the proposed 767-300BCF.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
