Boeing has teamed with BFGoodrich and Inter-Continental Aircraft Services (ICAS), an alliance of major Taiwanese companies, to develop the 737 'Classic' passenger-to-freighter conversion programme as well as a possible "quick change" conversion option.
As expected, the partnership is led by Boeing Airplane Services which will provide company design data and engineering expertise. While Boeing will hold the supplemental type certificate, the conversions themselves will be undertaken by BFGoodrich at its Everett site in Washington, and by ICAS in Taiwan.
ICAS combines the aircraft maintenance resources of Aero-space Industrial Development, Air Asia, China Airlines and Evergreen Aviation Technologies. Boeing says the first conversion will be undertaken by BFGoodrich and "is expected to be ready for delivery as early as summer 2002".
This is almost a year earlier than Boeing had previously indicated and, as a result, could bring it into line with the predicted delivery timescale announced by Alabama-based Pemco which has launched a similar 737 "Classic" conversion effort and concluded a launch deal with Iceland's Bluebird Cargo for the conversion.
Boeing had earlier indicated entry-into-service would be 15-18 months after launch, suggesting a firm go-ahead for the conversion programme could be expected by early 2001.
The Boeing-led group has meanwhile begun work on the configuration and engineering statement of work for modifying both 737-300s and -400s. They are also examining a potential quick change option which could increase the total market well beyond the 250 conversions of 737- 300/400s which Boeing is predicting for the next 20 years.
The converted aircraft will be capable of carrying 17,800kg (39,200lb) of revenue payload with a range of more than 2,780km (1,500nm) working at full capacity. The conversions should only take between 45 and 60 days for each aircraft.
Source: Flight International
