JUSTIN WASTNAGE / FRANKFURT & PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC
Manufacturer presents derivative to airlines but is yet to firmly commit to project
Boeing is again making presentations to airlines about a possible freighter development of the 777 twinjet, with Lufthansa Cargo (LCAG) acknowledging interest. EVA Airways of Taiwan is believed to be eyeing a freighter, but its focus is on the yet-to-fly ultra- long-haul 777-200LR variant.
The US manufacturer has looked several times since the aircraft's entry into service in 1995 at producing pure cargo as well as "Combi" versions of the 777, but has held back, saying it would wait until the passenger aircraft had achieved 15 years of service. There has been a reluctance to commit to a freighter while sales of the passenger aircraft remain strong, and because of concern over any knock-on impact on the 747-400 line, which today is largely sustained by freighter sales.
EVA confirms it attended a recent Boeing seminar at which a 777F presentation was made, but says it is "a brand new idea and it's only being studied at the moment. We're not making any commitments." Industry sources say EVA is "enthusiastic" about a freighter version of the 777-200LR. It already has three passenger versions on order.
LCAG has called on Boeing to market a new-build freighter variant of the 777 by 2008 to provide an alternative to the proposed Airbus A380F. The German carrier says a 777 would be a preferred option to replace its fleet of Boeing MD-11 Freighters and it would like the 777 widebody to be a contender when it issues its requirements in around 2008.
Airbus has offered LCAG the freighter version of its A380, but the carrier has few routes that justify the aircraft's 150t load capacity. Jean-Peter Jansen, LCAG chairman, says the carrier would prefer to have the option of a 105t-class freighter to replace the MD-11.
"Boeing needs to do something to rival the A380. This is either a stretch version of the 747-400F or a 777F," he adds.
"The 777F has raised a lot of interest in the industry, mainly because of its excellent performance data," says Jansen.
Boeing says: "We are doing some customer exploration on this, but we still do not have a definitive timescale on this study. The recognition of the popularity of the MD-11 as a freighter gives us a reason to keep looking at this."
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY NICHOLAS IONIDES AND GUY NORRIS
Source: Flight International
