Cathay Pacific Airways is planning to expand its cargo operation by converting Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft into freighters, and is pressing Boeing to launch its long-proposed Special Freighter (SF) programme.
Industry sources say Cathay is hoping to withdraw the first 747-400 from service and send it for conversion around the end of next year, with re-entry into service late in 2005 or early 2006.
"I can confirm we are very interested in the 747-400SF conversion programme," says Cathay Pacific director of corporate development Tony Tyler.
"However, Boeing has not launched it yet, and so we have not made, nor can we yet make, any decisions about when the first 747-400SF might operate nor how many we would want."
Boeing has pushed back the launch of the 747-400SF several times. It last said in May it was targeting a June 2003 launch, but it now says a year-end launch is more likely, with a late-2005 entry-into-service date.
Under its plan, Boeing is to have full responsibility for product development and marketing while Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering (TAECO) in China will perform the "conversion touch labour" for the prototype and next two passenger-to-freighter aircraft. Boeing has a minority stake in TAECO, as does Cathay - both directly and through its stake in the company's biggest shareholder, Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering.
Airline sources say one sticking point is cost. One source says Boeing proposed around $22-24 million per conversion, but airlines felt this was too much and new offers had to be made. The same source says Israel Aircraft Industries, considering launching a 747-400 conversion programme of its own, says it could perform the same work for around $18 million.
Source: Flight International
