British Aerospace Aviation Services (BAeAS) has received US Federal Aviation Administration approval for its Airbus A300B4 freighter conversion, some six months later than originally targeted.
Meanwhile, C-S Aviation Services, which is BAe's major customer for the conversion, has announced its first lease-placements, with the confirmation of two aircraft for HeavyLift Cargo Airlines (Flight International, 11-17 June). The first is at the show.
The conversion was engineered by Flight Structures of the USA, which as the design authority holds the US Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certificate. UK Civil Aviation Authority certification has shadowed that of the FAA, and is expected soon. This will clear the way for the launch customer Channel Express to introduce its Ìrst aircraft into service in July, initially on wet-lease to British Airways.
Two A300s have now been converted by BAe at its Bristol Filton plant for London Stansted-based HeavyLift, which will put the first of two ex-Air France A300B4-200s into service in August, with the second aircraft due in December.
Meanwhile, Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) Airbus, which offers a rival conversion programme, has received an order from a new European airline partnership, Farnair Europe, for three A300B4 conversions.
The group, which incorporates the Swiss airline Farner Air Transport, Tulip Air of the Netherlands, and Italy's Miniliner, has acquired three ex-Eastern Airlines A300B4s. Two of these will be delivered this year, with the remainder to be delivered in May 1998. The aircraft will be flown on express-cargo contracts for undisclosed customers.
Meanwhile, Dasa Airbus says that three of the five A300B4s being converted for Pinnacle Aircraft Leasing have been placed with DHL International Europe.
Dasa Airbus also confirms that Channel Express placed three A300 conversion options along with its firm order for one conversion. The airline also has three options with BAeAS.
Source: Flight International
