UAE - Mubasher: Etihad Engineering, a commercial aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services provider, has partnered with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), to offer Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversions on Boeing 777-300ER.
Under the initial stage of the partnership, Etihad Engineering will facilitate two conversion lines to provide several aircraft conversions per year, according to a press release on Wednesday.
In 2019, IAI and GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) launched the Boeing 777-300ERSF, a programme that introduced a P2F conversion dubbed 'The Big Twin'.
Amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which has negatively affected the aviation sector, cargo operations have enabled operators to offset their losses for contributing to facilitating international trade.
Hence, the aviation sector is expected to record a rise in demand for wide-body freighter aircraft.
The Group CEO of Etihad Aviation Group, Tony Douglas, said: "The Boeing 777-300ERSF is not only extremely attractive to customers but a technological breakthrough, given that it’s the first in its size category to offer extensive cargo solutions."
Meanwhile, the President and CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, Boaz Levy, commented: "Establishing the conversion site in partnership with Etihad Engineering is a testament to IAI’s strong ties with the UAE and strengthens its foothold in the region."
