Mammoth Freighters LLC today announced it will expand its 777 freighter conversion operations to Qingdao, China, and has selected STAECO as its newest conversion MRO provider following a Request for Proposal process. The expansion comes in response to growing demand for widebody freighter capacity in China and across the Asia-Pacific region. Mammoth plans to open one conversion line at STAECO’s new Qingdao facility in September 2026, complementing existing Mammoth conversion lines at Aspire MRO in Fort Worth, Texas, and STS Aviation Services UK Limited in Manchester, England. Mammoth will occupy one widebody hangar with two bays at the newly rebuilt Qingdao airport, the largest airport in Shandong Province in eastern China and a crucial transportation hub for the region and internationally.

The first aircraft, a 777-200LR owned by Jetran, is expected to be inducted for conversion at STAECO this fall. Mammoth expects the second STAECO line to begin operations in early 2027.

In April 2026, Mammoth Freighters received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its 777-200LRMF (Long Range Mammoth Freighter), clearing the aircraft for commercial service. The first two 777-200LRMFs are expected to enter commercial service this fall, one with Qatar Airways and one with DHL.

STAECO brings significant conversion experience to the program, including more than 100 737-800 conversions. HAECO Xiamen has committed to support STAECO during the Mammoth 777 startup process with 777-related expertise and personnel.

Under the agreement, STAECO will perform Mammoth’s proprietary 777 freighter modifications at its Qingdao facility, supporting cargo operators in China and across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as international customers seeking long-haul widebody freighter capacity.

Mammoth converts Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER passenger aircraft into the 777-200LRMF and 777-300ERMF freighters, giving operators the payload, range, and fuel efficiency needed for long-haul cargo operations. Following FAA certification of the 777-300ERMF, Mammoth expects to begin supplemental type certificate (STC) validation with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), supported by demand from Chinese customers. Mammoth expects CAAC validation to be complete before the first 777-300ERMF enters service in China.

Mammoth Freighters LLC (“Mammoth”) was founded in December 2020 to design, develop, certify, and support passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversions, with an initial focus on the Boeing 777 platform, including both the 777-200LR and 777-300ER variants. Mammoth’s converted 777 freighters are designed to deliver industry-leading productivity, range, and operating economics for long-haul cargo operations.

Mammoth is a Boeing Licensee for the 777 and is developing a global conversion and production network with capacity for up to nine production lines. This includes five lines at Aspire MRO in Fort Worth, Texas, and two lines at STS Aviation Services UK Limited in Manchester, England, and two lines at STAECO in Qingdao, China.

The company is backed by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group. Mammoth is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, with engineering offices also in Rancho Bernardo, California and Portland, Oregon.

Mammoth Freighters LLC has announced the launch of its Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER passenger-to-freighter conversion programs. Mammoth was founded in December 2020 by two highly experienced aviation industry executives, Bill Wagner and Bill Tarpley, both serving as the company’s Co-CEOs. The Company is backed by private investment funds managed by Fortress Investment Group LLC and its affiliates (Fortress). The combination of management expertise and strong financial support has enabled Mammoth to launch its Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) development program with the plan to achieve FAA approval in the second half of 2023.

Mammoth brings a flexible business model to market that provides air cargo operators and asset owners dynamic new options including the ability to provide their own assets for conversion or acquire or lease ready-to-fly converted freighters from Mammoth’s existing feedstock of ten 777-200LR GE90-110B1 equipped aircraft. These assets were acquired from Delta Air Lines and are the largest fleet of -200LR sister aircraft in the world.

The Company, which possesses a Boeing data license to execute 777 passenger-to-freighter conversions, has already made significant progress since it began operations in late 2020. Design and engineering for the 777-200LRMF program is well underway with tooling and parts already in fabrication. The conformity 777-200LR recently completed a comprehensive series of pre-modification flight tests and will commence modification in the second quarter of 2022. Upon certification of the 777-200LRMF, Mammoth expects approval of the 777-300ERMF STC to follow shortly afterwards.

Bill Tarpley, Mammoth Co-CEO, explained, “All models of the 777 with GE90-110/115 engines are renowned for having superior operating economics compared to the aging 747-400 and MD-11 fleets and, as freighters, both the 777-200LR and 777-300ER have a bright future in supporting global air cargo demand. With our modern design and existing feedstock of ten aircraft, Mammoth will provide express, e-commerce, and general freight operators with highly affordable, flexible, and purpose-built 777 freighters that burn less fuel and emit less carbon than the current freighter fleets.”

Mammoth, with offices in Escondido, CA and Orlando, FL, was founded specifically to develop, convert, and support both models of the most productive and economical 777 long range freighters in the world.

Fortress is a leading, highly diversified global investment manager with approximately $53.9¹ billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2021.