Tag Archives: ST Aerospace

DHL awards second Airbus A330-300P2F conversion contract to ST Aerospace

DHL Express and ST Aerospace on June 19, 2017 announced an extension of their partnership to launch a new cargo conversion of the mid-range, widebody Airbus A330 aircraft. DHL awarded a second tranche A330-300P2F (Passenger-to-Freighter) conversion contract to ST Aerospace’s subsidiary, Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), which is jointly owned with Airbus Group.

This follows the launch contract for four A330-300P2F conversions that was also awarded by DHL Express in July last year. The first aircraft under the launch contract is currently undergoing conversion at EFW’s Dresden-based facilities, and is on track to be redelivered by the end of 2017. Under the latest agreement, EFW has contracted a further four Airbus A330-300 conversion slots to DHL together with options for an additional 10 conversions.

The A330P2F conversion program, launched in 2012, is a collaboration between ST Aerospace, Airbus and EFW. The A330P2F program includes two versions – the A330-200P2F and the larger A330-300P2F. DHL Express is EFW’s first customer for the A330-300P2F conversion program. The first aircraft under the DHL Express A330-300P2F program is currently undergoing conversion at EFW’s Dresden-based facilities, while work is set to begin on a second aircraft at an ST Aerospace engineering facility in Singapore. The first two aircraft are scheduled to be redelivered by the end of 2017.

EFW, ST Aerospace and Airbus to launch A320/A321P2F freighter conversion program

Airbus (Toulouse) has signed an agreement with ST Aerospace (Singapore) to offer passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion solutions for its A320 / A321 aircraft.

The agreement was signed today (June 17) at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport by Harald Wilhelm, Chief Financial Officer of Airbus Group and Airbus, Serh Ghee Lim, President of ST Aerospace, Andreas Sperl, CEO of EFW and Tom Williams, Airbus Chief Operating Officer.

Airbus foresees a significant market demand of more than 600 aircraft over the next 20 years for P2F aircraft conversions in the small freighter segment. The A320P2F, with eleven main-deck container positions, will be capable of carrying 21 metric tons of payload over 2,100 nm, while the A321P2F with 14 main-deck positions will be able to carry up to 27 tons over 1,900 nm.

The first converted A321P2F will be delivered in 2018.

The A320/A321 P2F converted aircraft will be marketed and managed by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) (Dresden). Airbus currently holds a majority stake at the freighter conversion specialist together with its partner and co-owner, ST Aerospace.

In order to implement the new business line for A320 / A321 P2F aircraft, ST Aerospace will provide its specially developed conversion technology and will obtain another 20 percent of EFW’s shares, thus increasing its stake in EFW to 55 percent. Subsequently, Airbus Group will become a minority partner in EFW, reducing its shareholding to 45 percent.

The management team in Dresden will continue to be headed by President and CEO Andreas Sperl and will ensure sustainable growth of the Airbus P2F freighter family while strengthening EFW´s position as a global Airbus conversions supplier. In addition, the operation will secure value-adding jobs in the Dresden region.

Together with the larger A330F and A330P2F, the A320P2F and A321P2F will further complement the Airbus Freighter Family concept. Airlines will thus benefit from the flight-crew and operational commonality through Cross-Crew-Qualification and Mixed-Fleet-Flying across their Airbus freighter and passenger operations, leveraging on same cockpit and systems philosophies.

Image: Airbus.