Airbus Freighter Conversion Starts Operational Business
Moscow, 22 August 2007
The Airbus Freighter Conversion GmbH, located in Dresden, Germany started its operational business aiming the set up of freighter conversion centres for the Airbus A320 family in Lukhovitsy near Moscow and the German site. By now the partners are preparing the start of the conversion program at both locations.
“After the establishment of the company, the sales and marketing team is about to finalize negotiations with the first customer who will be announced soon”, said Lars Becker, CEO of Airbus Freighter Conversion. The first converted freighter aircraft is expected to roll out in 2010 at EADS EFW´s conversion centre, the first converted aircraft from the Russian line is scheduled for 2011.
“With a prospering airfreight market worldwide we experience a high demand for the conversion of passenger aircraft into cargo versions. We anticipate about 400 Airbus Single Aisle aircraft to be converted from 2010 to 2025”, said Dr. Andreas Sperl President and CEO of EADS EFW.
“The parties involved in the project actively cooperate with each other and have already made significant progress. I believe that the JV operation will be successful and beneficial for all participants of the project’, said Oleg Demchenko, President of Irkut Corporation, the main industrial partner of AFC in Russia.
Initially, after the ramp up an average of 30 A320 family aircraft is planned to be converted per year. During the conversion process the passenger cabin is dismantled and a new reinforced floor structure and cargo loading equipment are added. To simplify cargo loading, a big cargo door is installed in the upper deck of fuselage.
The foundation of the Joint Venture (UAC 25%, Irkut 25 %, EADS EFW 32 % and Airbus 18 %) follows a Letter Of Intent signed at the ILA Airshow in Berlin, Germany in May 2006 and an agreement signed on the sideline of the Sankt Petersburger Dialog in October 2006 in Dresden. With the settlement of the framework in March 2007 in Moscow the cornerstone for the now established partnership was laid. The Joint Venture and the individual partners will design the conversion solution, manufacture the conversion kits, perform the conversions and market and sell the conversion services.
For further information:
| Sabine Klie | EADS EFW |
Tel.: +49 151 19512711 |
| Gregor v. Kursell | EADS |
Tel.: +49 177 7253027 |
