Elbe Flugzeugwerke (PFE), a joint venture created by Airbus and ST Engineering, informed that it carried out the first flight of the A320 converted to freighter, named P2F (passenger-to-freighter), which took place on Wednesday 8, at Seletar Aerospace Park in Singapore, and concludes the work that began in March.
The A320P2F complements EFW’s current line of converted Airbus aircraft in service, including the A321P2F, A330-300P2F, and A330-200P2F.
Over the next few weeks, MSN2737, which has previously flown at TAM as PR-MBB, will prepare for its “new life” performance by undergoing a series of flight tests that will culminate in the issuance of the aircraft’s type certificate by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It is scheduled to re-enter service as a freighter in 2022.
Offering a cargo capacity of 10 ULD containers plus a pallet position on the main deck and seven ULD containers on the lower deck, the A320P2F offers more payload and volume than its closest competitor, the classic Boeing 737-400. This freight solution offers 21 tons of payload for flights up to 1,800 nautical miles and 17 tons for flights up to 2,560 nm.
Features of the A320P2F conversion include:
– A main deck cargo door on the left-side forward fuselage
– The door is hydraulically operated and electrically closed and measures 142″ wide and 85″ high
– A rigid cargo barrier supporting 9G with a lightweight and durable design for optimal use of available space
– A manually operated loading system with full compatibility with industry-standard narrow body ULDs
– Reinforced floor panels and floor grid
– A Class E cargo compartment that meets industry requirements.
Based on Airbus’ global market forecasts, some 2,440 large single-aisle freighters will be required for growth and replacement over the next 20 years. About 1,000 of this total demand will be single-aisle freighters converted from passenger to freighters, such as the A320P2F and A321P2F.
