The first Boeing 777-300ER converted to a freighter has emerged from the paint hangar in the colors of its new operator. The aircraft was converted by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and the launch airline will be Kalitta Air.
The triple seven, registered as N779CK, is 18 years old and previously belonged to Emirates. It was configured as a «Phreighter» in 2020, and the work to convert it to a full freighter began in September 2022.
The conversion process was completed in November 2023, and the aircraft performed several flights for Kalitta Air. It featured a special livery during the test period: «Big Twin» on the tail, Kalitta Air titles on the fuselage, and AerCap and IAI stickers.
According to our partner site AEROIN, the plane left the Ethiopian Airlines hangars in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where it had been since late April. Finally, the 777-300ERSF (Extended Range Special Freighter) now sports the traditional Kalitta Air livery and is set to be officially introduced to the market soon.
This is the first Boeing 777-300ERSF of six ordered by Kalitta Air. Additionally, the new freighter model has garnered a firm order backlog of 60 units.
Thanks to the excellent reputation of the Boeing 777-300ER in passenger transport, the newly converted cargo model has attracted significant interest from many freight operators. This positions it as the aircraft that could eventually replace the 747-8F, whose production line has already been shut down.
The 777-300ERSF offers 25% more cargo capacity compared to the 777F, which is based on the 777-200LR. The plane can carry 101.6 tons of payload while consuming 21% less fuel than the 747F.
