Aircraft

Airbus is poised to begin its assault on the mid-size long-range freighter market, as it finalises long-held plans to launch a freighter version of the A330-200 widebody.

Airbus director of production marketing Didier Lenormand says a two-day customer focus meeting was held in Toulouse earlier this month to garner feedback for the aircraft’s specification. “We are not yet at launch stage, but are getting very close,” he says.

However, Airbus chief operating officer customers John Leahy says there is strong demand in the sector, and does not rule out a programme launch at next month’s Farnborough air show.

The 64t payload A330-200F would fill the void left by the A300-600F that will cease production in July next year. The A330 will utilise the same 2.6 x 3.6m (8.5 x 11.8ft) cargo door as the A300-600, installed in the forward fuselage. The aircraft is set to enter production in the second half of 2009.

The new freighter will be able to carry its 64t payload over a distance of 7,400km (4,000nm) and typically accommodate up to 22 standard 96 x 125in (243 x 318cm) pallets side by side – two more than the shorter-range A300-600F. Configured to accommodate pallets that could interline with the main deck of the A380 Freighter without being rebuilt, the A330 would be able to carry 16 96 x 96 x 125in pallets.

Lenormand says the A330-200F is aimed at the 30-80t payload long-range freight sector, which is currently served by cargo aircraft such as combi versions of the Boeing 747; 767-300Fs; McDonnell Douglas DC-8-70Fs and DC-10-30/40Fs. “We see a market for 380 aircraft over the next 20 years in this sector – around half of which will be conversions,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Lenormand says Airbus is moving ahead with plans to launch a passenger-to-freighter (“P2F”) conversion programme for older A320s and A321s from 2010 or 2011. The A320 P2F would typically accommodate 10 main deck AAA containers, while the larger A321 P2F would accommodate a further three AAA containers.