Aircraft

Boeing and Shanghai Airlines' new maintenance, repair and overhaul company in Shanghai will be undertaking Boeing 767 freighter conversion work within three years.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice-president, China operations John Bruns says the new Shanghai MRO "will provide passenger-to-freighter conversions on 767s" starting in 2010.

"We consider this will be a centre of excellence on" 767s, he says, adding that demand for 767 freighter conversions will pick up once passenger airlines start replacing 767s with the new Boeing 787.

Bruns was speaking at the Asian Aerospace Congress in Hong Kong.

The new company, Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services, is a joint venture between Boeing (60%), Shanghai Airlines (25%) and the Shanghai Airport Authority (15%).

According to Flight's ACAS database Shanghai Airlines operates seven 767-300 passenger aircraft and has on order nine Boeing 787-8s. It also has a cargo airline called Shanghai Airlines Cargo International that operates Boeing 757Fs and Boeing MD-11Fs.