Israel Aerospace Industries has secured supplemental type certification of the Boeing 777-300ER freighter conversion programme from both Israeli and US regulators.
The 777-300ERSF has been under development since 2019 – just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic – and the cargo aircraft was originally foreseen as entering service in late 2022.
It was launched jointly by IAI and US lessor GECAS, which subsequently merged with Irish-based AerCap. The lessor will be the launch customer.
IAI says supplemental type certification, from the US FAA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel, has followed “rigorous efforts over the past year”.
The approval – the first for a 777-300ER conversion programme – is a “landmark achievement”, it adds.
“This milestone sets a new standard in air cargo, delivering a unique combination of high payload capacity, volume and operational efficiency,” says IAI Aviation Group general manager Yaacov Berkovitz.
“The Boeing 777 was developed to meet the evolving needs of the cargo industry, and we believe it will become the preferred choice for international operators.”
US cargo carrier Kalitta Air will be the first carrier to put the twinjet, which has a 100t payload capability, into service.
Kalitta, based in Michigan, currently has around 30 aircraft, a mix of 747-400 freighters and 777Fs.
IAI chief executive Boaz Levy says: “Receiving certification from aviation authorities highlights IAI’s technological, engineering and operational expertise and positions the company as a pioneer in this field.”
