US conversion specialist Mammoth Freighters believes approval for its Boeing 777-200LRMF cargo modification will enable it to speed up the development of its larger 777-300ERMF variant.
Mammoth recently commenced flight-testing for the -200LRMF – for which Qatar Airways is the launch operator – and it is also preparing the aircraft for formal US FAA assessment flights.
“We should be done with all the flights and data submittals to the FAA by the third week in August,” says Brian McCarthy, Mammoth vice-president of marketing and sales.
Once the formal regulatory test flights have been conducted, a request will be made to the FAA for type inspection authorisation.
This typically indicates that the supplementary type certificate applicant is “all but done”, says McCarthy, and waiting only for FAA reviews and administrative finalisation.
Mammoth expects to amend its -200LR modification STC to include the -300ER later this year. The larger aircraft should be heading for flight- and ground-testing around October.
“All of the flight and ground tests are virtually identical, as well as the test plans, equipment and procedures that are required to carry out these tests both on the ground and in the air,” says McCarthy.
“This should help us accelerate the -300ER STC finalisation and process. The only real difference between these airplanes is 33ft of additional fuselage.”
There are only slight changes to the testing required, covering such items as environmental control and smoke detection. But the primary features – the main freight door, 9g cargo barrier, safety equipment, and cargo-handling system – are the same.
“There should be no surprises during the -300ER test profile which gives us the confidence to predict the outcome,” says McCarthy, although he remains cautious about any potential additional regulatory checks the FAA might require.
Mammoth has been converting the first 777-300ERMF in partnership with Aspire MRO at Fort Worth for launch customer AviaAM Leasing, part of Irish-based Avia Solutions Group.
