DHL Express has taken delivery of the first Airbus A330 to be converted from passenger to freighter configuration.
The A330-300 completed flight tests in October and the European Aviation Safety Agency granted a supplemental type certificate for the conversion programme in late November, confirms German modification and maintenance centre Elbe Flugzeugwerke.
DHL Express senior-vice president of global air fleet management Geoff Kehr states that the Pratt & Whitney PW4168-powered twinjet will be deployed on the express carrier's Asia-Pacific network in order to bring "added capacity and increased efficiency to a market where we are seeing dynamic express volume growth".
Dresden-based EFW, a joint venture between majority shareholder ST Aerospace and Airbus, says DHL Express has ordered eight A330-300P2Fs and holds options for another 10.
Airbus/ST Aerospace
The second aircraft is to be delivered in "early 2018", says ST Aerospace president Lim Serh Ghee. He describes the handover to DHL as a "good start to the conversion programme".
EFW chief executive Andreas Sperl says the first aircraft's "on-time" delivery "showcases the synergy formed by the deep operational and engineering expertise between EFW and parent company ST Aerospace".
The A330P2F programme was launched in 2012. An A330-200 is also undergoing modification, in parallel, as part of the effort.
Airbus
Source: Cirium Dashboard
