Bedek Aviation Group is establishing a Mexican facility for passenger-to-freighter conversion of Boeing 767-300s.

Mexicana MRO Services has been recruited to "run" the conversion site in Mexico City on a subcontractor basis, says Bedek, a division of Israel Aerospace Industries.

Work on the first aircraft will begin later this month, and there are orders for several further 767-300 conversions at the site, adds Bedek.

Employees of Mexicana MRO Services have been trained for the project by IAI in Israel. Bedek will retain engineering authority and overall responsibility for the conversions in Mexico, as the STC holder.

"We are experiencing a period of increased demand for conversion into freighters and Bedek is up to its neck in work," states Bedek general manager Yosi Melamed. "The collaboration with Mexicana has significant business potential and is good news for both parties.

"Collaborations of this type allow us to make time for development activities and reduce the workload in Israel to provide faster and better service to our many customers."

Bedek has completed its first conversion of a 737NG and has been awaiting STC approval for that programme. Separately, the Tel Aviv-based company – which has also converted 737 Classics, 747s, 757s and MD-11 trijets – is preparing for its first 777 conversion.

The collaboration with Mexicana will facilitate conversion projects worth "tens of millions of dollars in the coming years", says IAI.

Source: Cirium Dashboard