Tel Aviv: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), announced the successful completion of the maiden flight of its converted Airbus A330-300 passenger-to-freighter aircraft. The flight was conducted as part of the certification campaign for the Company’s A330-300BDSF programme and marks a significant milestone toward entry into service.
The successful flight follows the completion of the aircraft’s primary structural phase and extensive ground testing activities performed by IAI’s Aviation Group. During the flight, the aircraft and its systems were evaluated under multiple operational conditions as part of the ongoing certification process.
Guy Bar Lev, IAI President and CEO, said, “This milestone reflects IAI’s continued investment in advanced aviation technologies and industrial and engineering capabilities, while strengthening our position in the global air cargo market. The A330-300BDSF programme further expands our broad conversion portfolio and reinforces IAI’s ability to provide long-term, flexible and reliable solutions to customers worldwide.”
Designed for regional and medium-haul cargo operations, the A330-300BDSF offers cargo operators a highly competitive solution, with capacity for up to 30 containers and payload capability of up to 61 tons. The aircraft features an electrical cargo loading system and optimised cargo flow, while the forward positioning of the main deck cargo door enables faster loading and unloading operations, improving operational efficiency and reducing turnaround times.
Yaacov Berkovitz, EVP and GM of IAI’s Aviation Group, stated, “The successful completion of the first flight marks another important step in expanding IAI’s widebody conversion capabilities and advancing the A330-300BDSF programme toward certification and commercial service. Leveraging decades of engineering expertise and operational experience, we are delivering a highly capable and competitive solution designed to address the evolving needs of the global cargo market. IAI approach is designed around the customer’s requirement for quick entry into service, supporting accelerated operational readiness and earlier revenue realization.”
The A330-300BDSF conversion further strengthens IAI’s position as one of the few companies worldwide with proven capability to perform advanced passenger-to-freighter conversions across both Boeing and Airbus platforms, including complex widebody aircraft. Building on the success of the world’s first and only Boeing 777-300ERSF passenger-to-freighter conversion programme, the A330-300BDSF represents another major milestone in the continued expansion of IAI’s widebody conversion portfolio. As demand for efficient cargo solutions continues to evolve, IAI is expanding its global network of conversion facilities to support airlines, leasing companies and cargo operators worldwide.
For more than 45 years, IAI has been a pioneer and global leader in passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversions, with proven expertise across narrowbody and widebody platforms. IAI is the first company worldwide to achieve an STC for the conversion of a B777-300ER passenger aircraft into a freighter configuration and currently performs advanced conversions for the B777-300ERSF, B767-200, B767-300, B737-700 and B737-800 platforms.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
