Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has completed the maiden flight of its converted Airbus A330-300 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) aircraft.
The flight was conducted as part of the certification campaign for the A330-300BDSF programme and marks a significant milestone toward entry into service.
In May, IAI said it had completed primary structural work on its A330-300 conversion prototype and expected certification by the end of the year.
The 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 chief executive, 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 program 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 has capacity for up to 30 containers and payload capability of up to 61 tons.
The aircraft features an electrical cargo loading system and optimized 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, said IAI.
Yaacov Berkovitz, executive vice president and general manager of IAI’s Aviation Group, said: “The successful completion of the first flight marks another important step in expanding IAI’s widebody conversion capabilities and advancing the A330-300BDSF program 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.”
IAI was the first company worldwide to achieve an STC for the conversion of a Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft into freighter configuration and currently performs advanced conversions for the 777-300ERSF, Boeing 767-200, 767-300, Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 platforms.
