Air Worthy supports B747-400F service transition

Whilst the world’s major commercial airlines are phasing out four-engine passenger aircraft as a consequence of continual engine technology advancements, which deliver cleaner performance, greater fuel efficiency and therefore, increased range, the freighter market still relies on legacy aircraft, such as the Boeing 747-400F.

Since first entering service in 1993, the B747-400F has been a reliable workhorse of the sky, delivering hundreds of millions of tonnes of air cargo across the globe in that time. As Air Worthy explored in a previous blog <CLICK HERE TO VIEW> the transportation of air freight is a crucial part of sustaining the global aviation market, with almost 70 million tonnes of goods flown annually. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airline cargo transport represents about 35% of global trade by value.

Boasting unique nose-loading capacity and a 120-tonne max payload, the B747-400F provides massive operational capabilities, making it an ideal aircraft for transporting valuable and heavy or oversized commodities quickly, such as aircraft engines, cars, horses, dangerous goods, humanitarian supplies and other complex verticals. Crucially, outsized cargo is lucrative, offering higher profitability than side-loading pallets. However, new generation freighters being produced such as the B777X and the Airbus A350F do not offer nose loading. This levels the playing field, as although the new aircraft deliver better fuel burn performance, they are restricted to cargo that can fit through the side cargo doors.

Having already supported the passenger to freight (P2F) conversion of the smaller Boeing 767, Air Worthy was best placed to manage the territory transition of a B747-400F, which had recently been acquired by an existing client, for deployment on strategic routes to enhance the carrier’s connectivity between Europe and the Far East.

As an EASA-certified CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation - (EU) No.1321/2014), Air Worthy was responsible for providing technical advice in relation to the purchase contract and legal documentation necessary for the transition to the new owner.

Its team of engineers also managed a review of the aircraft’s technical records, checking for any missing data, in order to ensure the correct compliance for the country import and new management of the aircraft. Air Worthy was also responsible for all CAMO-related procedures, including the preparation of critical manuals such as the MEL (Minimum Equipment List) and AMP (Aircraft Maintenance Program).

Commenting on the B747-400F project, Air Worthy’s Continuing Airworthiness Manager, Lucia Soffientini, said:

“Having managed B767 P2F conversions previously, our technical familiarity and extensive engineering knowledge and experience positioned Air Worthy as a trusted partner for this aircraft transition project. We have enjoyed working with the client, which is seeing positive growth in its international operations, so we look forward to further projects with them.”