AKKA and Avianor join forces to offer an EASA approved Passenger-to-Freighter solution to European and worldwide customers

Brussels, May 18, 2020. AKKA Technologies and Avianor, the majority-owned affiliates of DRAKKAR’s Aerospace & Ground Transportation Division, announced today that they have signed a collaboration agreement for Avianor’s Passenger-to-Freighter conversion solution, certified by the Canadian civil aviation authority (TCCA), and already embodied on several wide body aircraft.

In order to promote this solution to international markets, AKKA Technologies and Avianor have signed a framework agreement to certify the solution with the widely adopted European Union Aviation & Safety standards. As a leading global aerospace MRO & Cabin Modification player, AKKA Technologies is among the few companies able to provide comprehensive certification services by delegation to support the aerospace industry and its operators.

Avianor, an aircraft maintenance and cabin integration specialist, developed an engineering solution and associated kits to remove passenger seats from an airline’s aircraft and designate cargo loading zones for light weight boxes restrained with cargo nets. For a Boeing 777 or Airbus A330 type aircraft, such modifications can be embodied within four days, providing the aircraft with additional cargo capacity of up to 19 tons. This modification can be easily extended to other aircraft types providing most airlines and operators with an easy and comprehensive solution.

The agreement between AKKA & Avianor will also give AKKA the ‘rights to use’ this engineering solution, in order to respond to the urgent cargo conversion demand worldwide. While AKKA will support airlines requiring EASA certification, Avianor will continue to support airlines requiring TCCA certification and supply conversion kits for both EASA and TCCA customers.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply hurt airlines and forced them to reinvent themselves. As a leader in the aviation industry, Avianor reacted quickly to the needs of its customers in this time of crisis. In just shy of a week’s time, our specialists reconfigured a first Boeing’s 777-300ER followed quickly by six other 777 and A330. We are currently at work converting A340 aircraft cabins, soon adding another certified wide-body solution. We pride ourselves on our innovative actions and responsiveness to contribute to the urgent need for increased cargo capacity for medical and essential goods. We are pleased to establish this collaboration with the AKKA Group and enable a broader access to our solution for airlines”, said Matthieu Duhaime, President & COO, Avianor.

“About half of the world’s air freight is carried in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft. And since COVID- 19 has grounded most of the passenger fleets around the globe, cargo capacity worldwide has dropped and the price per kilo skyrocketed. In order to compensate for reduced passenger traffic and keep their fleets operational, airlines are reconfiguring their passenger aircraft to so called ‘preighters’ (passenger- to-freighter) to generate revenue”, said Charles Champion, member of AKKA’s board of directors.