Leading Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB) took delivery of its first ATR 72-500 aircraft converted from passenger to cargo use. The freighter, the first of its type in the Philippines, gives CEB the ability to bring cargo in and out of destinations served by airports with short runways where only turboprops can take off and land.

The ATR aircraft is equipped with a Large Cargo Door (LCD), allowing a load of up to seven (7) Ld3 air cargo containers, or five (5) PBJ pallets. The freighter has capacity to carry as much as eight (8) tons of cargo.

The conversion was performed at the Sabena Technics DNR S.A.S. facility in Dinard, France. The freighter, the first of two passenger aircraft that CEB is converting for full cargo use, will be operated by CEB subsidiary Cebgo. The second ATR 72-500 freighter is expected to be delivered in late-2019.