21st June 2023. Germany and China. Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (EFW) and Tianjin Haite Aircraft Engineering Co., LTD. (Tianjin Haite) signed an agreement on the cooperation framework for A321 Passenger-to-Freighter (P2F) conversions at the Paris-Le Bourget International Air and Space Exhibition in Paris, France on 21 June 2023. EFW and Tianjin had in February this year announced the entering of an LOI for a collaboration in A321P2F.
The signing of the agreement between EFW and Tianjin Haite, is a major step towards a mutually beneficial collaboration between the two parties and is ensuring the induction of the first aircraft in August of 2023 at Haite in Tianjin to execute the cargo conversion.
EFW is the center of excellence for Airbus freighter conversions and the only company offering OEM data-based conversion solutions. EFW’s new generation Airbus P2F wide body and narrow body conversion programs were developed in collaboration with ST Engineering and Airbus, with EFW holding the Supplemental Type Certificates and leading in the overall program. To meet the demand for Airbus freighter conversions, EFW set up several conversion sites worldwide, including in China to ramp up total conversion capacity for all the Airbus P2F programs.
Tianjin Haite was established in 2009, focusing on B737NG series and A320 family heavy maintenance, modification, and other maintenance business, and is the only domestic MRO that possesses CAAC and FAA approvals on B737-700 and B737-800 BDSF passenger to cargo conversion capabilities. At present, Tianjin Haite has completed 11 B737NG cargo conversion project to various domestic and foreign freighter companies, and has received good feedback from customers.
Tianjin Haite has a mature and experienced work force in passenger cargo conversion. The cooperation will certainly further improve Haite’s process and specialization in two types of narrow body passenger cargo conversion and provide better conversion services to more customers globally.