Lufthansa Technik: "Pax to Cargo Conversions" for medical supplies

Comprehensive engineering required to receive exemption
Engineering Orders for specific tailsigns issued
Supplemental Type Certificates will be provided soon  

Lufthansa Technik has obtained Engineering Order Specific Tailsign
approvals from the German Federal Aviation Authority for four
Lufthansa passenger aircraft. They will from now on transport  
medical goods to meet the growing demand for airfreight during the
coronavirus crisis. Within 36 hours, the Airbus A330-300 aircraft
were modified for cargo transport. The prerequisite for such a
conversion from a passenger to a cargo aircraft is a comprehensive
technical documentation.

Normally, long-haul aircraft of this type fly up to 236 business and
leisure travellers around the world. Now, four of them transport
urgently needed medical supplies. However, an aircraft that has been
granted an approval for passenger transport cannot simply be loaded
with cargo in the cabin, as the approval criteria for passenger
cabins and cargo compartments are completely different. For example,
cargo has a different floor load, i.e. the structural load capacity
of a passenger aircraft is lower than that of a cargo aircraft. While
for passenger transport rescue routes must be kept clear and the
oxygen supply must be ensured for each individual, special fire
protection measures must be taken on board a freighter. All these
criteria, and some more, must be taken into account and incorporated
into the technical documentation by suitably qualified engineers and
approved.

Supplemental Type Certificate for Pax-to-Cargo Conversion in progress

Currently, it is not only the demand for air transport of medical
supplies that is growing, but also that for commercial goods.
Lufthansa Technik is therefore currently working flat out to obtain
Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for all common aircraft types
so that airlines all over the world can quickly convert their
passenger aircraft into auxiliary freighters.  

"We are working to have the complete technical documentation and
certification available within a short time so that our airline
customers can use the STC. The conversion itself should then be
possible within a few days," explains Henning Jochmann, Senior
Director Aircraft Modification Base Maintenance at Lufthansa Technik.
"The airlines can thus react quickly to changing needs while keeping
costs low." Furthermore, Lufthansa Technik develops solutions to
protect cabin installations or to secure cargo quickly and easily.