Cabin cargo has proved a popular option amid the reduction in passenger traffic and rise in cargo demand during the pandemic. In response Airbus and Lufthansa Technik (LHT) have signed a cooperation agreement to co-develop temporary ‘Cargo in the Cabin’ kits for the A330, a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) offer designed to enable operators to load cargo into the cabins of their A330-200 and A330-300 aircraft. Under the agreement LHT owns the STC, and will provide the modification kits for customers, while Airbus’s role as the OEM includes providing technical data, engineering validations and operational calculations.
The procedure begins with the removal of seats from the passenger cabin. Once the floor is clear, industry standard PKC pallets and nets are then installed on the main deck. The kit offers a volumetric cargo capacity of around 78m3 on the main deck of an A330-200, with 12 PKC pallet positions and 18 nets. For the A330-300 the main deck cargo capacity will be around 86m3, with 15 PKC pallet positions and 19 nets.
“This new solution combines Airbus’ experience as an aircraft OEM with Lufthansa Technik’s expertise in managing STCs and aircraft upgrades,” stated Daniel Wenninger, head of airframe services at Airbus. “In these times of reduced passenger traffic, our customers are looking for quick solutions to temporarily increase cargo transportation capacity in the cabin.”
“We join forces with Airbus in times of crisis to deliver the best solution for aircraft operators. We mutually benefit from each other’s expertise in many respects and thus create a blueprint for possible future co-operations,” added Soeren Stark, COO & accountable manager at Lufthansa Technik.
