Boeing took the opportunity when announcing a firm order from an unidentified customer for two 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF), to also reveal it has made agreements to open additional conversion lines in Guangzhou, China, and Singapore to meet strong market demand.
The new order brings the orders and commitments for the B737-800BCF to 134. The aircraft is based on the Next-Generation 737, and is primarily used to carry express cargo on domestic or short-haul routes up to 2,000 nautical miles (3,750km), with capacity for up to 23.9 tonnes (52,800 lbs).
The new B737-800BCF line at Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company Limited (GAMECO) is scheduled to open in early 2021, marking the MRO’s second conversion line for the aircraft model. To date, Boeing has delivered 36 B737-800BCFs to more than 10 operators across four continents.
“The addition of the new production line demonstrates our ability to quickly respond to market trends and requirements and is a testament to the skill and professionalism of the entire GAMECO-Boeing team,” said GAMECO’s general manager, Norbert Marx.
Boeing will also add a second conversion line for its widebody converted freighter, the B767-300BCF, at ST Engineering’s facility in Singapore. The second line is scheduled to open later this year. The B767-300BCF has similar cargo capability to the B767-300F production freighter, with up to 56.5 tonnes (124,600 pounds) of payload and flying up to 3,350 nautical miles (6,190km).