Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has reached a major milestone in its Airbus A330-300 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion programme after the first converted aircraft came “off jacks”, signalling completion of the primary structural modification phase.

The programme has now progressed into the ground and flight test phase, with the first test flight expected in the coming weeks and certification targeted before the end of 2026.

The A330-300 P2F programme expands IAI’s widebody conversion portfolio across both Airbus and Boeing aircraft platforms. The company is among a limited number of organisations globally capable of performing advanced passenger-to-freighter conversions on both narrowbody and widebody aircraft types.

IAI said growing global demand for dedicated freighter aircraft continues to drive expansion of its worldwide conversion facility network to support airlines, cargo operators and leasing companies.

“This achievement marks another step in executing IAI’s long-term vision to expand its role in the global air cargo market,” said Boaz Levy, President and CEO of IAI.

Yaacov Berkovitz, Executive Vice President and General Manager of IAI’s Aviation Group, said the programme had been developed specifically to meet changing market requirements and provide operators with long-term fleet flexibility and operational value.

The A330-300BDSF conversion is designed for regional and medium-haul cargo operations and offers capacity for up to 30 cargo containers with a payload capability of up to 61 tonnes.

IAI said the aircraft incorporates an advanced cargo handling system and an optimised cargo flow layout aimed at improving loading efficiency. The forward placement of the main deck cargo door is also intended to reduce turnaround times during loading and unloading operations.

The company noted that the large global fleet of existing A330-300 aircraft provides operators with a viable replacement option for ageing freighter fleets.

IAI has more than 45 years of experience in passenger-to-freighter conversions and currently supports multiple Boeing conversion programmes, including the B767-200, B767-300, B737-700 and B737-800. The company was also the first organisation globally to receive a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for converting the Boeing 777-300ER into a freighter configuration.