BAE Systems mulls freighter conversion program

The aircraft manufacturer is considering the launch of a passenger-to-freighter conversion program for its Avro RJ jetliner and is seeking customer feedback in an effort to assess market potential, the company said in a statement.    BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is considering the launch of a passenger-to-freighter conversion program for its Avro RJ jetliner, the company said in a statement.
   The London-based aircraft manufacturer is seeking customer feedback in an effort to assess the market potential for the freight aircraft following the success of its BAe 146QT (Quiet Trader) freighter.
   BAE Systems said it worked for the past year to evaluate the suitability of the Avro RJ as a cargo aircraft, including a full OEM-designed specification for the freighter. The company said it would require commitments for 10 of the Avro RJ planes in order to launch the conversion project.
   The aircraft, which will be converted primarily from BAE Systems’ RJ100 jets, will be able to accommodate seven standard LD3 containers plus one smaller rear-fuselage container, according to a report from Air Transport World.
   BAE Systems said the aircraft can be purchased for between $1 million and $1.5 million and the freighter kit and conversion would cost between $2.2 million and $2.8 million with availability beginning at the end of 2017. Typical lead time will be between nine months and one year, and conversion time will be around three months, depending on customer specific modifications.
   “The Avro RJ Freighter, which can carry up to 14 tonnes of cargo, fits the gap between the 7- tonne freight capacity of current large turboprops and the 18 tonnes of the bigger Boeing 737 Classic freighter conversions,” the company said.