Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), the Centre of Excellence for Airbus freighter conversions located in Dresden, Germany, has redelivered the first of three A330 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) converted aircraft to aircraft lessor Air Lease.
The redelivered A330-200P2F aircraft will be operated by Awesome Cargo, a Mexican freight carrier that launched operations in 2023.
This aircraft is the first A330P2F to be registered in Mexico.
It is equipped with a flight crew rest compartment and centre fuel tanks, allowing for both medium-haul as well as long-haul flights supporting routes connecting Mexico and China.
It also benefits from a powered cargo loading system suitable for extra-large or heavy cargo carried on 16-foot or 20-foot pallets.
Awesome Cargo has up to now operated freighter aircraft that were temporarily modified from passenger aircraft to carry cargo in the main cabin.
Its current fleet consists of three A330-200 aircraft, currently flying routes across North, Central, and South America, as well as to China.
But the airline has now opted for fully converted freighter aircraft, selecting EFW’s A330-200P2F solution to support its growing air cargo operations.
Jordi Boto, chief executive of EFW, commented: “This milestone redelivery marks a significant step in supporting the operator Awesome Cargo in its mission to serve key routes across Mexico, Latin America and Asia Pacific, some of the fastest-growing regions in e-commerce.”
Luis Ramos, chief executive of Awesome Cargo, added: “Through this conversion programme, Awesome Cargo is committed and focused on offering unique and attractive alternatives to its clients: increasing the fleet with aircraft that are highly efficient in fuel consumption and cargo capacity compared to aircraft of the same class.”
He continued: “We are adopting a strategic approach that balances fleet expansion with market demand and operational efficiency; working together with e-commerce platforms and logistics providers in order to align its services with customer needs, and raising all the reliability indices of its operation, making it efficient, competitive and safe.”
A330P2F deliveries
This first model of three A330P2Fs destined for Awesome Cargo is EFW’s 60th Airbus widebody freighter of its conversion programme that it has delivered.
Just last month (May), Air Cargo News reported that EFW had redelivered the first of 30 A330P2Fs to Air Transport Services Group (ATSG).
US-headquartered ATSG will pass the A330P2F to its Türkiye-based customer, ULS Airlines Cargo. The A330P2F was converted at EFW’s facilities in Dresden.
And in April, it was revealed that EFW had signed an agreement with Confity Capital Partners, a UAE-based growth equity and investment firm, for multiple A330P2F aircraft.
The A330P2F conversions for Confity will be carried out from the end of 2025 in Dresden as well as at its partner conversion sites across the globe.
Mumbai-based Jet Freight Logistics will be the launch customer and the first Indian cargo airline to operate the widebody Airbus P2F aircraft.
Choice of variant
The EFW A330P2F comes in two variants – the A330-200P2F and the A330.
The A330-200P2F can carry a gross payload of up to 60 tons over 7,700km, while the A330-300P2F offers a gross payload of up to 62 tons and a containerised capacity volume of approximately 526m3 – up to 23% more cargo volume than other freighter aircraft in the same class.
EFW is a joint venture of ST Engineering and Airbus.
