PACAVI lands A320/321 conversion orders

PACAVI, the US-based engineering and conversion specialist,has confirmed the first orders for its Airbus A320-321passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion programme.
São Paulo based business charter company Colt Aviation/Colt Cargo, has ordered two converted A321 freighters with an option for one more and Norway’s Airline Management will acquire six A320 freighters.
The conversion specialist said that an additional launch order has been issued by an undisclosed leasing customer.
The P2F business is hotting up across a range of aircraft types, with Precision Aircraft Solutions  this week receiving an order for eight Boeing 757-200 freighter conversions and delivering three aircraft to customers.
PACAVI has striven to be first to market with the new A320 P2F conversion but faces competition from the joint venture between Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aerospace)and Dresden-based Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) which has its own A320/321 programme. 
PACAVI group chief executive Stephan Hollmann Said: “It’s the kind of companies like Colt Cargo that our turnkey packages of airframe sourcing, purchase, customized conversion, and leasing or sale are tailored for.
“The small to medium sized operator market is huge, and we have just the right product for these customers.”
Alex Eckmann, chief executive of Colt Aviation, added: “The PACAVI A321 freighters are the perfect addition to our fleet of Boeing 737-400 and 757-200 freighters; with the perfect range and payload, state of the art fly-by-wire technology and low operating costs.  
“They will be excellent workhorses and contribute greatly to our innovative, high-performance logistics concept.”  
The PACAVI Airbus A321 Freighter LITE will carry approximately 27 tonnes of cargo, flying routes of up to 3,500 nautical miles, depending on load weight.
Colt Aviation, established in 1997, is one of the biggest air charter operators in Brazil with a fleet of more than 20 aircraft. Services include air taxi operations, air ambulance services as well as aircraft purchases and sales.
Since 2013, Colt Aviation has offered air cargo transportation services through their own cargo airline Colt Cargo.