Korona - Konvertering fra passasjerfly til lastefly - FAA - Curt Lewis / AIN

FAA Approves Seatless Airliners For Freight


The FAA has issued guidance to airlines who want to take the seats out of idle aircraft and fill them with cargo. The drastic drop in passenger traffic has had a parallel effect on available cargo space. Some airlines were flying cargo-only flights with empty seats upstairs but the safety alert for operators (SAFO) issued by the agency gives formal approval for temporary freight conversions. The SAFO says freight can be carried in the overhead bins, on the seats or on the floor, with the seats removed. The seat tracks can be used for tying down the cargo. The weight and balance has to be calculated and the floor strength considered in placing the freight. One or more airline employees have to ride with the cabin freight because there are no fire detection systems in the passenger cabin. The freight can't block access to the fire extinguishers.

Transport Canada approved conversion of three Air Canada Boeing 777-300s for cabin freight earlier this month and the aircraft have been flying regularly to China to pick up needed medical supplies. The conversion added almost 80 tons to the freight capacity of the heavies and they've transported millions of masks and gowns and dozens of ventilators. The airline is also using unconverted 787s and smaller 777-200s in cargo-only service and is doing a total of about 20 freight flights a week to Europe and Asia.

Boeing Joins Covid-19 Relief Effort Using Its Own BBJ

Boeing used a BBJ from its corporate fleet for its first transport mission supporting aid for the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering more than half a million masks from China to New Hampshire. The Boeing 737-700 transported 540,000 medical-grade masks in a donation organized by First Robotics founder Dean Kamen.

Kamen, also a founder of Deka Research and Development Corp., worked with Deka to secure the masks from manufacturers in China that will be delivered to healthcare professionals in New Hampshire. “Another life-saving delivery of PPE has arrived in New Hampshire,” said New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. “Thanks to Dean Kamen for facilitating this deal, and to Boeing for donating the cost of this mission transport. The state will deliver these masks to the greatest areas of need across New Hampshire so those on the frontline have the necessary resources to fight Covid-19.”

Plans are in the works by Boeing to further support Covid-19 relief using its Dreamlifter and ecoDemonstrator aircraft, the OEM said.