B/E Aerospace Receives FAA Certification to Convert Airbus A300-600 Passenger Aircraft to Freighters

WELLINGTON, FL -- B/E Aerospace Inc., a manufacturer of aircraft cabin interior products and distributor of aerospace fasteners and consumables, announces that it has received a supplemental type certificate (STC) from the FAA which authorizes the company to convert Airbus A300-600 passenger aircraft to freighters. The STC was awarded to B/E Aerospace's Flight Structures unit (FSI).

The company previously announced that it had been awarded a contract by China Southern Airlines to convert six of its A300-600 passenger aircraft to freighters. B/E Aerospace expects the six aircraft program for China Southern Airlines to have a value of approximately $45 million.

B/E Aerospace has been responsible for the engineering design and STC certification of the Airbus A300-600 passenger-to-freighter conversion and will be responsible for manufacturing the required passenger-to-freighter conversion kits. B/E Aerospace's MRO partner, Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company (GAMECO), a Guangzhou-based joint venture of China Southern Airlines and Hutchinson Whampoa (China) Ltd., will provide the touch labor and kit installation.

"The A300-600 STC marks a significant milestone in our passenger-to-freighter conversion business. We look forward to working with our launch customer China Southern Airlines," stated Amin J. Khoury, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of B/E Aerospace Inc.

Dong Su Guang, Vice President of China Southern Airlines Co., Ltd. and Chairman of GAMECO commented, "China Southern Airlines, GAMECO and B/E Aerospace working together have demonstrated a world class capability in achieving this milestone. We look forward to continuing our partnership as we convert our A300-600 passenger aircraft to freighters."

B/E Aerospace currently holds over 200 aircraft modification STCs pertaining to such applications as interior reconfigurations, crew rest installations and passenger-to-freighter conversions. B/E Aerospace has extensive experience in converting passenger aircraft to freighters having completed 80 passenger-to-freighter conversions on a number of aircraft types including the A300-B4, B747-200 and B767-200 airframe platforms.