SHANGHAI, March 20, 2013 – Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co., Ltd., (Boeing Shanghai) celebrated its first 737-300 passenger-to-freighter (PTF) conversion for Kenya Airways with Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) at a redelivery ceremony held in Boeing Shanghai’s hangar adjacent to the Pudong Airport. The modification was conducted under an AEI Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), based on engineering data licensed from Boeing.
“Boeing Shanghai is an important part of our still growing presence in China,” said Marc Allen, president of Boeing China. “This major conversion milestone is not only the latest development of Boeing Shanghai, but also a further step in Boeing’s overarching partnership with China’s aviation industry, which now dates back more than 40 years.”
Boeing Shanghai began the freighter conversion work on Kenya Airways’ 737-300 in December and recently celebrated the cargo door cutting completion in February. The second 737-300 from Kenya Airways has been inducted for conversion and is scheduled for redelivery in June.
“The first 737-300 freighter redelivery is a testament to Boeing Shanghai’s capability of providing high quality and on-time conversions,” said Dermot Swan, CEO of Boeing Shanghai. “Boeing Shanghai employees and AEI worked closely to complete this well-designed conversion to help the customer increase operational efficiency throughout the entire lifespan of their airplanes. We look forward to long term cooperation with Kenya Airways and AEI.”
Initial routes for the 737-300 freighter will connect Nairobi, Kenya, to Entebbe, Uganda; Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, Tanzania; Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo; Yaoundé and Doula, Cameroon; Luanda, Angola; Antananarivo, Madagascar; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Kigali, Rwanda.
Boeing Shanghai is a joint venture between Boeing, Shanghai Airport Authorities and China Eastern Airlines. Boeing Shanghai offers a broad range of services from engineering, aircraft maintenance and modification to material management, and component repair and overhaul. Boeing Shanghai supports customers located throughout the world.
Founded in 1977, Kenya Airways is one of the most respected airline companies in Africa with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The airline serves 59 cities in Asia, Africa and Europe. Currently the airline operates six 737-300s, four 777-200ERs, six 767-300ERs and nine Next-Generation 737s among other aircraft.
Formed in 1958, Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) is the oldest conversion company in existence today. For more than 55 years AEI has provided advanced engineering solutions to aircraft owners and operators. Today the company is a global leader in passenger to freighter conversions for a wide array of aircraft, helping customers extend the life of the aircraft and increase the value of their asset. AEI has developed over 120 Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) and 375+ aircraft have been modified with AEI STCs – more than any other conversion provider.
