Cathay Pacific receives first converted Boeing 747-400 freighter

Cathay Pacific receives first converted Boeing 747-400 freighter

   Cathay Pacific Airways yesterday received its first freighter conversion of a Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft, the Boeing 747-400SF, at a redelivery ceremony held in Xiamen, China.

   The 747-400SF was converted at the Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. engineering works in Xiamen from a former Cathay Pacific-operated plane. The plane is installed with a side cargo door, a strengthened main-deck floor, full main deck lining, a new cargo handling system, and a revised flight-deck system enabling it to carry more than 113 tons of freight.

   Cathay Pacific has signed up for at least six and as many as 12 of the 747-400SF planes. The others will be converted from passenger 747-400 planes acquired from other airlines.