Page 44 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition

AIRLINES

US AIRLINES BOOST CARGO

CAPACITY

involve removing passenger seats, as well bring critical supplies to the United States,
as the use of floor for cargo or a Delta En- A4A requests that FAA extend this exemp-

S airlines could soon be set to gineering modular cargo retention system tion to apply to operations outside the US.”

Ube able to remove seats from (MCRS). Both configurations would retain While the urgent need for passenger-only

passenger aircraft in order to boost their the cargo with cargo nets. cargo flights has eased over recent weeks,

cargo-carrying capacity. Additionally, the STC will limit the type there are expectations that this type of op-

MRO firm Delta Engineering - no relation of cargo intended and require additional eration could be required until passenger

to the airline - has applied for supplemental fire extinguishers. Passengers will not be operations are fully up and running.

type certificate (STC) approval that would allowed in these configurations. European Aviation Group chairman Paul

allow it remove seats from a range of air- The application comes after Airlines for Stoddart recently told a webinar that he

craft in order to boost their cargo-carrying America (A4A) petitioned the US FAA to expects so-called “preighter” aircraft (pas-

capacity. allow airlines to carry cargo on passenger senger jets used as freighters) will continue

“The type design change would allow seats and on the floor of aircraft. to be an important tool for the industry.

the airplane operators to remove passen- Approval for these operations was grant- “There is a market because we have quite

ger seats to transport cargo, subject to ed in mid-July. Up until then US carriers had a quantity of these aircraft and we’ve had

the FAA’s conditions, on the floor of the been able to carry cargo in the passenger enquiries from customers in other coun-

main deck of transport category airplanes holds in existing stowage locations, while tries that wish to use them,” he said.
without revenue passengers onboard,” the airlines from other areas of the world had “I see a halfway house where we don’t

application read. been able to remove seats in order to put a full freight door in but we do have
“Covid-19 has dramatically reduced the expand cargo capacity. the PMCs [lightweight cargo pallets] inside

demand for commercial air travel. Due to In its application, A4A stated, “The need the aircraft.”
this extreme reduction in demand, passen- for relief is immediate. Throughout the US, He said, “It takes time [to modify aircraft

ger carriers now have the capacity to carry hospitals and medical centres are in dire to preighters], but it’s not anywhere

cargo, including critical medical cargo, need of critical medical supplies. near the time you’re talking for… passen-
in-cabin. “The relief requested herein would allow ger-to-freight conversions because you
“The relief that would be provided by this A4A members and other operators, who can be talking a couple of years. There’s

exemption would also support the need hold certificates to conduct operations a very strong demand, certainly in the

to replace the cargo capacity provided under Part 121 and who submit a Letter of short term and I hope it will extend to the

on airplanes normally flown by passenger Intent to FAA, to use airplanes configured medium term.” Q
carriers.” with passenger cabins to carry cargo.

The application covers a range of aircraft, “Because our members intend to operate Article courtesy:

from narrow to widebodies, and would internationally under this exemption to https://www.aircargonews.net/
World Airnews | September 2020
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