Boeing to have 15 aircraft conversion lines in China by end of 2022

A plane of SF Airlines Co., Ltd. takes off at Bao'an International Airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Sept. 10, 2020.  (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Boeing's total number of passenger-to-freighter aircraft conversion production lines in China will reach 15 by the end of this year, Boeing China said Thursday.

Boeing and its local and global partners will facilitate the progress of the production lines for Boeing Converted Freighters (BCF) in China to meet growing market demands for freighters, according to Boeing China.

By the end of this year, there will be 12 production lines for the 737-800BCF projects and three for 767-300BCF projects in the three Chinese cities of Guangzhou, Shanghai and Ji'nan.

Boeing and ST Engineering have recently announced a plan to build additional capacity for the 767-300BCF, according to Boeing China.

In the second half of this year, Boeing will add a 767-300BCF conversion line at ST Engineering's airframe facility in south China's Guangzhou. By then, the total number of conversion lines for 767-300BCF in China will reach three, Boeing China added.

Last September, Boeing and Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co., Ltd. announced plans to create two 767-300BCF conversion lines for converted freighters in Guangzhou.

The 767-300BCF can carry up to 51.6 tonnes and fly up to 6,190 km. As part of the 767 freighter family, it offers strong performance on operating costs per trip, as well as payload and range capabilities.

By now, the 767-300BCF project has received more than 100 orders and commitments from customers globally, data from Boeing China shows.

According to the 2021 Boeing Commercial Market Outlook, the company forecasts a need for 1,720 converted freighters around the world over the next 20 years.