Jamco Aero Design and Engineering (JADE), a subsidiary of JAMCO Corporation (JAMCO) and Singapore Airlines Engineering Company (SIAEC), has completed its first passenger to cargo cabin (P2C) conversion program on a Boeing B777-300ER for launch customer Singapore Airlines (SIA). This achievement adds to JADE’s growing list of aircraft retrofitting capabilities and further reaffirms its position as the leading turnkey aircraft cabin interior specialist in Asia.
Global travel restrictions in relation to COVID-19 have caused air travel demand to plunge. In response, many passenger airlines pivoted by launching cargo-only flights using passenger aircraft with cargo secured on passenger seats. Although this approach allows the solution to be deployed immediately, the cargo allowed to be carried in the cabin is limited by the size of the seats. Airlines also have to bear the risk of damage caused to the seats during cargo loading.
The solution JADE and SIAEC developed is part of a JAMCO “Project Blue Sky” Clean Cabin Initiative involving the removal of passenger seats from two zones in the cabin to allow cargo to be secured on the passenger cabin floor. This approach maximizes the cargo capacity in the passenger cabin and reduces the dead weight of the aircraft which in turn creates fuel savings for the airline. What’s more, the removed seats can be safely stored, eliminating the risk of damage during cargo loading. The retrofitted aircraft can now carry up to 193,000lbs of cargo, a 12% increase in cargo capacity from a standard B777-300ER.
JADE’s P2C conversion on the Boeing B777-300ER is the first solution to be awarded a Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). This conversion also meets the set requirements for FAA and EASA STC approvals, making it a quick and compatible solution for any airline around the world, the company says.