ATSG subsidiary PEMCO Conversions has received FAA approval for its Boeing 737-700 Passenger-to-FlexCombi conversion, which was initially launched in April 2017 and delayed due to the 2018 U.S. government shutdown, 737 MAX groundings and COVID-19 crisis.
PEMCO was issued a supplemental type certificate for its unique B737-700FC design, which offers customers two main deck freight and passenger configurations as well as a full freighter mode. The passenger-freighter combinations allow either a 24-seat cabin with a 2,640 ft.3 cargo hold for up to 30,00 lb. of payload in six pallet positions or a 12-seat cabin with a 3,005 ft.3 cargo hold for up to 35,000 lb. of payload in seven pallet positions. In full freighter mode, the conversion features a 3,370 ft.3 cargo hold for up to 40,000 lb. of payload in eight pallet positions.
According to a representative for PEMCO, customers can switch between the FlexCombi configurations as desired. Changes between configurations take approximately 24-48 hr. to complete at PEMCO’S facility in Tampa, Florida.
The launch customer for the B737-700FC is Bahrain-based Chisholm Enterprises, which has previously worked with PEMCO on four B737-300 conversions—most recently a 737-700 full freighter modification that was inducted at PEMCO’s Tampa headquarters in 2019. Chisholm’s cargo subsidiary Texel Air will operate the B737-700FC aircraft from Bahrain International Airport. The aircraft is in the process of being certified in Bahrain.
PEMCO now plans to seek certification for the B737-700FC conversion from the European Aviation Safety Agency and the Civil Aviation Administration of China. It is also developing a B737-700F full freighter conversion program, which would feature nine pallet positions, up to 45,000 lb. of payload and 3,844 ft.3 of total cargo volume.
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