AEI Adds Chinese MRO To Aircraft Conversion Network

Aeronautical Engineers (AEI) has confirmed the addition of Grand China Aviation Maintenance (GCAM) to its network of Boeing 737-800SF passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion specialists.

As part of the agreement, Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines will be the launch customer for the P2F conversions in China and at least three of the narrowbody aircraft will be converted at GCAM’s facility at Meilan International Airport in Haikou, located on the island of Hainan.

Miami-based AEI expects the first 737-800SF to be converted by the first quarter of 2024. To date, the company has modified more than 600 aircraft and offers P2F conversions for 737-800, 737-400, 737-300, MD-80 series and CRJ200 aircraft.

“While the global narrowbody conversion market has slowed somewhat over the last year, we are nonetheless expanding conversion capacity as we believe the market will improve with China recording a stronger recovery over the next several years,” says Robert Convey, AEI’s senior vice president of sales and marketing.

GCAM's facility becomes the sixth to join AEI's authorized conversion center network. Others include: Commercial Jet sites in Dale County, Alabama, and Miami; KF Aerospace in Canada; STAECO and HAECO Xiamen, both in China.

Despite slowdowns in narrowbody P2F demand noted by AEI in recent times, GCAM sees a robust level of future demand in China and the surrounding Asia-Pacific region for P2F conversion work.

"In the post-pandemic period, there is still a large demand in the cargo market, and there is a huge market potential in the Asia-Pacific region about the Boeing 737 freighter conversion business,” says Dongsheng Yang, general manager of market development department at GCAM, which provides services including fuselage regular maintenance, end-of-lease checks, cabin renovation and modification services. 

Yang adds to that GCAM hopes to attract both domestic and foreign customers to Hainan in future to carry freighter conversion work.