Photo: IAI In preparation for a meeting between Transportation Minister Miri Regev and her American counterpart Sean Duffy, an Israeli-American aviation project converting passenger aircraft to cargo planes was completed.
The joint project between Israel and the USA concluded after five years of intense work, during which the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) successfully completed the licensing process for converting a Boeing 777 passenger plane into a cargo aircraft.
The engineering conversion was led by the Israel Aerospace Industries, with flight tests conducted in both Israel and the USA. This is a unique and comprehensive licensing project that increases the aircraft's cargo capacity up to 100 tons.
The Ministry of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Authority note this as a historic milestone, recognizing the engineering capabilities and innovation of Israeli aerospace, while strengthening its position globally as a leading player in aircraft conversions.
The initiative is expected to generate significant revenue for the aerospace industry and contribute to Israel's economy.
It is worth mentioning that in 2022, the Israel Aerospace Industries completed 100 conversions of B767-300 aircraft into cargo configuration. The conversion line was opened in 2007 in partnership with the Japanese company Mitsui. Due to the global increase in demand for converted cargo aircraft and online trade, an additional conversion line was opened in Mexico in 2017 for the same model.
Additionally, in 2021, a 777 conversion line was opened in South Korea, another project by the Israel Aerospace Industries.
Transportation Minister, Miri Regev: "This is a national achievement demonstrating Israel's advanced capabilities in civil aviation. The collaboration between the ICAA and the American aviation authority, along with the innovation and excellence of the aerospace industry, showcases Israel's ability to create groundbreaking solutions and lead internationally. I thank IAI CEO, Boaz Levy, and Yair Katz, and ICA CEO Shmuel Zakai for efficiently and professionally completing the project."