Converting Passenger Aircraft to Cargo

Air cargo demands have been on the rise pre and post COVID-19. If you’re considering converting your passenger fleet for use in cargo, you’re factoring in mandate compliance, safety, fuel efficiency, route optimization, and weight reduction – all to keep those aircraft operating at a peak performance. Honeywell has years of experience working in the airline and cargo industry and provides customers with plug-and-play upgrades that can help extend the life of your fleet.

There are many similarities between passenger and cargo aircraft. For example, cargo airlines fly the same familiar models as passenger aircraft (737/747/757/767/77/A300/A320) but in cargo configuration. Honeywell plays a key role in keeping cargo aircraft flying, and in recent years it has rolled out upgrades that are paying off now in increased capacity.

Passenger airlines almost always prefer to have their passengers arrive at their destination on time, with no delays. Cargo aircraft work the same way, especially when it comes to increased e-commerce demand and same-day shipping options we see online today, as well as the global distribution of medical supplies and vaccines in the current COVID environment. Our recent blog with UPS touches on the cockpit renovations to their A300 fleet, which helped them extend the life of their fleet to 2035.

The upgrades included replacing their current cathode ray tube displays with new multifunction LCD flat panel displays. Aside from significantly higher reliability and the larger format with sharper imaging, the displays have new features integrated, including the traffic collision avoidance symbology and weather radar. The latter provides alerting for wind shear, turbulence, lightning, and hail, enabling safer and more efficient navigating weather conditions, all of which help keep your aircraft on schedule to meet those same-day delivery demands.

Many cargo carriers depend on Honeywell maintenance service plans and strategically located repair sites supported by best-in-class technical support teams to keep aircraft in the air. Cargo operators have been experiencing steady growth with demand increasing on both B2B and B2C eCommerce demands.  This activity will continue to surge in the future, generating the need for additional aircraft to serve the rapidly growing market, both now and into the future.  To learn more about upgrading your next conversion with Honeywell technology, fill out the form below or contact your local Honeywell representative. 

We look forward to helping you extend your fleets life beyond 2030.