Turkish Technic and aerospace manufacturer Elbe Flugzeugwerke's (EFW) has recently achieved a key milestone by carrying out the Upper Frame Shell (UFS) cut-out for its first A330 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion.

In a statement, Turkish said the partners also successfully located the new UFS, which is a key step in installing the main deck cargo door.

This milestone was achieved at Turkish Technic's Istanbul facilities.

The first conversion is part of a series of P2F conversion projects, and it is planned to be completed by mid-2024.

"We are happy to reach a major milestone on the first conversion as we partner with EFW to meet high-level demand in the market ... Leveraging our extensive know-how and strong collaboration with our partners and suppliers, we are fully equipped to deliver technical services and innovative solutions," said Mikail Akbulut, CEO of Turkish Technic. 

He added, "We're looking forward to successfully completing the conversion and providing the best possible performance for our customers with our extensive structural and avionic modification capabilities."

The A330 is said to provide a solution to ATSG customers seeking a freighter that offers both operational and economic benefits.

The EFW A330P2F program offers two variations: the A330-200P2F—which can carry a gross payload of up to 60 tons of weight to over 7.700 km—and the A330-300P2F, which can transport a gross payload of up to 62 tons.

Turkish Technic is the most recent conversion house to support the German freighter conversion firm's P2F Airbus conversion programmes. It has nine conversion sites on three continents.