en.Wedoany.com Reported - A Turkish-British joint venture, Alfor Aviation, unveiled a new A330 passenger-to-freighter (P2F) solution at the Farnborough Airshow, replacing traditional main deck cargo door modifications with an internal lifting system to reduce costs and shorten conversion time.

This internal lifting system (A330ILS) utilizes the aircraft's existing lower deck cargo door, installing two 2-tonne chain-driven elevators to transfer LD3 containers from the lower deck to the upper main deck. After conversion, the main deck can carry 38 LD3 containers, while the lower deck carries an additional 28. The elevators are powered by an external ground power unit.

Currently, a proof-of-concept aircraft is being converted at Beja, Portugal, by Mesa Maintenance & Engineering. Alfor plans to build a dedicated conversion facility at Teesside Airport in northeastern England. The company is registered in the UK, with 51% of its equity held by Turkish industrial enterprise Alarko Holding and 49% by British aviation experts Foravia.

Alfor marketing consultant Melin Tan stated that the number of wide-body aircraft being scrapped is increasing, and there is significant potential to give them a second life through freighter conversion. The ILS solution is applicable to A330-200 and -300 models over 15 years old. Tan revealed that the ILS system has been under development for two years, with full certification for the first aircraft expected to be completed by the first week of December. The conversion cycle takes approximately three months, costing about $12 million—roughly half the time (at least six months) and cost of traditional P2F processes. Alfor indicated that by 2032, approximately 850 A330 aircraft within the target age range will be available.