Israel Aerospace Industries’ “Big Twin” Boeing 777-300ERSF Will Debut At The Dubai Airshow

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will debut its Boeing 777-300ERSF at the upcoming Dubai Airshow, marking the first airshow appearance for the “Big Twin” freighter conversion program, according to Dubai Airshow organizers. The prototype 777-300ERSF, registered N778CK, recently resumed test flights on October 17th.

While there is still time for potential additions to the aircraft that will be on display, IAI’s 777-300ERSF is currently the only civilian freighter aircraft confirmed to appear at the Dubai Airshow, which takes place next month.

Photo: Big Twin Freighter

IAI’s “Big Twin” conversion program

An ex-Emirates 777-300ER, N778CK (previously registered A6-EBB while in passenger service) originally arrived at IAI’s facility for freighter conversion at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv (TLV) in 2021 and, until recently, had been parked since its first flight in March. By the end of last week, however, the aircraft had completed three test flights totaling 13 hours and 45 minutes, according to data on flightradar24.com.

Owned by AerCap, which partnered with IAI to develop the 777-300ERSF, the 2005-vintage N778CK is joined by at least four other ex-Emirates 777-300ERs (N263GE, N770CK, N779CK, and N780CK) undergoing or being prepared for conversion with IAI at TLV. AerCap, which owns all the 777-300ERs undergoing conversion at TLV, has placed an order for at least 20 777-300 converted freighters.

N778CK, N770CK, N779CK, and N780CK will enter service with Kalitta Air, which will lease the aircraft from AerCap when the conversions are completed, and IAI earns its supplemental type certification for the new passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion. Besides AerCap, the 777-300ERSF program has also attracted publicly announced orders from Emirates, EVA Air, Cargojet, and Challenge Group.

Photo: Big Twin Freigther

Passenger-to-freighter conversion market

IAI announced last month that it would open two new freighter conversion lines for its 777-300ERSF program in Arizona, partnering with Marana-based Ascent Aviation Services in a fifteen-year agreement. In August 2021, IAI announced an additional partnership with Etihad Engineering to start a 777-300ERSF conversion line in Abu Dhabi. IAI’s 777-300ERSF conversion line growth has come after years of IAI increasing partnerships with MROs and airlines worldwide on its 767-300BDSF and 737-800BDSF conversions.

IAI isn’t alone in its quest to convert the 777 family of aircraft. Mammoth Freighters and the University of Wichita-affiliated Kansas Modification Center have also announced 777 passenger-to-freighter programs. Mammoth Freighters told Simple Flying that they didn’t have plans to attend the Dubai Airshow but said those plans could change. As of press time, Simple Flying Kansas Modification Center told Simple Flying that they planned to have a presence at the show.

Photo: Big Twin Freighter

The Dubai Airshow in recent years

Held biannually, the Dubai Airshow is the 5th largest (by attendance) in the world and the home of stiff competition between aircraft manufacturers. The last show, in 2021, marked the first airshow appearance of the Boeing 777-9. Airbus, for its part, left the last airshow with 404 orders.

The show has previously been a big one for orders of freighter aircraft. At the last show, Air Lease Corporation (ALC) announced an order for seven of the new A350F, Boeing’s freighter conversion (BCF) program attracted 11 737-800BCF orders from Icelease and nine from DHL Express for 767-300BCFs, and Emirates placed an additional order for two factory-new Boeing 777Fs.

What do you think of IAI’s 777-300ERSF? Will the Dubai Airshow bring big sales for IAI’s 777 conversion program? Let us know in the comments.