Air Cargo

IAI Completes First Flight of A330-300 Freighter Conversion

Israel Aerospace Industries has successfully conducted the inaugural flight of its converted Airbus A330-300 passenger-to-freighter aircraft, advancing its certification campaign for the A330-300BDSF program. The milestone comes after IAI completed primary structural work on the prototype in May, with the company targeting certification by year-end. During the test flight, engineers evaluated aircraft systems and performance across multiple operational scenarios. The regional and medium-haul freighter can carry up to 30 containers with a 61-ton payload capacity. The conversion features an electrical cargo loading system and a forward-positioned main deck cargo door designed to accelerate turnaround times. IAI's Aviation Group emphasized the conversion leverages decades of engineering expertise while addressing global cargo market demands. The approach supports rapid commercial deployment for customers.