Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has announced the completion of the maiden flight of its converted Airbus A330-300 passenger-to-freighter aircraft. Conducted as part of the official certification campaign for the A330-300BDSF program, the flight evaluated the modified aircraft and its onboard systems under multiple operational conditions. The milestone brings the company a step closer to certifying the new widebody cargo platform, which is designed primarily for regional and medium-haul operations.
The test flight followed the completion of the aircraft's primary structural phase and extensive ground testing carried out by IAI's Aviation Group. In terms of cargo specifications, the A330-300BDSF is designed to carry up to 30 containers with a maximum payload capability of up to 61 tons. The converted freighter features an electrical cargo loading system and optimized cargo flow, along with a forward-positioned main deck cargo door intended to accelerate loading and unloading while reducing operational turnaround times.
According to IAI President and CEO Guy Bar Lev, the milestone reflects the company's continued investment in advanced aviation technologies and strengthens its position in the global air cargo market. Bar Lev stated that the A330-300BDSF program further expands IAI's broad conversion portfolio and reinforces its ability to provide long-term, flexible, and reliable solutions to customers worldwide.
Yaacov Berkovitz, Executive Vice President and General Manager of IAI's Aviation Group, noted that the program is designed around speed to service to support accelerated operational readiness and earlier revenue realization for cargo operators. He highlighted that IAI is leveraging decades of engineering expertise to deliver a competitive solution tailored to the evolving needs of the global air cargo market.
IAI has been performing passenger-to-freighter conversions for more than 45 years across narrowbody and widebody aircraft platforms. The A330-300BDSF program adds an Airbus widebody to IAI's conversion lineup for the first time, joining its established Boeing conversion platforms, which include the B777-300ERSF, B767-200, B767-300, B737-700, and B737-800. The program follows IAI's B777-300ERSF project, where it became the first company globally to obtain a Supplemental Type Certificate for converting Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from passenger to freighter configuration.
