Cebu Pacific deploys turboprop aircraft for cargo services

ebu Pacific said it would convert its turboprop assets into dedicated cargo planes as the airline formally joins the logistics business.

In a disclosure, Cebu Air said it entered into a deal with company IPR Conversions Ltd., to reconfigure its ATR 72-500 passenger aircraft into cargo, with scheduled deliveries in the fourth quarter.

“We will be able to offer cargo capacity that no other carrier in the Philippines can provide,” Cebu Pacific’s president and CEO Lance Gokongwei said.

Based in Lausanne, Switzerland, IPR Conversions is one of the lead air transport (ATR) freighter conversion companies in the world.

The deal was Cebu Pacific’s first foray into specialized planes designed for cargo transportation.

Gokongwei said: “We will further support the growing needs of the logistics industry, especially as the Philippines’ e-commerce businesses expand rapidly and look for faster delivery schedules.”

The conversion involves the installation of a large cargo door that allows the loading of standard containers and pallets used in aviation. The converted turbo-prop planes can carry more than seven tons of cargo and have enough space to accommodate seven AKE unit load device (ULD) containers.

The conversion was seen completed in Dinard, France at the Sabena Technica DNR S.A.S. facility, one of the leading maintenance and modification services (MRO) in France, catering to civilian and military aircraft.