Alfor Aviation targets faster A330 freighter conversions with internal loading system

Bournemouth-based Alfor Aviation is developing a new approach to passenger-to-freighter conversions that could allow Airbus A330 aircraft to be repurposed without cutting a large cargo door into the fuselage.

Unveiled at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, the company’s Internal Loading System (ILS) uses the aircraft’s existing lower-deck cargo doors and two internal elevators to transfer freight between the belly hold and main deck.

The concept is initially being developed for the Airbus A330-200 and A330-300, with an application for a European Union Aviation Safety Agency Supplemental Type Certificate currently in progress.

Executive director Niv Garih said the system is intended to reduce the structural work, cost and time associated with conventional passenger-to-freighter conversions.

“We do not touch the structure of the aeroplane,” he told Aerospace Global News at Farnborough. “We are using the existing doors and mounting two elevators to provide a new loading system for both the belly and the main cargo deck.”

Alfor estimates that an ILS conversion can be completed at roughly half the cost of a conventional main-deck cargo door conversion, while significantly reducing conversion lead times.

Rethinking the conversion process

Conventional freighter conversions typically involve cutting a large main-deck cargo door into the fuselage, reinforcing the surrounding structure and modifying the aircraft floor to accommodate heavier loads.

Alfor’s proposed alternative is designed to avoid some of this extensive structural work. Once parts and conversion kits are available, the company is targeting a conversion time of around three months.

It expects its initial line to have the capacity to complete one aircraft per month, although the final turnaround time and production rate will depend on certification, supply chain readiness and customer demand.

“We can provide something new, something that is being rethought now in the P2F sector,” Garih said.

Giving older aircraft a second life

Alfor believes the availability of older passenger widebodies, combined with continued pressure on aircraft supply, creates an opportunity for a less complex conversion model.

Extending the working life of existing aircraft could provide cargo operators with additional capacity while delaying the energy and material demands associated with replacement or dismantling. However, the commercial case will also depend on the certified payload, loading flexibility and operating economics of the completed system.

Founded in 2023, Alfor Aviation is backed by Turkish conglomerate Alarko Holding and aviation specialist Foravia. From its UK base in Bournemouth, the company provides aircraft design, maintenance, repair and overhaul services alongside turnkey project execution.

Garih said recent aircraft delivery constraints had highlighted the need to make more effective use of existing fleets.

“Old aeroplanes have had to be used for a longer period of time, and conventional cargo systems haven’t been rethought for many years,” he explained.

With certification work continuing, Farnborough provided Alfor with a platform to introduce its concept to airlines, lessors, cargo operators and prospective industry partners. The next test will be translating its innovative loading architecture into a certified and commercially competitive conversion programme.