Boeing is to open a passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion facility for the Boeing 737, in partnership with GMR Aero Technic, a local Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) company based at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) in Hyderabad, India.
Opening a P2F facility in India is the latest move by Boeing to expand its presence in one of the fastest-growing aviation markets in the world. Previously, the company had announced that it would open an India logistics center.
“The further expansion of our footprint in India with the India Logistics Center supports our long-term investment strategy for the country. We remain excited and committed as we provide critical service support towards the growth of the Indian civil and defence aviation ecosystem,” said Salil Gupte, the President of Boeing India, on February 14, 2023. Since then, Gupte has revealed that the freighter conversion facility will not only cater to the Indian market but will also allow the facility to export converted 737s out of the country.
The regional president of the manufacturer indicated that Boeing expects 1,700 aircraft to be converted to freighters across the globe in the next 20 years, with 600 of the converted aircraft expected to go to India and other countries’ airlines in the region.
Boeing and GMR Aero Technic hope that the facility should be online within 18 months.