Air Transport Services Group’s Cargo Aircraft Management leasing business committed to purchase its first two Airbus A321-200 passenger aircraft, one this year and a second in Q1/22.

Both aircraft will undergo passenger-to-freighter conversion at Air Transport Services Group’s PEMCO Conversions facilities in Tampa, FL. Freighter conversion of the first aircraft will begin in Q4/21, with its redelivery to a Cargo Aircraft Management dry lease customer projected to occur in Q2/22. The second aircraft will begin freighter conversion in Q2/22, with redelivery projected during Q4/22.

Earlier this month, PEMCO Conversions inducted its first A321-200 for conversion. The engineering design for passenger-to-freighter conversion was approved by the FAA in April and is owned by 321 Precision Conversions, a joint venture of Air Transport Services Group and Precision Aircraft Solutions.

“We have accelerated our plans to invest in and offer this midsize, mid-range freighter type because our express-network customers have expressed strong interest in adding it to their fleets,” Mike Berger, chief commercial officer of Air Transport Services Group, said. “Since the development of our passenger-to-freighter (PCF) conversion design for the A321-200 commenced in 2017, it was with the intention to extend our leased-freighter options into this airframe type in the future. It is very well suited for air-express service and e-commerce fulfillment over shorter routes and with smaller payloads as a complement to our existing fleet of more than 85 larger Boeing 767 converted freighters and with better performance than Boeing 757 freighters or any Boeing 737 freighter variants. The time is right to launch this milestone initiative for ATSG and its aircraft leasing customers.”

The A321-200PCF conversion design developed by 321 Precision Conversions offers the TELAIR main-deck cargo loading system and a lower deck compatible with bulk, sliding carpet or containerized cargo. It has an operating empty weight nearly 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) lighter than its closest rival, according to Air Transport Services Group.

“The A321-200PCF freighter conversion program will provide ATSG, both directly and via its joint venture, incremental revenue from production of the conversion kits, engineering and conversion management,” Rich Corrado, president and CEO of Air Transport Services Group, said. “CAM’s new investment continues to expand the ATSG leasing portfolio. We will continue to invest in this airframe to grow our narrowbody leasing opportunity globally to support integrators, e-commerce and express delivery customers.”