Jamco Aero Design and Engineering (JADE) has completed its first passenger to cargo cabin (P2C) conversion programme on a 777-300ER for launch customer Singapore Airlines.

JADE is a subsidiary of JAMCO Corporation and Singapore Airlines Engineering Company (SIAEC).

The solution developed by JADE and SIAEC is part of a JAMCO ‘Project Blue Sky’ clean cabin initiative involving the removal of passenger seats from two zones in the cabin to allow cargo to be secured on the passenger cabin floor.

According to the partners, this approach maximises the cargo capacity in the passenger cabin and reduces the dead weight of the aircraft, which in turn creates fuel savings. The removed seats can be safely stored, eliminating the risk of damage during cargo loading.

The retrofitted aircraft can now carry up to 193,000lbs of cargo, a 12 per cent increase in cargo capacity from a standard 777-300ER.

JADE’s P2C conversion on the 777-300ER was the first solution to be awarded a supplementary type certificate (STC) by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and also meets FAA and EASA STC requirements.