Mammoth Freighters has launched its Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER passenger-to-freighter conversion programmes.

Mammoth was founded in December 2020 by experienced aviation industry executives Bill Wagner and Bill Tarpley, who serve as the company’s co-CEOs. The company is backed by private investment funds managed by Fortress Investment Group and its affiliates.

A supplemental type certificate (STC) development programme has been launched with the aim of achieving Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval in the second half of 2023.

The company said it had a flexible business model, providing air cargo operators and asset owners “dynamic new options including the ability to provide their own assets for conversion or acquire or lease ready-to-fly converted freighters from Mammoth’s existing feedstock of ten 777-200LR GE90-110B1 equipped aircraft”.

These assets were acquired from Delta Air Lines and are the largest fleet of -200LR sister aircraft in the world, according to Mammoth.

Design and engineering for the 777-200LRMF programme is well underway, the company said, with tooling and parts already in fabrication. The conformity 777-200LR recently completed a comprehensive series of pre-modification flight tests and will commence modification in the second quarter of 2022. Upon certification of the 777-200LRMF, Mammoth expects approval of the 777-300ERMF STC to follow shortly afterwards.

“All models of the 777 with GE90-110/115 engines are renowned for having superior operating economics compared to the aging 747-400 and MD 11 fleets and, as freighters, both the 777-200LR and 777-300ER have a bright future in supporting global air cargo demand,” said Tarpley.

“With our modern design and existing feedstock of ten aircraft, Mammoth will provide express, e-commerce, and general freight operators with highly affordable, flexible, and purpose-built 777 freighters that burn less fuel and emit less carbon than the current freighter fleets.”

Wagner commented: “We have assembled a distinguished team of over 100 design, engineering, certification, production, operational, and sales professionals with significant experience in converting Boeing passenger aircraft to freighters. We are truly excited to bring the high-capacity, long-haul Mammoth 777s to the marketplace to meet the current and future demands of this rapidly growing widebody air cargo sector.”