EgyptAir is poised to gain its maiden Boeing 737-800SF after the flag carrier inked a freighter conversion contract with Aeronautical Engineers Inc (AEI) during mid-May.

The jet in question is SU-GCP (c/n 35560) – pictured, and currently configured in a two-class, 144-seat passenger layout – which has served exclusively with EgyptAir since it rolled off the Renton production line back in 2007.

The modification process is scheduled to start in October this year with conversion and maintenance requirements carried out by authorised AEI conversion centre Commercial Jet, in Miami, Florida.

Capt Amr Abu El-Enein, chairman and CEO of EGYPTAIR Holding Company, said: “This order is part of EGYPTAIR’s cargo and passenger fleet modernisation plan. We will continue to increase the size of our fleet and open new freighter markets in the coming years to meet the growing needs of the local market in terms of exporting goods abroad, especially crops.”

While EgyptAir has a fleet of narrow- and widebody aircraft, its roster of Boeing 737s comprises 29 passenger-configured -800 examples (with SU-GCP also included in this total).

Passenger-to-freighter conversions are currently offered by AEI on other variants of the 737 in addition to the -800, such as the -300 and -400, but also on completely different aircraft types too like the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series and Bombardier CRJ200.