Turkmenistan Acquires Its First Airbus Aircraft By Converting An A330 Cargo Plane

Turkmenistan Airlines has ordered two of its converted Airbus A330-200 cargo aircraft, the first time a Central Asian operator has signed the skeleton aircraft.

The aircraft will be delivered in 2022, after modification work.

Airbus did not detail the source of the airframes to be converted.

Turkmenistan Airlines' fleet consists of Boeing 777-200LR, 757-200 and 737 aircraft, as well as a variety of Ilyushin Il-76 helicopters, business jets and cargo planes.

"The order is the first time that an Airbus aircraft has been sold in Turkmenistan," the aircraft manufacturer says.

It says the converted A330-200s will allow the airline "to develop and enhance its international network of shipping lines."

Airbus offers a newly built A330-200F, but has also partnered with ST Engineering to provide the conversion of older A330s through their joint venture EFW.

EFW can convert both -200 and -300, with clients such as DHL and EgyptAir.