Dresden – For decades, P2F (passenger-to-freighter) conversions have been a defining part of the Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) site at Dresden Airport. Numerous Airbus aircraft have been converted into freighters here before being delivered to customers around the world. The site is now facing a significant change: the actual P2F conversion work is increasingly being carried out outside Dresden, with Asia becoming particularly important.
One of the reasons for this development is the high cost of operating at the Dresden site. For new conversion projects, production in Germany is becoming increasingly difficult to compete with. EFW is therefore relying more heavily on an international network of partner facilities. Dresden will continue to serve as the technical centre for the P2F programmes, while the actual conversion work is increasingly being carried out in Asia.
From A310 to A330 and A320/A321
EFW’s history as a P2F specialist dates back to the 1990s. In 1996, the conversion of Airbus A310 aircraft into freighters began in Dresden. In the same year, the first A310 converted in Dresden was delivered to FedEx. Further A300 and A310 conversions followed in the years afterwards. In total, EFW converted more than 200 of these early widebody freighters.
As the A300 and A310 fleets gradually aged, EFW, together with Airbus and ST Engineering, developed the next generation of P2F programmes. These included the Airbus A330-200 and A330-300, followed later by the narrowbody A320 and A321 programmes.
A major milestone came in 2017 with the delivery of the first A330-300P2F to DHL. The A330 subsequently became one of the company’s most important conversion programmes. At the same time, the A320 and A321P2F programmes were developed. Between 2017 and 2022, three new conversion programmes were launched within just a few years.
Today, EFW has converted more than 250 aircraft into freighters for more than 40 customers worldwide, making the company one of the major players in the global P2F market.
The End of P2F Production in Dresden?
With its international expansion, however, the role of Dresden is changing. Over the past few years, EFW has established several additional sites and partnerships. While Dresden continues to serve as a key location for the development, technical support and certification of the P2F programmes, the actual conversions can be carried out at other facilities.
Asia is becoming particularly important in this development. The region offers significant maintenance and conversion capacity, while its cost structures can make the actual conversion work more competitive. This allows EFW to remain active in the growing global market for converted Airbus freighters without having to carry out all conversions in Germany.
The most recent A330-200 to be converted in Dresden was an aircraft for EGYPTAIR. After completion of the work, the aircraft left the Dresden site on Saturday. Its departure marks the end of a chapter that has shaped the Dresden site for decades.
However, this does not mean the end of EFW’s P2F business. New conversion contracts are still being secured, but the corresponding aircraft are increasingly being converted at international partner facilities. Dresden therefore remains an important part of the programmes, even as the number of aircraft physically converted at the site decreases.
A330-200 (P2F). Image Credit: Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH
Dresden Takes on a New Focus
For the Dresden site, this development means a shift in its areas of focus. Alongside engineering and technical support for the P2F programmes, MRO – Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul – is becoming increasingly important.
EFW has many years of experience in maintaining Airbus aircraft. At the same time, military maintenance is becoming another important area of business. Since 2019, EFW has been carrying out maintenance work on NH90 helicopters operated by the German Armed Forces.
At the end of August 2026, EFW received a new seven-year contract from the German Armed Forces for the maintenance of its NH90 TTH fleet. The scope of the contract includes regular inspections, potential modifications and component repairs. For the first time, EFW will act as a direct contractor to the German Armed Forces rather than solely as a subcontractor.
This development is significantly changing the image of Elbe Flugzeugwerke. What was once primarily known for converting passenger aircraft into freighters is increasingly becoming an internationally connected aviation company focused on P2F engineering, MRO, lightweight structures and military maintenance.
EFW’s P2F history is therefore far from over – it is simply increasingly being continued outside Dresden. For the long-established aviation site on the banks of the Elbe, a new chapter is beginning.
