Mammoth Freighters expects to complete the final regulatory steps for its 777-200LR passenger-to-freighter programme in early January, following FAA-witnessed test flights scheduled for 6–8 January. The company anticipates that certification and delivery of the first converted aircraft to Qatar Airways Cargo will take place shortly afterward.
Brian McCarthy, Mammoth’s vice president of marketing and sales, said the upcoming flights represent the final formal requirement in the certification process, noting that similar flights have already been successfully conducted under delegated engineering oversight. The next phase will involve securing Type Inspection Authorization, followed by issuance of the Supplemental Type Certificate.
Once flight testing is complete, the aircraft will be transferred for repainting in Qatar Airways Cargo livery before being handed over to lessor Jetran and the airline. Mammoth expects this process to take only a few weeks after certification approval, subject to completion of FAA administrative reviews and compliance audits.
The programme has experienced schedule pressure throughout 2024, in part due to regulatory delays linked to the US government shutdown, which concluded in mid-November. As a result, deliveries originally planned for the fourth quarter have shifted into early 2025, aligning with Qatar Airways Cargo’s expectation to receive its first aircraft in January.
Mammoth is currently working on seven Boeing 777 conversions across its facilities in the US and UK, including both 777-200 and 777-300 variants. The company recently confirmed that installation of the main cargo door has been completed on the second 777-200LR freighter.