Mammoth Freighters will expand its 777 freighter conversion operations to Qingdao and has selected STAECO as its latest conversion MRO provider.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based freighter conversion company plans to open one conversion line at STAECO’s new Qingdao facility in September, to add to its existing conversion lines at Aspire MRO in Fort Worth and STS Aviation Services UK Limited in Manchester.
Mammoth will occupy one widebody hangar with two bays at the newly rebuilt Qingdao Airport, in Shandong, eastern China.
The first aircraft, a 777-200LR owned by lessor Jetran, is expected to be inducted for conversion at STAECO in the autumn.
Mammoth also expects a second STAECO conversion line to begin operations in early 2027.
The expansion comes in response to growing demand for widebody freighter capacity in China and across the Asia Pacific region.
“We are extremely pleased to partner with STAECO to bring Mammoth’s 777 freighter conversion program to China and the broader Asia-Pacific cargo market,” said Jens Steinhagen, Mammoth Freighters’ senior vice president of programme management.
“This agreement reflects Mammoth’s commitment to providing operators with convenient, in-region conversion capability through a veteran conversion MRO.”
STAECO brings significant conversion experience to the programme, including more than 100 737-800 conversions. HAECO Xiamen has committed to support STAECO during the Mammoth 777 start-up process with 777-related expertise and personnel.
“This collaboration with Mammoth Freighters represents an exciting opportunity to expand advanced widebody freighter conversion capabilities in one of the world’s fastest-growing air cargo markets,” stated Huang Enfang, chairman of STAECO.
“This partnership brings together complementary strengths— Mammoth’s innovative freighter solution, STAECO’s established conversion capabilities, and HAECO’s deep 777 engineering and maintenance expertise. Together, we are creating a world-class platform to serve the evolving needs of cargo operators throughout Asia-Pacific and beyond.”
“Mammoth is very excited to be joined by such strong partners,” added Steinhagen. “STAECO’s proven modification experience, HAECO Xiamen’s 777-related support, and the depth of technical expertise in Qingdao provide an excellent foundation for serving our growing global customer base.”
Under the agreement, STAECO will perform Mammoth’s proprietary 777 freighter modifications at its Qingdao facility, supporting cargo operators in China and across the Asia-Pacific region, as well as international customers seeking long-haul widebody freighter capacity.
In April 2026, Mammoth Freighters received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its 777-200LRMF (Long Range Mammoth Freighter).
The first two 777-200LRMFs are expected to enter commercial service this autumn, one with Qatar Airways and one with DHL.
When the FAA certifies Mammoth’s 777-300ERMF, the company expects to begin supplemental type certificate (STC) validation with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), supported by demand from Chinese customers.
Mammoth expects CAAC validation to be complete before the first 777- 300ERMF enters service in China.
