M7 Aerospace Introduces Continuous Rail Cargo Interior Option Interior

San Antonio, TX – April 18, 2007

M7 Aerospace has introduced a new continuous rail cargo net option to the interior of its popular ATR-72 passenger-to-freight cargo conversion.

M7 is one of the world's leading converters of ATR regional airliners, having installed its proprietary cargo STC in nearly 50 ATR 42s and 72s over the past three years.

The new system allows operators to move the location of the cargo nets that separate the cabin into loading zones, thus varying the size of the zones. The original configuration of an M7 ATR cargo conversion featured fixed-location zones.

"This gives our operators greater flexibility to manage their load distribution," said Mike McClain, vice president - Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul.

As an added advantage to the new system, the aircraft's cargo liner is snapped into place and secured behind the continuous rails, allowing for quick and easy removal and replacement of the liner panels. This provides a significant benefit over competitive systems, where the liner is held in place by large numbers of screw fasteners that are time consuming to remove and replace.

The continuous rails used in the M7 system are similar to seat track rails. With M7's proprietary continuous rail extrusion, the hard points attach to the rails and can be positioned at virtually any location along the length of the cabin.

The first ATR-72 to receive the new continuous rail system was delivered to Farnair, of Basel, Switzerland, last December.

The continuous rail system was developed by M7's Engineering Division. Parts are made in M7's Aerostructures Manufacturing business unit and the Passenger-to-Freight Cargo Configuration is installed through M7's Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul business unit at the company's FAA Part 145 Repair Station on the San Antonio International Airport.

M7 Aerospace has six business units, including Aerostructures Manufacturing; Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul; Engineering Services, Government Logistics Programs; Aircraft Parts and Product Support; and M7 Visual Intelligence, which specializes in remote sensing.

M7 is headquartered on the international airport in San Antonio. The company operates from a 426,000 sq. ft. factory complex formerly occupied by Fairchild Aircraft. M7 acquired the assets of Fairchild Aircraft in December 2002 and began operations under its own name on April 1, 2003.

M7 began with approximately 175 employees four years ago, including 116 in San Antonio. Today, the company now employs more than 500 people worldwide and more than 300 in San Antonio.

Learn more about M7's ATR Cargo conversions

Media Contact: Mike Potts or Phil O’Connor
Tel. (210) 824-9421 ext. 7759
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