Airliner World — September 2017

The latest

news from

maintenance,

repair and

overhaul

providers

82 AIRLINER WORLD SEPTEMBER 2017

MRO MAX

Approval

Monarch Aircraft Engineering Limited

(MAEL) has received approval from

EASA to add the new Boeing 737

MAX 8 aircraft to its overall MRO

capability. The new type has been

added to the company’s EASA Part

145 certification allowing it to provide

line maintenance support. Initial

services will be offered at Edinburgh

Airport, where Norwegian has just

started operating the type on

transatlantic services, and will

support other third-party operators as

part of the Boeing Global Fleet Care

programme, which Monarch signed at

the recent Paris Air Show.

David Doherty, Head of Commercial

at MAEL, said: “Adding the Boeing

737 MAX 8 to our Part 145 certificate

is not only strategic to our relationship

with Boeing, but also expands our

airframe capabilities and shows our

commitment to supporting third-party

customers operating this latest

generation of aircraft.”

Addressing MRO Demand

in Asia

Boeing has signed an MoU with China

Airlines aimed at developing the

carrier’s capabilities to serve the

growing maintenance, repair and

overhaul market in Asia. Under the

terms of the potential agreement the

US manufacturer will provide technical

support and training to the company’s

engineers across its entire commercial

product portfolio leading to it be

coming a qualified Boeing Global Fleet

Care service provider. In addition, it

will support China Airlines’ qualification

as a future Boeing Converted Freighter

(BCF) centre while exploring training

opportunities to develop its airframe

modification services.

Nuan-Hsuan, Chairman, China Airlines

remarked: “We are pleased to further

extend our partnership with Boeing.

This MoU provides us with a platform

to enhance our capabilities and

contribute to the steady growth of

commercial aviation in Taiwan, as well

as the rest of Asia.” Boeing says, with

nearly 40% of new commercial airliner

deliveries going to carriers in the

Asia-Pacific region over the next 20

years, this collaboration will provide

flexibility for customers, while

contributing to Taiwan’s growing

commercial aviation industry.

Irish

Investment

Lufthansa Technik Shannon, formally

Shannon Aerospace, is planning a

multi-million euro investment that will

extended its base maintenance

capabilities to accommodate the Boeing

787. Existing hangars will be modified
     to house the Dreamliner, with the MRO
     supplier offering modifications, cabin
     and interior refurbishment/repairs,
     internal and external painting,
     specialised inspections, airworthiness
     directive compliance checks, and a full
     range of maintenance services for the
     type at its Shannon site.
     Pat Shine, CEO, commented: This
     portfolio expansion is great news for
     Shannon and we believe it will be widely
     welcomed by the aviation industry
     globally. The Boeing 787 is one of the
     most technically advanced aeroplanes
     in the skies and we will offer specialist
     services while minimising the time the
     aircraft is on the ground.” Staff are
     undergoing specialist training ready
     for the first Dreamliner, which is set to
     arrive later this year.

Sabena technics and Tanzania-

based Precision Air have signed a

seven-year extension to the existing

component support contract

covering the carrier’s fleet of nine

ATR turboprops. The MRO has been

supporting and servicing the African

carrier’s ATR fleet since 2010 from

its Dinard, France facility providing

component repairs and overhaul and

pool access to spare parts.

Nasser Skalli Housseini, VP Sales of

Sabena technics, thanked Precision

Air for their renewed trust in the

company: “We are proud to be a

partner to one of the largest

operators of ATR aircraft in Africa

and we look forward to continuing to

support their growth and

development.” (Photo ATR)

Collaboration Extension

Israel Aerospace Industries subsidiary

Bedek Aviation Group has signed a

partnership agreement with the Haite

Group’s Tianjin Aircraft Engineering to

co-develop a passenger-to-freighter

conversion of Boeing 737 Next-

Generation aircraft. Both companies

expect the partnership to be up and

running quickly so the first 737-700

modification can be certified with a

Supplemental Type Certificate and

delivered to its launch customer. Work

on the partnership’s first 737-800

transformation has already started.

Yosi Melamed, EVP and General

Manager of Bedek Aviation, observed

the partnership was timely with a

projected rise in demand for the

adapted freighters, particularly from

nations with strong economic growth,

such as China and India. He remarked:

“The 737NG is the future source of the

narrowbody freighter conversion

market and we expect to be one of

the first suppliers to

meet the growing

demand.” (Photo

Bedek Aviation)

Israeli/Chinese Freighter Partnership