Sabena technics wins contract with FastJet

 

Sabena technics, a leading independent provider of aircraft maintenance services, today
announces that following a competitive tender process, it has been awarded a 5-year
contract by FastJet Plc to provide maintenance support for the airline’s fleet of Airbus A319s.

Under the exclusive agreement, Sabena technics will provide FastJet, Africa’s first low-cost carrier,
with engineering services and comprehensive material support for components, standard and cabin
parts, and consumables. Sabena technics will also establish local operations at FastJet’s first base
in Dar Es Salam, Tanzania, to provide line and light maintenance services.
Commenting on the decision, Rodolphe Marchais, Chairman & CEO of Sabena technics said:
“We are very proud that FastJet has selected us to assist it in the launch and development of its
operations. Sabena technics’ experience and know-how in full support solutions means that FastJet
can depend on us to deliver a reliable service from the start. We look forward to supporting FastJet’s
future expansion into other African countries and thereby grow our maintenance service portfolio with
other customers in the region.”
FastJet Chief Executive Ed Winter added:
“We are delighted to welcome Sabena technics on board at this exciting time in FastJet’s
development. We are now closer than ever to our goal of bringing a high-quality, reliable, affordable
service to the people of Africa and today’s agreement reaffirms our commitment to establishing
FastJet as an airline operating to international standards.”

About Sabena technics (www.sabenatechnics.com)
Founded in 1968, Sabena technics is a leading independent MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul) provider
of maintenance services to civil and military aircraft operators. The group operates under the brands Sabena
technics, Sabena technics training, Barfield and equally benefits from a joint venture specialized in hydraulic
repair named Hydrep. The Group employs over 3,000 persons across its 17 sites worldwide. Its services are
organized into product lines: Airframe services, Component services, Integrated services, Military services,
Training services and VIP completion, based on the basic principle of meeting its customers’ requirements.

About Fastjet (www.fastjet.com)
FastJet Plc was created following the acquisition of African airline Fly540, which operates from four bases in
Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola. Fly540 currently has 10 aircraft serving around 25 domestic and
regional destinations, carrying approximately 750,000 passengers per year with a strong emphasis on safety,
security and reliability.
Following a consultancy assignment by easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou’s easyGroup focused on
determining the feasibility of launching a European-style low-cost carrier in Africa, the decision was taken to
launch FastJet, Africa’s first low-cost carrier, flying a modern fleet of jet aircraft based on the Fly540 platform
of licences and routes.
FastJet Plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information see www.fastjet.com

Press Contact

Sabena technics
Aurore Havenne
+33 (0)1 56 54 42 32
aurore.havenne@sabenatechnics.com


source;sabena technics site

The world's first pan-African low-cost carrier Fastjet enjoyed keen demand on its first day of commercial operations, it said in a statement on Friday.

"Fastjet... commenced commercial flight operations yesterday, with its first aircraft flying passengers from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, and Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania," the carrier said.
The group flew eight services on Thursday from Tanzania and carried more than 900 passengers.
The so-called passenger load factor, which measures the number of seats filled on flights, stood at an avereage of 78 percent, while three of the services had a load factor of 90 percent.
"Future demand for seats on these two initial routes is currently far outstripping supply," Fastjet added.
"Additional flights to these destinations are already being considered, and the company also intends to expand its route network regionally over the coming weeks as the fleet grows to three Airbus A319s."
The airline was formed earlier this year by Stelios Haji-Ioannou -- the founder of British no-frills airline easyJet -- and London-listed Rubicon Diversified Investments.
Haji-Ioannou's EasyGroup and Rubicon agreed to buy the aviation business of Africa-focused conglomerate Lonrho in June.

"Fastjet is delighted to see how the people of Tanzania are embracing the low cost carrier model," Fastjet chief executive Ed Winter in Friday's statement.
"Yesterday was a huge success and a great way to start operations. We are pleased to see reservations and bookings continuing to grow. The demand for this type of air travel has far exceeded the company’s expectations."
He added: "Passengers ranged from business people through to many first time flyers who were using Fastjet as an economic alternative to conventional bus transport.
"Clearly, as predicted, our low cost model is stimulating a whole new market of people to fly."
Fastjet uses the existing route network of Lonrho's airline, currently operating as Fly540, in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola.
EasyGroup's move may meanwhile be challenged by easyJet which for some time has had fractious relations with Haji-Ioannou, whose family is the biggest single shareholder in the British airline with a stake of about 38 percent.

source:timeslive.co.za

 

ATR -600 series aircraft certified to operate in Russia and the CIS countries

 ATR has obtained Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) approval for the ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 to operate in Russia and the Community of Independent States (CIS). IAC’s certification validates all the major developments of the ATR -600 series, namely the new avionics suite with the full-glass cockpit.

 The 70-seat ATR 72-600 and the 50-seat ATR 42-600 already received certification from European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in May 2011 and June 2012 respectively. To validate the EASA certification of the ATR -600s for operations in Russia and the CIS countries, IAC deeply examined the new ATR -600’s glass cockpit technical characteristics and is fully satisfied with its performances and safety.

Carmine Orsi, Senior Vice-President Engineering of ATR, declared: “This is a significant milestone for our company and our Russian customers, and we are pleased that we have fully complied with the high standards of IAC’s requirements. We are convinced that this certification will open up new commercial and operational perspectives for ATR -600 series aircraft in Russia and CIS markets”.
ATR is the leader among western-built turboprops in Russia and CIS with more than 50 ATR aircraft operated by customers like UTAir, UTAir-Ukraine, Nordstar Airlines (Taimyr) and Azerbaijan Airlines.
source;atr press release site

UPGRADING OF MPANDA AIRPORT

Finally the 1860m long run way has been officially upgraded to tarmac runway opening the way of big aircrafts to land and thus,facilitates the development of infrastructures in Tanzania
now Dash 8,ATR42 can now land safely

IS THIS A BIRD STRIKE OR A GOAT STRIKE????????

Plans to End Bird-Strikes in East Africa Airports

 authorities are involved in trapping the birds within the airports flight path using mist nets, catapult and relocating them to safer areas. The East African region is known to be having over 15 per cent of birds in the world and are a threat to the aviation industry.

info; takeoffafrica

The A380 marks its five-year service anniversary!!!!!!!

 Airbus’ A380 has earned its place as the airline industry’s new “queen of the skies,” with the first five years of service confirming this 21st century flagship jetliner’s passenger appeal and revenue-generating capabilities.

source:airbus.com

ATR’s new pilot training center in Singapore achieves EASA certification

ATR’s newest flight training center in Singapore is now officially approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and is ready to start training courses shortly. The center will provide a high level of training programs from flight crew type rating through recurrent training to differences courses. Strategically located in the Seletar Aerospace Park, a major hub for the Singapore aerospace industry, the center will officially be inaugurated mid-December this year.
With this recently obtained EU-A0015 certification, the new training facility in Singapore has clearly lost no time in stepping into the same rank as the main Training Center in Toulouse, France, ensuring full compliance to the newly announced EASA rules. As a reminder, the freshly obtained FR.ATO.0001 certification made ATR’s Training Center in Toulouse the first approved training organization in France under the new EASA regulation.
The EASA certification of the new ATR Training Center in Singapore gives way to a long term operational approval of the flight training equipment. It covers the Full Flight Simulator (FFS) for ATR -600 series, the maintenance/flight simulation training devices (MFSTD) and a brief/debrief station. This FFS is the second for ATR's -600 series program. The very first one is located at the main ATR Training Center in Toulouse, France, along with a Full Flight Trainer (FFT) for ATR -600s. All these FFS and FFT will enable training both for ATR 42-600s and ATR 72-600s variants.
ATR has more than 250 aircraft operating in Asia-Pacific, plus some other 80 aircraft in backlog for airlines operating in that region. The new Training Center in Singapore is thus becoming a significant step toward providing ATR operators a more comprehensive training and Customer Support experience in their region.

This new Training facility completes ATR’s offer in Singapore. ATR has already a Customer Support Center and a warehouse based there for Asian operators.
"Increasing our customer support capabilities and services around the globe is a strategic priority for ATR.  The certification of this new and unique training facility is an important step in growing our presence in Asia Pacific region," said Mr. Lilian Braylé, ATR’s Senior Vice-President Product Support & Services. “Achieving EASA status for our Singapore training facility shows ATR’s Clients that our processes meet the highest standard in each of our facilities around the world. As an aircraft manufacturer, we have a commitment to Quality and providing products and services that will successfully meet our customers’ needs.”
source;atr press release