Panasonic Technical Services will open a new line maintenance station in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, following a recent decade-long agreement between Panasonic Avionics and Riyadh Air to provide inflight entertainment maintenance support for the airline’s incoming Boeing 787s.
Panasonic Technical Services (PTS) plans to deploy technical teams with specialized expertise in the advanced systems of the 787 to deliver inflight entertainment (IFE)-related MRO services. As part of its new investment in Saudi Arabia, Panasonic Avionics recently announced that it will hire local staff for the PTS line maintenance station and provide education and training opportunities to support this initiative.
According to Tom Eskola, vice president of PTS at Panasonic Avionics, the commitment goes beyond simply fixing problems by establishing proactive maintenance planning and technical support, all designed to minimize downtime and maximize operational efficiency, through the provision of PTS’ Total Care Package.
In addition to line maintenance support, other services listed include spares and repair capabilities and fully compliant Part 145 services.
Andrew Masson, Panasonic Avionics’ vice president of product and portfolio management, says maintaining system reliability is crucial to an airline’s success. “That’s why a key part of our offering is PTS, the industry’s largest MRO provider for inflight entertainment and communications systems [IFEC],” he says.
Masson says the total care solution enables aircraft IFEC systems to operate at peak performance and that operators can ensure optimal system reliability by leveraging the service. “We know this because we operate significant line stations, manage global spare parts and have direct access to Panasonic's OEM engineering teams for swift issue resolution,” he adds.
Last year, Riyadh Air selected Panasonic's Astrova IFE product for its entire 787-9 fleet. Masson believes Astrova’s modular design provides advantages for airlines, especially given the rapid evolution of IFE systems, due to its architecture that enables simpler system upgrades and retrofit programs.
“In the past, airlines had to upgrade their entire cabin at once, requiring extensive engineering, certification, and downtime,” says Masson. However, with Astrova, only the IFE components need to be upgraded, minimizing disruptions to seating and avoiding costly certifications. “This enables airlines to enhance the passenger experience quickly and efficiently,” he adds.
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