FARNBOROUGH—Ethiopian MRO, the maintenance division of Ethiopian Airlines, has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with ATR to develop repair and training capabilities for the turboprop manufacturer’s aircraft from its base in Addis Ababa.
ATR and Ethiopian signed the LOI at the Farnborough Airshow on July 23. The agreement will involve ramping up the in-house maintenance capabilities of Ethiopian MRO for ATR aircraft while establishing a local spare parts stock aimed at reducing response time for ATR operators in the region.
In addition, Ethiopian will also provide pilot training from its academy in capital city Addis Ababa.
ATR says the link-up with Ethiopian will help grow its presence in Africa and the Middle East, where the OEM says it would be able to better serve operators in what it deems to be an under-connected region. The Toulouse-headquartered company says there are approximately 36 airlines operating 131 ATR aircraft across Africa and the Middle East.
“This partnership aligns with Ethiopian Airlines Group’s vision to become a leading aviation reference for the African continent and the Middle East,” says Ato Mesfin Tasew Bekele, CEO of the government-owned airline group. “We aim to share our expertise and benefit the entire African and Middle Eastern aviation community.”
Ethiopian MRO’s capabilities include heavy maintenance services on Airbus A350, Boeing 737, 767, 777 and 787, as well as De Havilland Canada Dash 8 series. It operates four hangars in Addis Ababa.
Over the past few years, Ethiopian MRO has grown its capabilities in Addis Ababa, including entering a partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries to begin 767 passenger-to-freighter conversions.
Earlier this month it also bolstered its engine operation by adding test cell capability for the Leap 1B, which powers 737 MAX aircraft, adding to existing overhaul and testing capabilities for CFM56-7B and PW150 engines. The newly active test cell is the first for the Leap in Africa.
ATR chief executive Nathalie Tarnaud Laude says, “Ethiopian MRO’s significant investments over the past years to expand their facilities, combined with their dedication to developing their capabilities, present a timely opportunity for ATR to provide better support to our African and Middle Eastern operators.”
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