Etihad Airways Engineering, the largest commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services provider in the Middle East, has announced that it will extend its aircraft maintenance and engineering services to VIP aircraft.
Strategically located in one of the most important hubs of VIP operators, Etihad Airways Engineering has developed a strong potential to offer VIP operators value-added heavy maintenance services along with complete cabin removal, refurbishment and reinstallation.
The company is currently carrying out heavy maintenance on a VIP Airbus A320 aircraft project in partnership with French cabin interior specialist Aircraft Interior Products (AIP), a Finaero company, and its newly Dubai based entity AIP-Greenline, Aviation Interiors. More VIP aircraft projects are on the cards in the coming months.
Jeff Wilkinson, chief executive officer,Etihad Airways Engineering, said, “We will leverage our long-standing experience in maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft from the Airbus A300 to the latest platforms like the A380 and the Boeing 787, along with our expertise and exponentially growing cabin capability to perform heavy checks for Airbus Corporate Jets and Boeing Business Jets.
“We already maintain the entire fleet of Etihad Airways, an airline known for the highest cabin standards. Now, our industry leading aircraft maintenance and engineering solutions, which we offer to commercial, cargo, charter, low-cost and leisure operators, are being extended to corporate and VIP operators. Our intent is not to become a VIP completion centre, but the one-stop destination for heavy checks for VIP aircraft in the region and beyond,” he added.
Etihad Airways Engineering is the first organisation in the Middle East to win an extended Part21J Design Organisation Approval (DOA) by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to carry out major cabin design and modification, and is fully equipped to design and certify major changes to cabin interiors, galleys or other interior equipment and related structure, and environmental and electrical systems.
The company lately became the first airline MROorganisation in the Middle East to receive a Part21G Production Organisation Approval (POA) by the EASA, which permits it to manufacture interior parts such as seat covers, carpets, curtains, decals and markings alongside composite and other cabin structures and release them with an EASA Airworthiness Certificate. This enables installation of these parts onto aircraft registered in Europe or in any country recognising EASA certificates.
Etihad Airways Engineering also holds an approval from the EASA to design and certify 3D-printed parts for aircraft interiors. The broad cabin repair and modification facilities available onsite at the Etihad Airways Engineering facility in Abu Dhabi, UAE include cabin back shops to renovate and fabricate seat covers, armrests, head rest fabric and leather, monuments, decals and more.
Etihad Airways Engineering has the first Flammability Test Laboratory in the Middle East, launched in association with Lantal Textiles AG, for customers including VIP operators to offer test services including flammability tests, seat cushion tests, heat release and smoke tests.
PHOTO: Etihad Airways
