Page 27 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 Online Magazine

“The Boeing 787 is one of the most technically-advanced air-
planes in the sky and we offer leading-edge, specialist services,
minimizing the time that the aircraft is out of service, which is
what our customers demand,” says Pat Shine, CEO of Lufthansa
Technik’s Shannon operation. The 787 service adds to existing
aircraft types at Shannon, including Boeing’s 737, 757, 767 and
777, along with the Airbus A320.
With the fleet of widebody aircraft in the Asia-Pacific region set
to triple to around 4,800 aircraft over the next 20 years, Airbus
and Thai Airways International have decided to establish a new
airframe MRO joint venture at U-Tapao International Airport in
base maintenance capabilities for the Airbus Eastern Thailand.
A320 Family and the classic and next-gen-
eration variants of the Boeing 737. Its line Located around 140km from Bangkok in the Bang Chang District
maintenance offering includes services for of the Rayong Province, U-Tapao will be home to a facility offer-
narrowbody and widebody Airbus, Boeing, ing heavy maintenance and line services for all widebody aircraft
Sukhoi, ATR, SAAB, Embraer, Fokker and MD types including those of Boeing. Guillaume Faury, president
aircraft types across line stations in Europe Airbus Commercial Aircraft, says the Asia-Pacific region has
and Asia-Pacific. potential for maintenance and repair opportunities due to the
Lufthansa Technik has also extended its anticipated expansion of the area’s fleet. Thai Airways, which
base maintenance capabilities by adding runs a Thai Technical maintenance division, operates 33 Airbus
the Boeing 787. Lufthansa Technik Shannon aircraft in its 82-strong fleet including 15 A330-300s, 12 A350-
last year had announced a multi-million-euro 900s and six A380-800s.
investment towards this. The Shannon-based
MRO offers modifications, cabin and inte- Airframe maintenance will continue its trend of lower unit costs,
rior refurbishment, interior repair and paint, driven primarily by heavy maintenance visit intervals stretching
external paint repairs, specialized inspec- to 12 years. This is possible through the increased use of com-
tions, airworthiness directives, compliance posites and hybrid alloys in new-generation aircraft, providing
checks and a full range of maintenance ser- better fatigue and corrosion resistance than previous genera-
vices for the 787. tions.

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