Air France wins contract with Vietnam Airlines for GE90 engine maintenance
Air France Industries (AFI) has signed an exclusive contract with Vietnam Airlines to provide full repair support for the GE90 engines powering the airline's Boeing 777 fleet. This contract for 6 aircraft covers a period of three years. This is the first such GE90 contract with a customer (in addition to Air France and KLM fleets) and strongly endorses Air France Industries' strategy of developing a "very big engine" repair portfolio.
Vietnam Airlines currently operates 10 Boeing 777s of which 6 are equipped with GE90 engines.
The pace-setting contract considerably strengthens AFI's profile in Asia and opens up new business opportunities in the region. It provides an exclusive service for time and materials, and spare engine support. In addition, AFI will deliver on-wing engine services and operational support for Vietnam Airlines' fleet in all line stations world-wide.
Mr Bruno Delile, Senior Vice President Industrial and Business Development of Air France Industries said : "It is a great honour for us to have Vietnam Airlines as our first GE90 customer. With this contract, Air France Industries can position itself in the Very Big Engines market and broaden its service range for B777 operators."
Air France Industries is one of the very first companies to maintain the GE90 "very big engine" equipping the 777. The GE90 product capability consolidates Air France Industries' leadership for engine support and services. With its new additional GE90 maintenance line, AFI is now ready for customer refurbishment and in-house shop visits.
Air France Industries is able to deliver value-added expertise in addition to its extensive repair shop competency in various fields, such as engineering, trend monitoring, maintenance control centre, line maintenance, on-wing services, training and LRU engine component support.
About 64,000 sq. m are dedicated to the Air France Industries Engines Business Unit, mainly at Orly for engine overhaul workshops, and at the Paris CDG hub for test benches and QEC. Air France Industries uses cutting-edge technologies such as high-speed grinders for machining high-pressure compressor and turbine rotors. The Engine Business Unit has a workforce of over a thousand, including technicians, mechanics, fitters, turners, welders, and inspectors. More than 250 engines are overhauled each year, representing a total of 920,000 man-hours.
Air France Press Release - February 20, 2006.
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