ATR, the European manufacturer of turboprop aircraft, and Rheinland Air Service GmbH (RAS), a German company specializing in aircraft maintenance, signed a service and collaboration agreement appointing RAS a new member of ATR’s network of partner maintenance centers. Adding RAS to ATR’s MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) network attests to the compliance of its maintenance facilities in Monchengladbach, specializing in the heavy maintenance of ATR airframes, in line with the aircraft manufacturer’s quality standards. ATR currently has approximately 60 operators in Europe. RAS focuses on aircraft maintenance for different versions of the ATR 42 and the ATR 72, while also offering services on the B737 series, A319 series, Bombardier and Fokker, among others.
The partnership with RAS is part of ATR’s decision to develop and offer its operators a worldwide network of highly qualified, independent suppliers of aircraft maintenance services. According to the terms of this agreement, RAS will participate in ATR’s service policy, which offers optimal solutions to operators through compliance with the fundamental customer service rules defined by ATR.
ATR’s MRO network is an important part of the regional policy implemented by ATR’s Customer Support Department, which aims to offer high-quality, local solutions to ATR operators in terms of maintenance, logistics and training.
Regarding this agreement, Walter Lange, COO Managing Director at Rheinland Air Service, said: “We are honored to be chosen by ATR, the world market leader in regional airline turboprop aircraft. RAS is fully focused on Heavy Maintenance for ATR aircraft and ATR’s market success over the last 10 years has largely propelled RAS strong growth within the same timeframe. RAS will therefore double its capacity by constructing a second large maintenance hangar to serve the growing ATR customer base in Europe”.
Lilian Braylé, ATR Product Support and Services Director, stated: “We are pleased to continue developing our support network for ATR operators by joining forces with an experienced and well-known maintenance company like RAS. ATR’s success, and the expansion of our fleets around the world, has also brought about strong growth as regards the maintenance centers available to our operators. Through its network, ATR offers quality services with high added value.” He concluded, “In the coming months, we are going to continue to develop the MRO network by selecting other maintenance companies worldwide to increase proximity to our customers.”
ATR has a strong presence in Europe, with over 320 aircraft in operation in 25 countries on the continent. The presence of ATR Customer Support in Europe includes pilot training centers in Toulouse and Paris, as well as a spare parts distribution center also located in Paris.
About Rheinland Air Service:
Rheinland Air Service AS has already celebrated its 40th anniversary and is one of the main MRO companies for ATR aircraft in Europe. Its head office is located at the Düsseldorf- Mönchengladbach Airport. RAS also offers extensive airline and GA fuel supply and into-plane service. For additional information, log on to www.ras.de.
About ATR:
Founded in 1981, ATR has become the world leader on the market for regional aircraft with 90 seats or less. Since its creation, ATR has sold over 1,250 aircraft. Its portfolio of operators today comprises more than 180 airlines in 90 countries. ATR planes have totaled over 21 million flight hours. ATR is an equal partnership between two major European aeronautics players, Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica Group company) and EADS. Its head office is in Toulouse. ATR is ISO 14001 certified. This is the international reference standard in the field of environmental management. For additional information, log on to www.atraircraft.com.