< PreviousRADAR February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESS 10 www.aviationbusinessme.com Boeing now recommends sim training on 737 Max Planemaker and FAA previously recommended only computer-based training for Max pilots Willie Walsh will retire as chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG) in June, when he will be replaced by Iberia’s current chief executive, Luis Gallego. Walsh led the merger of British Airways and Iberia to form IAG, one of the world’s leading airline groups. Antonio Vázquez, IAG chairman, said: “Willie has been the main driver of this unique idea that is IAG. I hugely admire his commitment, strong leadership and clear vision, always ready to take on what- ever challenges lay ahead of him. I am deeply respectful of what he has achieved as CEO of this group, of his sense of fair- ness, his transparency and his capacity to integrate people regardless of nationalities or backgrounds. Willie has established a strong management team and I am de- lighted that Luis will be promoted from this team to succeed Willie as CEO.” IAG boss Willie Walsh to be replaced by Iberia’s chief executive PEOPLE Walsh will step down from role which saw him merge British Airways and Iberia to form ma- jor airline group Gallego started his career in the air- line industry in 1997 with Air Nostrum and, since 2014, he has been CEO of Ibe- ria where he has led a transformation of the airline. Air Arabia will leverage Etihad’s infrastructure. Willie Walsh helped create industry group IAG. The UAE Cabinet has approved Air Ara- bia Abu Dhabi as one of the country’s na- tional carriers. As part of the agenda of its fi rst meeting of the year, the Cabinet said Air Arabia Abu Dhabi will play a key role to enhance civil aviation in the country and to allow the aviation sector to keep pace with future development plans and directions. It said the resolution refl ects the importance the government attaches to the aviation sector. Air Arabia Abu Dhabi is expected to take to the skies by the second quarter of this year. Etihad Aviation Group an- nounced last October the joint venture with Air Arabia to launch the capital’s UAE approves Air Arabia Abu Dhabi as national carrier AIRLINES New low-cost carrier is expected to take to the skies by the second quarter of this year fi rst low-cost carrier from its hub in Abu Dhabi International Airport. “The UAE government invested con- siderable efforts to improve this sector and support all the businesses working in it. The government gives the aviation sector all forms of support in line with the comprehensive development plans occur- ring in the country,” the Cabinet said in a statement. The MENA low-cost air travel model was fi rst introduced in the UAE in 2003 and has been rapidly growing since. To- day, the Middle East market enjoys the third highest gains in intra-regional low- cost carrier penetration rate. Low-cost Vázquez added: “The board is confi - dent that Luis is the right person to lead IAG in the next stage of its development and we look forward to working closely with Luis in his new role.” Willie Walsh said: “It has been a privilege to have been instrumental in the creation and development of IAG. I have had the pleasure of working with many exceptional people over the past 15 years at British Airways and at IAG. Luis has been a core member of the team and has shown true leadership over the years and I have no doubt he will be a great CEO of IAG.” Luis Gallego added: “It has been a great pleasure to work with Willie over the last seven years. It is a huge honour to lead this great company. It is an exciting time at IAG and I am confi dent that we can build on the strong foundations created by Willie.” carriers accounted for 17 percent share of seat capacity to and from the Middle East in 2018, compared to only 8 percent in 2009. The announcement was part of the Cabinet’s fi rst meeting in 2020, chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.It’s what’s inside that counts 25-26 February 2020 Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @AIMIDDLEEAST CO-LOCATED WITH WWW.AIME.AERO ENTERTAINMENT TEXTILES LIGHTING FLOORING SEATING LAVATORIES CABIN TECHNOLOGIES WI-FI PASSENGER EXPERIENCE CHEMICALS GALLEY POINT CAMERA TO REGISTER THE MIDDLE EAST’S ONLY AIRCRAFT INTERIORS EVENTRADAR February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESS 12 www.aviationbusinessme.com Airbus to ramp up production of A320s in the US Move will result in 275 new jobs at its facility in Alabama, on top of 600 added last year Etihad has joined with European giant EasyJet in a distribution partnership which will allow customers to buy tick- ets on EasyJet’s website, opening up new travel opportunities between Europe and the UAE. The partnership with EasyJet is the UAE national airline’s fi rst use of the NDC (New Distribution Capability) platform and Etihad plans to add more airlines and travel partners to its NDC portfolio in 2020. The deal follows EasyJet’s rollout with fl ight comparison search engine, Dohop, which connects its European network with long-haul fl ights. For Etihad, this has been achieved using the NDC plat- form providing technical capability for new partnerships previously not possible. Etihad unveils EasyJet as fi rst NDC partner as it eyes more airlines DISTRIBUTION Etihad Airways’ fi rst use of New Distribution Capability will mean passengers can buy tickets via European giant EasyJet Ali Saleh, Etihad Airways VP alliances and partnerships, said: “This new collabo- ration between two great brands is a logi- cal leap forward for both our companies. EasyJet is a perfect launch partner for us in Europe, allowing us to reliably increase the breadth of our continental reach to and from Abu Dhabi, as we enhance ways of connecting directly with more airlines and travel partners around the world. The ability to provide end-to-end booking ca- pabilities through our NDC platform will provide customers with ‘one stop’ solu- tions for seamless travel with partners, whether legacy or low-cost, through Eti- had’s global gateways.” Rachel Smith, EasyJet’s head of com- mercial partnerships, said: “We’re ex- cited to announce our partnership with Etihad plans to work with more carriers this year. Demand between India and the Middle East is rising. Air India Express is working on a major expansion in its operations in the Middle East, after the airline received govern- ment approval to buy three aircraft, a senior executive of the airline has said. “Air India Express has been given per- mission recently to acquire 3 new aircraft. We will soon be fl oating tenders for acqui- Indian carriers heat up competition with Middle East airlines INDIA Air India Express and IndiGo both have plans to expand operations in the Middle East amid increasing demand from India the delivery period for this aircraft model, industry sources said. Air India Express operates major- ity of its fl ights to various destinations in Middle East from multiple Indian cit- ies. Unlike Air India, Air India Express is a profi t making airline – its half-yearly profi t for FY 20 is understood to be about $74 million. Meanwhile, IndiGo announced it is launching a new Dubai-Kolkata service this month. The new service begins oper- ating on 16 February and will accompany a new service between Kolkata and Doha in Qatar. IndiGo said it wants to capital- ise on “growing international traffi c to and from Kolkata”. Etihad Airways, which opens up Abu Dhabi as a destination to our passengers and more of Europe to Etihad. Through smart self-connections and strategic part- nerships, we continue to extend the reach of the worldwide by EasyJet network offering more value and more routes to more customers.” Customers will be able to buy tickets on the EasyJet website from 68 cities on the airline’s network in Europe to Abu Dhabi. sition of them,” the Air India Express ex- ecutive, who did not wish to be identifi ed, said. “The fl eet expansion will be used to expand our operations in the Gulf sector.” The airline is understood to be going for acquisition of Boeing 737 800 NG aircraft, as it wants to maintain single fl eet type. Airline industry sources, how- ever, said Air India Express may have to go for second-hand 737 800 NG aircraft if it wants to induct the aircraft on an ur- gent basis, as Boeing currently has a long order book position for this aircraft mod- el. With its 737 Max series continue to be grounded, several airlines which have or- dered for Max planes have changed their orders to Boeing 737 800 NG, prolonging TO BE OR NOT TO BE? Flybe is saved from falling into administration after shareholders agree emergency funding package to keep it afl oat, but competitors are not happy. requested the European Union to as- sess whether the support given to Flybe breached EU state aid rules. He argued that Connect Airways should have been able to fork out enough on its own to save Flybe. Meanwhile, Flybe decided to swap its Heathrow slots for nearby Gatwick Airport, causing even more anger among rival airline bosses, who worry the move could benefi t Virgin Atlantic or Delta Air Lines, two of Flybe’s chief backers. Its decision will free up lucrative slots at Heathrow, worth an estimated $78 million, which could be snapped up by Virgin or Delta, competitors like Ryanair reckon. Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, told reporters that if Virgin or Delta obtained the slots it could boost business on key transatlantic routes or allow them to launch new long-haul services from Heathrow. Mr O’Leary also demanded that the British Government extend subsidies given to Flybe to Ryanair, British Airways and EasyJet or be in breach of competition law. A statement on Ryanair’s website said that Flybe’s owners, including Richard Branson, Delta Air Lines and Cyrus Capital, do not need a government subsidy “to prop up their failed airline invest- ments”. Mr O’Leary said: “The Flybe model is not viable which is why its billionaire owners are looking for a state subsidy for their failed invest- ment. This Flybe ‘subsidy’ cannot comply with competition or state aid rules unless the same APD eco tax holiday and other government subsi- dies are extended to all other UK com- petitor airlines including Ryanair, EasyJet, BA among others.” Flybe found itself on the brink recently and was only plucked from collapse when the British Government and owner Connect Airways stepped in. Flybe, Europe’s largest regional air- line, ran out of money and had to call on company shareholders, including Virgin Atlantic, to inject provide tens of millions of pounds of emergency funding. The airline breathes a sigh of relief and will now continue to operate its domestic and regional routes for now, which are relied upon by around eight million people each year. It has around 2,400 staff and fl ies to 170 destinations. Mark Anderson, chief executive of Flybe, said after the company was rescued: “This is a positive outcome for the UK and will allow us to focus on delivering for our customers and planning for the future. Flybe is made up of an incredible team of people, serving millions of loyal customers who rely on the vital regional connec- tivity that we provide.” But the UK airline community did not respond happily to the Flybe rescue. In fact, its competitors were furious at the deal, which saw the UK Government extend support to the airline, which the likes of British Airways and Ryanair saw as unfair and anti-competitive. Willie Walsh, who includes BA in his airline group IAG, accused the rescue deal of being a “blatant misuse of public funds”. Prime Minister Boris Johnson dis- missed Walsh’s claims and said the deal was important to retain- ing transport links in the UK. But Walsh, who will be stepping down from his role at IAG later this year, Flybe is Europe’s largest regional airline and is a key part of the UK’s transport infrastructure. FLYBE 13 www.aviationbusinessme.com February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESSTECH TALK Airbus and Lufthansa have invested in new technologies to help various airlines around the world manage revenue risks and recover from fl ight delays more effi ciently and effectively. and minimise the impact of irregular- ities on its passengers. Flight delays, re-bookings due to missed fl ights and extreme weather conditions are some of the many factors that can disrupt a fl ight schedule. The aim of the new partnership is to build a platform that will suggest sce- narios to return to a stable fl ight plan in the event of an irregularity so that passengers still arrive at their destina- tions as punctually and comfortably as possible. This will be done by merging data from various processes that are relevant for stable operations, for ex- ample aircraft replacement and main- tenance as well as crew scheduling. Dr Detlef Kayser, who is on Lufthansa Group’s board, says that the airline conglomerate is driving the digitalisation if its operations: “This will enable us to identify possible fl ight irregularities even earlier and implement countermeasures at an early stage.” For example, fl ights are sometimes delayed due to weather conditions such as snowfall and passengers might miss their connecting fl ights. In the future, it will be possible to off er faster rebooking possibilities across all four hubs for Lufthansa Group pas- sengers thanks to systems based on artifi cial intelligence. Thomas Kurian, CEO for Google Cloud, says: “Through this collabora- tion, we have a signifi cant opportu- nity to revolutionize the future of airline operations. We’re bringing the best of Lufthansa Group and Google Cloud together to solve airlines’ big- gest challenges and positively impact the travel experience of the more than 145 million passengers that fl y annu- ally with them.” New derivatives exchange to assist airlines Airlines hailed the launch of Airbus’ Skytra industry risk management tool, which began operating last month after two years of develop- ment. The project is designed to develop fi nancial instruments and infrastructure to support the airlines and help them to risk manage their revenues. Skytra tracks the daily changes in the price of air fares in various markets. Airline ticket prices fl uctuate constantly due to demand surges, political issues, tax and eco- nomic uncertainty. While airline infrastructure and op- erational commitments are planned years in advance, the vast majority of airline tickets are sold in the last fi ve weeks before take-off . Skytra’s indices will be used to price standard- ised futures and options contracts to be off ered on a regulated derivatives trading venue. While airlines are cur- rently able to hedge their cost base using derivative contracts – notably currency, interest rate and fuel prices – there are no existing instruments enabling them to manage air travel revenue volatility eff ectively. It makes airlines fi nancially vulnerable and aff ects their ability to plan long-term and make the necessary investments to grow sustainably. Christine Rovelli, head of treasury at Finnair, comments: “Finally we will have a risk management instrument tailor-made for the air travel industry that will help us manage our expo- sure to ticket price volatility more ef- fi ciently.” Airbus’s chief commercial offi cer, Christian Scherer, says: “Airbus recog- nises that the air travel industry could see substantial value in being able to control its revenue risk. Financial pre- dictability is benefi cial to the whole value chain - from passengers to airlines, airports, lessors and aircraft manufacturers, enabling the industry to invest in reducing our carbon foot- print.” Skytra CEO Mark Howarth says: “I have worked in fi nancial services for more than 20 years and I have to say that Skytra will bring to market the most innovative trading contract I have seen in my career, and the oppor- tunity to join the business was a very easy decision for me to make. We are reinventing risk management for air travel and I look forward to establish- ing Skytra in the coming months and years.” Lufthansa leverage’s Google Cloud tech Lufthansa Group partnered with Google Cloud last month to improve its airlines’ operational performance Skytra will help airlines manage revenue risk. TECHNOLOGY 14 www.aviationbusinessme.com February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESSNEW RECRUITS Both Etihad Aviation Training and Alpha Aviation Academy UAE celebrated signifi cant milestones last month after being granted new approvals by regulators. Approved Training Organisation for the Boeing 777 and 787 signifi - cantly broadens the markets in which Etihad Aviation Training can off er services, enabling the business to support operators in Europe and elsewhere, particularly in the fast- growing Asia region where EASA standards have been adopted.” GCAA approves Alpha Aviation Academy UAE as exam centre The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) offi cially approved industry training provider, Alpha Aviation Academy UAE, as a Designated Examination Centre. With this new approval, the academy is authorised to schedule, book, and host ATPL and Air Law and Operational Procedures examinations at its centre in Sharjah for pilots who wish to convert or up- grade their licenses. Captain Nadhem AlHamad from Alpha says: “As we aim to further ex- pand and develop our business port- folio, the launch of our UAE GCAA- approved examination center serves as a signifi cant step towards accom- modating a wider range of aviation professionals and diversifying our target market.” The new addition to the Academy’s business portfolio is now in opera- tion and the centre has the capacity to host up to sixteen examinees per session. Launched in 2008, Alpha Aviation Academy UAE, specialises in airline training solutions, off ering traditional cadet programmes, Multi- crew Pilot License (MPL) and Type Rating training. The group currently consists of Alpha Aviation Group in the Philippines and Alpha Aviation Academy in the UAE. Etihad Aviation Training is ME’s fi rst to train European 777,787 pilots Etihad Aviation Training became the fi rst aviation company in the Middle East to gain approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to train Boeing 777 and 787 pilots for European operators. In 2018 Etihad Aviation Training also became the fi rst Middle Eastern aerospace business to gain EASA approval for pilots of Airbus A320, A330 and A340 aircraft. Captain Paolo La Cava, VP and managing director of Etihad Aviation Training, says continuing growth in global demand for air travel was driving increased require- ments for pilot training. “Some operators have insuffi cient capacity to conduct training in their own facilities while others do not have in-house capabilities. In addi- tion to training pilots for Etihad, [our training] also supports the require- ments of many other operators for a range of aircraft types.” Captain La Cava says the Boeing 777 and 787 were two of the most in-demand aircraft in service today, and as their deployment increased so too did demand for pilot training. He says Etihad Aviation Training will also soon add training capability for the Airbus A350. “The EASA designation as an Alpha Aviation Academy UAE is expanding its business portfolio. TRAINING 15 www.aviationbusinessme.com February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESSFebruary 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESS 16 www.aviationbusinessme.com DE HAVILLAND MORE FOR LESS In a region with a number of underserved cities, there is a large opportunity for airlines to provide reliable and cost-effective air connections in the Middle East and Africa. One manufacturer from across the Atlantic is angling itself to help airlines tap into this growing market with a confi gurable, versatile and high-performance turboprop. particularly appropriate markets for the latest version of the Dash. The aircraft’s suitability to the region is down largely to its multitude of confi gurations, Young explains. “That allows us to go into separate markets. We have a true domestic aircraft, confi gured to carry passengers on domestic routes. But we can reconfi gure the cabin to allow oil and gas routes to be fl own. With the speed of the aircraft and its ability to travel to more diffi cult airports, it is the aircraft of choice for many applications.” In an industry where margins are tight and where it is often diffi cult to operate profi table fl ights, it can be an advantage to off er versatile services catering for diff erent parts of the market. And to run such operations airlines require the right tools. Canadian aerospace manufacturer De Havilland believes it has just the ticket for operators wanting to run profi table domestic and regional routes with a variety confi gurations. De Havilland believes its turboprop Dash 8-400 has a role to play in developing aviation markets in the Middle East and Africa. At the Dubai Airshow in November, the planemaker managed to bag several not insignifi cant orders as part of its strategy to develop a greater foothold in a market it feels it has a lot to off er. The new operators, Elin Group and Palma Holdings, will utilise the new aircraft in completely diff erent ways thanks to the varied confi gurations the Dash 8-400 off ers. Todd Young, chief operating offi cer at De Havilland, regards the Middle East and Africa as 17 February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com DE HAVILLAND cities to smaller cities because the economics don’t make sense on jets. At the same time, it’s also an aircraft that moves people from smaller cities to larger hubs. Ten years ago, where people would have to take alternative transport to get to the big hub, now with the Dash 8-400, with its speed and range, it creates opportunities to connect those smaller cities to hubs and allows more people to travel. That’s a great opportunity for us because we feel compelled at connecting people.” Traditionally, turboprop aircraft have served low-cost domestic or regional airlines. And De Havilland is certainly targeting this model in the Middle East. He draws on the example of Kenya’s Jambojet as a low-cost operator that uses the Dash 8-400 with an eff ective confi guration. But Young notes that the Dash 8-400 also has regular airlines in its sights. The aircraft is also used on subsidiaries of mainstream carriers. For example, Canada’s WestJet uses the plane to operate its WestJet Encore arm to bring passengers from smaller cities to the main hubs, where they will then transfer onto larger, jet aircraft. The advantage of the 8-400 over competitors in its class, Young says, is its larger size. It is able to offer configurations from a full single class set-up to dual class and even a “true business class”. Recently, De Havilland launched a three class configuration on the US market consisting of While most airlines naturally look outwards towards international routes as part of their network expansion, the likes of fl yadeal in Saudi Arabia have proved that there are huge opportunities to be had in operating regional routes in the Middle East. The start-up airline has opted not to launch international routes so far because its domestic fl ights are proving so successful. Meanwhile, some fl ag carriers in the region have explored launching their own domestic arms to connect smaller towns and cities in traditionally underserved areas, especially in Africa. Young says that the Dash 8-400 suites “a number of roles”. “One is the movement of passengers from smaller Todd Young, COO at De Havilland. DUAL ORDERS FOR DE HAVILLAND SETS IT UP FOR YEAR AHEAD At the tail-end of 2019, De Havilland secured orders with two operators, helping to fi ll its order books for the coming months. Lessor Palma Holding agreed to purchase 20 Dash 8-400 aircraft while Elin Group signed a fi rm purchase agreement for three Dash 8-400 aircraft. “Palma became the fi rst lessor worldwide to order the Dash 8-400 aircraft in its dual-class confi guration and this fi rst decision led us to develop other opportunities for the Dash 8-400 aircraft,” says Moulay Omar Alaoui, president of Palma Holding. “We have leased new Dash 8-400 aircraft to Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir and Falcon Aviation, and we see many more opportunities for this versatile aircraft.” Anas Bennani, managing director of Palma Holding, adds: “From a lessor’s point of view, we see the focus from De Havilland Canada as a very strong value lever for the Dash 8-400 aircraft. The value of the asset not only comes from its outstanding operational fl exibility, passenger amenities, and low environmental footprint, but also the focus of the De Havilland Canada sales and support teams on this product.” Headquartered in Nigeria, Elin Group has diverse business interests in real estate development, power generation, agricultural development, gas utilisation, mining, maritime operations and the aviation sector. Caroline Pritheesh, managing director of the fi rm, says: “The Dash 8-400 aircraft’s speed, comfort and versatility superbly meet our requirements as we look at opportunities to support Nigeria’s resource sector, particularly for oil and gas operations. The Dash 8-400 turboprop has been operating in Nigeria with other carriers and we have seen how this aircraft can support our diverse operational requirements.” CEO Elizabeth Jack-Rich comments: “As a dynamic entrepreneur and a leader with a vision, I am profoundly pleased that De Havilland Canada and Elin Group Nigeria have come together to form a formidable business relationship that will enable Elin Group to deliver cutting- edge service to customers in the aviation sector. It has always been my vision to collaborate with a company of high technical and innovative repute to see the actualisation of my vision to broaden services in diff erent economic facets.”February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESS 18 www.aviationbusinessme.com DE HAVILLAND has reduced emissions compared to [jet engine aircraft] of 50%. The fact that we have the higher capacity on the turboprops – 90 seats – the cost per seat is much lower and the economics on the fuel burn per seat are much lower. And when we compare ourselves to smaller turboprops with fewer seats, we can provide a better offering. We also see that the [Middle East] market is growing rapidly and we’re happy to be a big part of that growth. We demonstrated [at the Dubai Airshow] that this market is growing and we’re going to be part of it.” Young and his colleagues clearly see a signifi cant role for the Dash 8-400 in the regional market. How receptive carriers in the Middle East and Africa are to the product remains to be seen. Currently, De Havilland’s manufacturing base in Toronto has a “solid” backlog until the autumn of 2020. Deliveries for the orders made at the Dubai Airshow will start from next year. Young concludes: “But of course we’re not going to stop there, our job is to continue fi lling our backlogs so that our production team can keep building aircraft.” business, premium economy and economy. The plane is the only turboprop that offers 90 seats, according to its makers. Young says the manufacturer has adapted the aircraft to suit different markets and can continue to do so thanks to its comparatively large size compared to other turboprops. The Dash 8-400’s flexibility has also seen a cargo combi outfit designed. For Young, the ability for airlines to operate versatile aircraft in today’s market is important for two reasons: “Firstly, the airline that buys the aircraft initially will get the aircraft that is suited to their business. Second, when the aircraft needs to be phased out, you can reconfi gure it quite easily so it becomes very marketable to the next owner. You can re-pitch the seats very easily, for example, and it adapts well.” With many areas of the Middle East – especially the interior of some countries – still poorly connected to major transport hubs, there appears to be an opportunity for carriers looking to tap into this underserved market. And with the limited infrastructure and challenging runways in some smaller cities, turboprops present a unique opportunity to run reliable and importantly, profi table, connections. Young believes that the Dash 8-400 has high potential in the MENA region. He comments: “Not only has it got the performance characteristics operators are looking at, it also has a very good environmental footprint. The Dash Ten years ago, where people would have to take alternative transport to get to the big hub, now with the Dash 8-400, with its speed and range, it creates opportuni- ties to connect those smaller cities to hubs and allows more people to travel” The Dash 8-400 targets regional carriers. Regional operators showed interest and placed orders at the Dubai Airshow.19 February 2020 · AVIATION BUSINESS www.aviationbusinessme.com SHOW PREVIEW INSIDE AND OUT From 25-27 February, the world’s most reliable and effi cient maintenance and overhaul providers and the industry’s most respected interior designers will de- scend on Dubai. Here is a snapshot of what to expect. MRO MIDDLE EAST & AIME 2020 Etihad Engineering is the largest commercial MRO services provider in the Middle East and off ers comprehensive aircraft maintenance solutions to customers from all over the world. The company provides solutions ranging from heavy maintenance and complex modi- fi cations to connectivity and component services on all major Airbus and Boeing aircraft types, including the A380 and 787 Dreamliner, and more recently, the A350. Etihad Engineering continues to invest in infrastructure to support the growing business. Aircraft hangars at the 500,000 sqm facility cover approximately 66,000 sqm including 10,000 sqm of aircraft painting facilities and a custom-designed hangar that can accommodate up to three A380 aircraft simultaneously. Around 140,000 sqm of aircraft parking area is also available for light checks and non-scheduled maintenance work. The company’s airframe services include major structural repairs, cabin modifi cations and retrofi ts and much more. Sanad sees MRO Middle East as a chance to explore potential partnerships with companies looking for a customer-fi rst ethos of providing quick turnaround with reliable mainte- nance of engines. The MRO provider operates from a 15,000 square metre state-of-the-art turbine repair facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Sanad’s participation at MRO Middle East supports partner OEMs, including Rolls Royce, GE and International Aero Engines (IAE), along with its global customer base of international commercial carriers, which stretches from Southeast Asia, through Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to South America. Sanad Aerotech’s MRO ex- pertise covers a variety of engine maintenance services. Apart from being the world’s only independent MRO facil- ity serving the Rolls Royce Trent 700 engine, the com- pany is also one of the most sophisticated independent and OEM-approved facili- ties for the GEnx product line. In 2019, Sanad signed key agreements totalling more than AED 24.5 billion. This year, the company’s focus will be on investing in its people, resources and facilities. SIZE MATTERS Etihad Engineering POWER PARTNERSHIPS Sanad Aerotech The Lufthansa Technik Group, is made up of more than 35 technical mainte- nance organisations, and covers the entire process chain of the MRO business. Lufthansa Technik’s range of products and services en- compasses the entire ser- vice spectrum for commercial as well as VIP/special mission aircraft, engines, components and landing gear in the fi elds of digital fl eet management, maintenance, repair, overhaul, modifi cation, fi tting out and conversion. The company now has more than 800 customers. Lufthansa Technik currently supports about 5,000 aircraft worldwide. The latest technolo- gies and innovative repair procedures, developed in-house, are deployed globally. One example is the complete digitalisa- tion of work processes. One of the core products in this area is AVIATAR, an open, neutral and modular platform. In a web-based environment AVIATAR serves as an integrating hub for apps providing digital fl eet solutions for the aviation industry. The fi rm’s ME base is at the MBR Aerospace Hub. TECHNOLOGY OF TOMORROW Lufthansa TechnikNext >