Airbus beefs up
A
The network should reach 20 members
BY THIERRY DUBOIS
irbus is gradually growing and strengthening its network of maintenance, repair and
overhaul (MRO) service providers to offer a consistent and exhaustive response to the airlines’ needs. Now at 16 members, the Airbus MRO Network is planned to reach about 20 members in the coming years. The relationship between the manufacturer and the members is complex and needs continuous fine-tuning but Airbus claims it is mutually beneficial. Over the past twelve months,
there were two additions to the network—Mexicana MRO Services and Abu Dhabi Aircraft Technologies. The network started with 10 members in 2005. The target of 20 members is down from earlier expectations of 25 to 35. “Every additional member is a serious relationship to maintain. We want to keep it at a number where members can talk to each other using their first names,” Richard Nevill, Airbus’ head of services solutions, said. The idea is to ensure there is
adequate capacity and capability throughout the world for all Airbus types. New models require new capabilities. Adding customers may translate into a need for more capacity in some regions. “We want to make sure our customers have enough choice,” Nevill insisted. For example, Russia is “a region
that remains to be addressed,” as Nevill put it. But covering this country will depend on how many customers are based there. Africa is seen as a gap, too. There is no Airbus MRO Network member yet on the continent. Yet, a number of Airbus A350 XWB operators will be based in North Africa. Similarly, in South America, a MRO service provider still has to be identified for the A350. Airbus will in 2010 determine who
are A350-capable members. “We will discuss who wants to support the A350 and how they invest,” Nevill said. Such a move has to be done earlier than for the A380, he pointed out. For example, in the Asia-Pacific region, Qantas has little
20 Aviation Maintenance |
avmain-mag.com | April/May 2010
choice for its first C-check on the double-decker. To join the network, an MRO
service provider has to meet some criteria. One of them is that it must provide third-party service (if it is an airline-affiliated organization). Then, it has to provide more than just basic C-check service. “This means, for instance, line maintenance, component repairs and C-checks,” Nevill explained. A member does not have to provide services for all Airbus types, however. It can specialize in single- aisle aircraft, for example. Another criterion is the
environment. European companies already have to meet the Reach regulation on chemicals. Members in other regions are also asked to comply. “Reach does not apply everywhere but it is clearly the trend,” Jean-Luc Lavergne, Airbus’ head of services specification and MRO network, justified. In the near future, criteria will
include asking the candidates for their plans regarding the A380
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