Ethiopian Airlines Group's maintenance and training division, Ethiopian MRO, has signed a Letter of Intent with ATR, a leading manufacturer of regional aircraft. This partnership, finalized at the Farnborough International Air Show 2024, aims to enhance Ethiopian MRO's capabilities in both ATR aircraft maintenance and pilot training.

The collaboration focuses on three key areas. First, Ethiopian MRO will expand its maintenance services to better cater to ATR aircraft. Second, a local stock of spare parts will be established to minimize response times for ATR operators across Africa and the Middle East. Finally, the agreement will explore opportunities to train new ATR pilots through the Ethiopian pilot academy.

Ethiopian MRO stands out as a perfect partner for this initiative. Its extensive maintenance facilities, international spare parts network, presence across multiple African hubs, and established aviation training university make it ideally suited to support the needs of the 36 airlines operating a total of 131 ATR aircraft in the region.

Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, sees this partnership as a strategic move aligning with the company's vision of becoming a leading player in African and Middle Eastern aviation. ATR CEO Nathalie Tarnaud Laude shares the optimism, highlighting the collaboration's potential to significantly improve regional aviation services. The agreement is expected to benefit operators through enhanced service quality, reduced maintenance costs, and minimized emissions.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency