Austria's InterSky becomes launch customer for ATR Leading Edge exchange and repair service

ATR continues to tailor its Global Maintenance Agreement strategy to meet customer needs

InterSky, the Austria-based regional carrier, and ATR have signed a 3-year agreement for a brand new exchange, repair and overhaul service for leading edges of the wing and control surface ribs.

Casting this new service, ATR adds greater flexibility to its wide range of specialist services and bespoke solutions known as the Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA), proposed by ATR to all its operators worldwide. The new Leading Edge maintenance service will help ATR customers to further increase their operational flexibility and dispatch reliability, meeting their requirements in regard to fully serviceable leading edge availability for their ATR fleet.

The leading edge exchange and repair service include replacement of the de-icer boot along with structural repair options. Complete re-skinning of wing leading edge outer surfaces may be performed, when necessary. The comprehensive spares availability at ATR certified repair shops worldwide guarantees reliable uninterrupted operations without major capital investments.

 “With the launch of this new leading edge exchange, repair and overhaul service with InterSky, ATR ensures continuity of airline's aircraft operations offering a guaranteed availability of parts and an ongoing tailor-made support,” Lilian Braylé, ATR Senior Vice President, Product Support & Services, said. “ATR will continue to collaborate fully with all our customers worldwide offering ongoing development of support techniques and technologies to suit their requirements”.

More than 300 aircraft in service are to date covered by ATR's maintenance agreements representing over 30 per cent of total ATR fleet operating worldwide. The current number of the newest generation ATRs insured with the GMA contracts has reached 114 aircraft - 63% of total ATR-600s fleet in operation worldwide and ATR expects this number to rise steeply in the coming years.

About the GMA:
The Global Maintenance Agreement, known as the GMA, is a fully-customized and flexible solution for on-aircraft and off-aircraft maintenance. The GMA constitutes ATR's contribution to facilitate the day-to-day operation of their aircraft allowing easy budget and costs control while reducing maintenance expenses. Outsourcing maintenance, overhaul and repair to world's leading providers of aircraft related technical services, ATR, as an aircraft manufacturer, has acquired a unique expertise offering its customers the most profitable solutions. This innovative pay-by-the-hour program makes maintenance cost planning a straightforward and manageable task. The GMA guarantees an ongoing availability of spare parts with a no-risk turn-around time, simplified logistics due to the unique interface offered by ATR, a GMA contract and of course unbeatable quality of services.

About InterSky :
The regional airline InterSky, founded in 2002 by Renate Moser and Rolf Seewald, has been successful for the last 12 years. In February 2012, INTRO Group of the German entrepreneur Hans Rudolf Wöhrl became 49,8% shareholder of the company. For the time being, InterSky serves the regional sector connecting the Lake Constance area to German cities like Berlin, Dusseldorf and Hamburg, but also from Austria's Salzburg and Graz to Zurich. In the summertime the destinations Elba (out of Friedrichshafen, Munich, Zürich and Altenrhein), Olbia, Split, Zadar and Pula, Menorca are also part of the schedule. With the purchase of two new ATR 72-600s the fleet will grow up to 5 aircraft, additionally to the current 3 Dash 8-300s. New routes are especially focused on German and Austrian business travel needs. As InterSky has its own technical facilities, the reliability of the airline is enormous, reaching 99.8%. As a consequence of the two new aircraft the number of employees will significantly grow from the current 100.

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 1400 aircraft. ATR planes are represented in the fleets of 180 operators 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 the Airbus Group. Its head office is in Toulouse. ATR is ISO 14001 certified.

Aviation Week was not involved in the creation of this press release.