BAE SYSTEMS REGIONAL AIRCRAFT WINS NEW RATE-PER-FLIGHT-HOUR SPARES SUPPORT BUSINESS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEPAL

Prestwick, Scotland…….BAE Systems Regional Aircraft announced today at the MRO Europe exhibition and conference in London that it has secured further new contract extensions for its successful Rate-Per-Flying-Hour (RPFH) JetSpares and MACRO spares support business from Cobham Aviation Services Australia and Yeti Airlines of Nepal.

These latest contract wins add to new RPFH business already announced this year from Braathens Technical AB of Sweden for its fleet of 12 Avro RJ regional jetliners, from Eastern Airways of the UK in support of its 16-strong Jetstream 41 turboprop fleet and, more recently, from Sky Express of Greece for its Jetstream 41 fleet.

JetSpares for the jets fleet and MACRO (Materials and Components Repair and Overhaul) for the turboprop fleet are customised rotable spares support rate-per-flying-hour agreements that are designed to allow an airline to concentrate on its flight operations while BAE Systems Regional Aircraft takes care of spares inventory, logistics and repairs. The priority is to keep the airline’s business running smoothly by providing a first-class support service.

The Cobham Aviation Services Australia contract is the airline’s third JetSpares extension with Regional Aircraft to support its fleet of 11 BAe 146/Avro RJ jetliners.

Cobham first contracted for the BAE Systems JetSpares support service in October 2004 and then renewed the contract in May 2009, valid until July this year. The new contract extension runs for an additional three and a half years until the end of 2016.

The JetSpares contract supports the 11 aircraft fleet and covers 623 aircraft parts, which reflects the gradual transition in the Cobham aircraft fleet mix from the BAe 146 to the newer Avro RJ. The contract gives flexibility to accommodate additional aircraft, should the operator desire to add more Avro RJ aircraft to its fleet.

In addition, Cobham will retain the on-site spares stock placed at its base in Adelaide to ensure that access to parts and service levels is maintained.

Cobham Aviation Services Australia is one of the largest fleet operators of the BAe 146/Avro RJ, having flown the type for over 20 years on a range of different operations across the country. Currently, the bulk of the fleet is used on extensive Fly-in; Fly-out operations in support of Australia’s vast mining resource sector, carrying mine workers to and from exploration and extraction sites. Freighter variants of the BAe 146 are also used by Australia air Express (AaE) on overnight express freight services flown on Australia’s eastern seaboard – the services being provided under contract by Cobham.

The second new contract announced today is with Yeti Airlines of Nepal to support its fleet of seven 29-seat Jetstream 41 turboprop airliners.

Yeti Airlines first enrolled on to the MACRO programme in 2006 and this first extension by the airline, recently signed, will see the programme continue for a further two years until mid-2015. The contract covers 220 aircraft parts.

Yeti Airlines first started operating the Jetstream 41 in 2006 and today with this aircraft and other types in its fleet it serves nine scheduled destinations across Nepal from the capital Kathmandu, as well as offering regular Mount Everest scenic observation flights using the Jetstream 41.