MALAYSIA AIRLINES (MAS) is re-organising and expanding its capabilities in a bid to obtain a greater share of the worldwide third-party maintenance market.
Central to the scheme is the establishment of a 220,000m2 (2.36 million ft2) engine-overhaul centre, known as Aircraft Engine Repair Operations (AERO). The plant, which is equipped with computer-controlled equipment costing MR180 million ($72 million), has been set up at Kuala Lumpur's Subang International Airport under the leadership of former Pratt & Whitney vice-president product support Horst Pohlmann. He claims that MAS is the first carrier to complete heavy maintenance of a PW4056 engine and to receive approval for a PW4168 test cell.
Meanwhile, a significant part of the airline's maintenance division is to be spun-off as a subsidiary company by the end of the year, according to Noor Amiruddin, MAS director of engineering.
The carrier's base maintenance manager, Ahmad Zahir, adds that the subsidiary aims to perform up to 70% of its work for third-party customers by the year 2000.
Source: Flight International
