Turkish Airlines' maintenance division has been engaged by Boeing as partner to provide MRO services and technical training under the manufacturer's aftermarket support programme.
The Star Alliance member says that Turkish Technic has become a "strategic Boeing supplier" of line, heavy and component maintenance services within the Global Fleet Care scheme, and that the two sides will "collaborate together in the training and certification of technicians from different parts of the world".
Line maintenance will be available to Boeing operators from more than 50 Turkish Technic stations in international locations, while base checks are to be provided from its facilities in Istanbul and Ankara.
Turkish Airlines indicates that its MRO site at Istanbul's new airport will become operational from 29 October. Today, Turkish Technic operates facilities at the city's Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen airports.
The MRO provider's general manager Ahmet Karaman describes the pact with Boeing as a "remarkable collaboration" which will "significantly contribute and add value to our business". Previously, Turkish Technic was a member of Airbus's now-disbanded MRO network.
In 2017, Turkey's government and the US airframer launched the "Boeing Turkey National Aerospace Initiative" to boost the country's aerospace sector.
Turkish Airlines says the partnership "outlines a strategic framework that aligns Boeing investment and programmes with the Turkish government, Turkish airlines, aerospace service companies, and industry suppliers in the areas of research, engineering and skills development".
Boeing International president Marc Allen states: "Turkey is one of Boeing's top strategic growth countries, and we see strong capability and growth potential in aviation services and maintenance in Turkey."
More than 60 operators with a total of over 2,500 aircraft are subscribed to Boeing's hour-based Global Fleet Care programme, the airframer notes.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
