Irish low fare carrier Ryanair has signed a $40 million Power by the Hour (PBTH) maintenance deal with the Components Division of Israel Aircraft Industries' (IAI) Bedek Aviation Group to support its fleet of 21 Boeing 737-200s.The five-year deal will see Bedek supporting auxiliary power units (APUs), wheels and brakes, landing gear, avionics and other components for Ryanair. The Irish carrier, which carried nine million passengers last year, is aggressively expanding its European network. It recently opened a new mini-hub at Brussels South Charleloi Airport and has 13 Boeing 737-800s on order for delivery by 2003.
Bedek's Components Division will move into maintaining Boeing 747-200, 737 Next Generation, 757-200/-300, 767-200/-300 and Airbus A319/A320/A321 aircraft family components. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Division sealed another $40 million PBTH contract recently with Arkia Israeli Airlines for its Boeing 737s and 757s, which it operates on scheduled domestic routes and international charters. The Aircraft Division is planning to expand its range of maintenance services to Boeing 747-400s, 767s, 777s and MD-11s. It has already started offering maintenance services for narrowbody Airbus types, and is looking to expand this further to Airbus widebodies.
On the propulsion front, Bedek's Engines Division has won three-year deals to provide Pratt & Whitney JT8D maintenance for El Salvador's Taca International Airlines and US low fare carrier Vanguard Airlines on Boeing 737-200 and MD-80s. Other contracts, totaling $56 million, are with US all-cargo carrier Polar Air and Israeli flag carrier El Al.
Source: Flight Daily News
