Malaysia and Singapore talking to manufacturers over need to overhaul ageing aircraft
Malaysia and Singapore are considering mid-life upgrades to their ageing fleets of basic trainers as an alternative to buying new aircraft.
Italy's Aermacchi has begun discussing a structural upgrade that will provide at least 10 years of additional service life for Singapore's 27 Australian-based S211 trainers, which are already the subject of a limited upgrade led by Singapore Technologies (ST Aero) (Flight International, 16-22 March).
Aermacchi says current work is "not a serious upgrade" and that the aircraft will need replacing within three to four years unless a more extensive programme is pursued. Singapore is evaluating S211 replacements and last month said the upgrade programme led by ST Aero will keep the aircraft operational until the second half of the decade.
Aermacchi has not yet been asked to assess the condition of Singapore's aircraft or to provide a cost estimate for the work. However, as a possible launch customer for the proposed S211 structural upgrade, non-recurring development costs could make the programme prohibitively expensive.
Malaysia has meanwhile held talks with Switzerland's Pilatus over a programme to extend the service lives of its 36 PC-7s by five to 10 years. Airod plans to begin upgrading the aircraft with support from Pilatus in 2006, pending budgetary approval from the government. Manufacturers say Malaysia will need to start evaluating new basic trainers within the next two years if it decides against modifying its current PC-7 inventory.
Malaysia is also considering a proposal from national company Peatric to lease 17 ex-Royal New Zealand Air Force MB339CD jet trainers. Aermacchi, which is not involved in Peatric's private financing scheme, is ready to support the aircraft if the deal goes through and is also interested in partnering with a local company to upgrade Malaysia's current fleet of eight MB339ABs. Airod now maintains these aircraft and is fighting a proposal to have Grouptech maintain the proposed fleet of MB339CDs.
BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
