As Boeing has completed the final phase of flight tests on its 787 Dreamliner, AFI KLM E&M is gearing up for the deployment of the new long-haul aircraft by developing a deliberately ambitious support offering.
The 787's final series of flight tests took place during the summer of 2011, paving the way for the first deliveries of the new long-haul aircraft this month. Concurrently, AFI KLM E&M is developing an exclusive component support program, 100% dedicated to the new aircraft. "Our approach aims to be as extensive and effective as what we offer for other aircraft types," says Gijs van Rooijen, Product Support Director, Components. "This includes all the services that we currently offer in terms of pool access, maintenance services either in "Power By the Hour" or "Time & Materials", together with the full array of logistics services designed to manage supply and exchange flows, etc".
Comprehensive offering
AFI KLM E&M grounds its expertise and production capabilities on its component centers of excellence in Amsterdam and Paris. Via its EPCOR subsidiary, it will also offer support for the APS 5000 APUs equipping the 787. The launch and deployment of the new offering will begin with the creation of a spares pool, while the development of production capacity has already begun at AFI KLM E&M. Aerostructures solutions are also being defined.
The all-round experience of a global MRO
"We want to play a significant role in this promising segment," adds Gijs van Rooijen, "and contribute to restoring balance to a market generally catered to by the OEMs. With our experience as an airline operator and that of our repair and overhaul centers, we are able to make a difference by curbing surging prices, which have already seen maintenance costs rocket relative to the time when the first aircraft were sold. And as an MRO that is part of an airline group, we're well aware of the constraints linked to component overhaul and repair, which is why we're intent on developing optimized processes and standards for our Group airlines, which will also directly benefit our clients."
