WOOD DALE, Illinois, May 12, 2016 – AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation aftermarket services to the world’s airlines, has extended its reach in Africa further with a contract to provide power-by-the-hour (PBH) component inventory management and repair services to fastjet. The long-term agreement with the award-winning, low-cost airline illustrates the global reach of AAR’s supply chain capabilities.

The contract encompasses nose-to-tail management of components and repairs for fastjet’s A319 airframes. To service fastjet’s fleet, AAR will:

· Draw from its global warehouse network, with a primary parts pool in Brussels. AAR also will leverage its digital supply chain and relationships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for parts procurement and exchange.

· Deploy its proprietary predictive-maintenance software to ensure the right parts are in the right place at the right time. The goal is to minimize aircraft-on-ground-time at fastjet’s home base in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as well as its other locations.

fastjet, which began operations in 2012, recently celebrated its 2 millionth passenger served, a milestone reached just 15 months after the airline hit the 1 millionth passenger mark. The operator has flown more than 21,800 flights domestically and internationally, some for as little as $10 one-way, and recently expanded its fleet. In April, fastjet was named Africa’s Leading Low-Cost Airline at the 23rd Annual World Travel Awards in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

“As fastjet expands, it needs a reliable fleet and a partner that can help minimize maintenance costs,” said Deepak Sharma, president, AAR international supply chain. “fastjet recognized that AAR has the bandwidth and expertise to access parts and perform repairs with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.”

“This contract reinforces AAR’s growing partnerships in Africa and our ability to cater to both low-cost and full-service operators,” said John Holmes, chief operating officer, AAR Aviation Services. “One of the many strengths of our global team is an ability to tailor solutions to each customer’s unique needs.”