BAE SYSTEMS REGIONAL AIRCRAFT WINS FIRST CONTRACTS FOR THIRD PARTY AIRCRAFT INTERIOR AND AVIONICS UPGRADES

Prestwick, Scotland….. BAE Systems Regional Aircraft announced today at the MRO Europe exhibition and conference in London that it has secured its first contracts for interior and avionics upgrades for a range of different aircraft types.

Around 70 Boeing 737 Classic, Boeing 757 and ATR72 aircraft are being upgraded in three separate programmes where BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is responsible for design and engineering of the upgrade and, in the majority of cases, include the provision of installation kits and supply chain management.

Announcing this new business today Graham Smith, Head of Business Development for BAE Systems Regional Aircraft stated: “Since we announced in May that EASA had extended our Part 21 G and J approvals allowing Regional Aircraft to work on any aircraft type for both design and manufacturing work, we have been pursuing a range of opportunities to exploit our skills and offer integrated solutions to new customers operating different aircraft types.

“Under this integrated solutions umbrella we are offering a range of five solutions to the industry encompassing airframe repairs and replacement parts for both civil and military aircraft, upgrades and conversions for aircraft into passenger, business/VIP and special roles and support and supply chain solutions. In these first three areas we are starting to get serious market interest. But today, we are announcing new business in the other two areas of interior and avionics upgrades.”

The new business won by BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is:

Interior upgrades – Regional Aircraft has been selected to support 11 Boeing 737 Classic aircraft for galley upgrades. This work, which is well underway for an unannounced customer, has involved the company in designing, engineering and providing Service Bulletins and installation kits for the fitment of new-generation ovens and water boilers to the aircraft. This work underlines the scope of the engineering and supply chain skills within Regional Aircraft and which is now on offer to the wider aviation industry and which is available for any aircraft types, including bizjets, VIP and special role aircraft as well as passenger airliners.

Avionics upgrades – building on its success in providing TCAS 11 7.1 upgrades to BAe 146/Avro RJ operators, Regional Aircraft has now been selected to provide the design and engineering solution for this upgrade for more than 50 Boeing 737/757 aircraft. BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is also specifically targeting the A320 family, the A330 and Boeing 777 for this upgrade, although the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) involved can be offered for any aircraft type.

BAE Systems Regional Aircraft has also been selected to provide STC support to design and engineer a FLYHT AFIRS 228 SATCOM installation on seven ATR72-600 aircraft to provide the crew with reliable voice and data services using the Iridium global satellite system.