Barcelona, Spain.....BAE Systems’ expertise in structural repairs for commercial aircraft is being offered to the wider commercial aviation community under a new initiative announced today at the European Regions Airlines General Assembly in Barcelona.
Known as RDOS (Repair Design Office Solutions), the new venture builds upon years of top level experience in the Repair Design Office at BAE Systems Regional Aircraft, Prestwick, which designs some 3,000 repair schemes every year to support the needs of the BAE Systems in-service fleet.
BAE Systems is already in discussions with a potential UK customer for an ongoing Boeing structural repair support contract and has a signed Memorandum of Understanding with a European carrier for a similar venture on another aircraft type.
Initially RDOS is offering its services to airlines in the UK and Europe to provide repair solutions support for non BAE Systems-built aircraft. BAE Systems believes that having an OEM provide these services is a vital point that customers and airworthiness authorities will support.
Mark Taylor, Business Director Engineering for BAE Systems Regional Aircraft said: “In addition, we offer the benefit of a very timely service building upon our enhanced support experience, and especially to customers whose aircraft are supplied from far afield where there is a probable time lag in response. We also believe that our pricing will be very competitive.
“We have the total skill set in the 18-strong RDOS team and so can offer a service that is more comprehensive than usually provided by smaller sub-contract agencies.”
BAE Systems has obtained European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 21 Sub Parts J and M approvals – which gives the authority for structural repairs on all commercial aircraft types. These EASA approvals mean that the business can offer structural repair schemes on all aircraft types using the OEM’s Structural Repair Manual.
In addition, six of the team are fully qualified on the Boeing structures repairs course and the approvals gained from this course can be applied not only to a wide selection of aircraft types, but also means that the techniques learned will result in a more comprehensive service offering and means that solutions can be offered that are outside the Structural Repair Manual.
