MRO for Bombardier bizjets to open at Vnukovo

Andrey Akopov, VTS Jets and Christof Meyerrose, LBAS signed the agreement regarding creation of a Bombardier MRO in Moscow (Photo by Leonid Faerberg / Transport-Photo.com)

Vostok Technical Service Jets (VTS Jets), an independent business jet MRO service provider, signed an agreement with the German Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services (LBAS) to establish a service center for Bombardier business jets in Russia and CIS countries. The contract was signed yesterday at the opening ceremony of the JetExpo 2016.

Both companies specialize in the service support of the Canadian aircraft manufacturer.

“We have a long and successful cooperation with our colleagues from LBAS; now we just formalized our relationship. We expect to expand cooperation in the future. The main objective is to create, in fact, the first full-scale center of business jets maintenance in Russia. It is a joint project with our colleagues from LBAS “, – Andrew Akopov, CEO VTS Jets told Russian Aviation Insider.

The center will be located at Vnukovo-3, which is the base for VTS Jets today. The range of services will vary from scheduled and unscheduled line maintenance, defect rectification, troubleshooting as well as dealing with aircraft equipment malfunctions before performing maintenance in AOG situations.

Today VTS Jets performs maintenance of all types of business aircraft of the Canadian manufacturer except the Learjet family. Learjet aircraft are serviced by VTS partners, the LBAS. “When we talk cooperation, we offer our clients the full range of aircraft maintenance on all Bombardier aircraft, available on the market”, – said Akopov.

“Moscow is one of the “hotspots” of business aviation, and we are excited about a new milestone in our constantly expanding network”, said the managing director of the German company Christoph Meyerrose. LBAS stressed that Russia is the third largest Bombardier business jets market in the EMEAC region (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Canada) with the traffic volume in 2015 at 22 thousand flight hours.  Vnukovo alone saw over 4.4 thousand Bombardier business jet takeoffs last year (holds the leading position among the airports). LBAS expects the Russian economy to restore, and the center to have sufficient workload.

The expansion of Russian MRO services operator is planned through obtaining approvals from a number of aviation authorities. In particular, in the near future an approval from the Russian aviation authorities is expected.

Today VTS Jets is certified by EASA aviation authorities, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Qatar and Aruba to perform MRO of Bombardier Global Series and Challenger 300/350/604/605/850. Currently, maintenance and repair works are carried out in a rented hangar at Vnukovo-3 (AOG services are provided at all Moscow airports and other airports of the Russian Federation). The company hopes in the future to come close to the construction of its own hangar (today this is not possible). “Today we cannot yet provide the volumes that would allow us to successfully finance such an expensive project,” – explained Akopov.