RUAG International completes 72-month inspection Lufttransport AS Dornier 228

Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, 25 November 2020. RUAG MRO International has completed the 72-month inspection of a Dornier 228 belonging to Norwegian airline Lufttransport. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the Dornier 228 carried out the inspection at its production facilities in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich in just six weeks and resolving several service bulletins at the same time. The project was completed on schedule and to full customer satisfaction.

Lufttransport carries out charter and scheduled flights on behalf of the government, international research institutions and private customers. The company ensures continuous accessibility to remote destinations in northern Norway as well as on the Lofoten and Spitsbergen islands in harsh and demanding environments. Lufttransport has two Dornier 228s. As the two aircraft are indispensable for the airline, the schedule for the maintenance was accordingly tight.

Normally the 72-month inspection takes about two months. In order to keep operations going, Lufttransport AS needed to have the aircraft back in service within six weeks. This is why RUAG’s MRO experts designed a schedule tailored to the customer’s needs and completed the full inspection in those six weeks. In parallel with the 72-month inspection, the team in Oberpfaffenhofen also resolved various service bulletins.

“The task was demanding. Our operations depend on our aircraft and therefore need partners that support the best possible availability of them. RUAG did this demanding job perfectly,” says Kjetil Indrevik, COO at Lufttransport.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated travel restrictions, the Lufttransport pilots were unable to pick up the aircraft in Germany themselves. RUAG was able to help the customer here too: without further ado, RUAG’s pilot team ferry flew the Dornier 228 back to Tromsø, Norway.

“Satisfied customers are the most important thing for us,” explains Andreas Diener, Dornier 228 Sales Support Manager, RUAG MRO International. “The maximum availability of the aircraft is key. Therefore, schedules must be tailored to the needs of our customers,” Andreas Diener continues.

RUAG MRO International is an independent supplier, support provider and integrator of systems and components for civil and military aviation worldwide. It also develops and supports simulation and training systems and solutions for international trained security forces.

Highly specialised in the support of aircraft and helicopters throughout their entire life cycle, the company includes maintenance, repair and overhaul services, upgrades, and the development, manufacture and integration of subsystems and components in their service portfolio.

In addition, as the manufacturer (OEM) of the Dornier 228, a versatile aircraft for special missions as well as passenger and cargo operations, RUAG International focuses on customer support solutions, including OEM services.

Moreover, RUAG MRO International is a developer, OEM and system support provider for simulation and training systems technology for live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training. Complex and flexible functions and a holistic approach support realistic training scenarios, adapted to mission goals, at individual, team and unit instruction levels.