Press Release
Issued by Bombardier Business Aviation Services.
May 19, 2015
Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services (LBAS) has won the contract to perform 7800-landings inspections on Rega's fleet of three Challenger 604 aircraft. Industry wide, this is the first time an inspection of this type has ever been performed. Two aircraft have been completed up to today and the third aircraft is currently in progress.
As one of the largest scheduled maintenance events on the Challenger 604 aircraft, the 7800-landings inspection is comparable to the D-check of a large commercial airliner. Together with Bombardier, the manufacturer of the Challenger 604, LBAS set up a dedicated team for this special inspection.
Ernst Kohler, ceo of Rega underlines: "We were in need of a reliable and competent partner to perform maintenance on our ambulance jets. Aircraft downtime along with quality and budget are the critical elements for us. Our experience with LBAS during the 96-months inspection performed four years ago was the key to selecting them for the 7800-landings inspection. Again, we are delighted about the services we received."
LBAS is now in completion of the last of three Rega ambulance jets.
Christoph Meyerrose, LBAS' managing director said: "Together with Bombardier, which also is a LBAS shareholder, LBAS set up a dedicated team for this inspection. It's the first time worldwide that a 7800-landings inspection was performed. Unlike any other inspection on a Challenger 604, it includes extensive non-destructive inspections as well as x-ray testing of the aircraft structure. To do this, the horizontal stabilizer as we all as the tail tank had to be removed. To keep aircraft downtime as short as possible, lean production methods were successfully implemented in order to optimize the work processes."
As one of the world's pioneers in aeromedical evacuation Rega has a long tradition in dealing with medical emergencies across the globe. It provides a highly professional aeromedical evacuation/repatriation service and detailed pre-flight medical counselling. Both services are available 24 hours a day. Rega operates three fully dedicated, long-range ambulance jets. They are used exclusively for ambulance flights and are fitted out as intensive-care units, guaranteeing top-quality medical assistance. Aircraft reliability is the key to success for this fleet of three challenger 604 aircraft, therefore maintenance downtimes must be reduced to a minimum.
