Norwegian operator Lufttransport recently tasked RUAG MRO International to complete a 72-month inspection of its Dornier 228. RUAG, the OEM of the Dornier 228, carried out the inspection at its production facilities in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich in six weeks, resolving several service bulletins at the same time. The project was completed on schedule and to customer satisfaction.

Lufttransport carries out charter and scheduled flights on behalf of the Norwegian 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. It has two Dornier 228s. As the two aircraft are indispensable, the schedule for the maintenance was accordingly tight.

Normally the 72-month inspection takes about two months. In order to keep operations going, Lufttransport 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 the time required.

“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; its pilot team ferry flew the Dornier 228 back to Tromsø in Norway.

“Satisfied customers are the most important thing for us,” explains Andreas Diener, Dornier 228 sales support manager at RUAG. “The maximum availability of the aircraft is key. Therefore, schedules must be tailored to the needs of our customers.”