newstodate.aero
Sep 14, 2018 (newstodate): The Latvian carrier RAF-Avia sees its future with ATR aircraft.
In the fleet of the Riga-based airline are four AN-26, two SAAB 340 and so far one ATR-72 freighter aircraft.
-Of these four AN-26 aircraft, one is operating for DHL, one is serving as back-up to secure regularity, and two are to be leased out for operations in Africa, says Jelena Rigere, RAF-Avia Commercial Director.
-All our AN-26 freighters are EASA certified with Restricted Type Certification, but one aircraft is now 40 years old and will soon require the full overhaul.
-The aircraft are in fine condition and very suitable for their purpose, but on one hand spare parts including engines are hard to find, and there will be a shortage of pilots as training facilities for this type of aircraft are out of date, including an old simulator in Ukraine. The average age of our AN-26 pilots is now 57 years, so time is running out.
-Eventually all four AN-26 will be out from our fleet within a short time, requiring replacement with new aircraft. Our choice will be the ATR aircraft, of which the first of two so far ordered arrived with us in August 2018, a freighter with eight tonnes capacity. This aircraft is currently operating charter flights and will later be placed on firm contracts and replacing the AN-26.
-In the are fleet are two SAAB340 aircraft, of which one is grounded due to lack of engines. It has proved equally hard to secure spare parts and notably engines for this aircraft, so we expect the grounded aircraft that has a new landing gear to be sold as airframe.
-We are also operating one ATR 42 passenger aircraft in QC version allowing for uplift of up to five tonnes of cargo, and we expect to take delivery of a second ATR 42 passenger aircraft before the end of this year.
-As the end of the AN-26 freighters is drawing close, we see the future with ATR 72 aircraft. And a few years we plan to have four of these freighters in the fleet, says Ms Rigere.
In the fleet of the Riga-based airline are four AN-26, two SAAB 340 and so far one ATR-72 freighter aircraft.
-Of these four AN-26 aircraft, one is operating for DHL, one is serving as back-up to secure regularity, and two are to be leased out for operations in Africa, says Jelena Rigere, RAF-Avia Commercial Director.
-All our AN-26 freighters are EASA certified with Restricted Type Certification, but one aircraft is now 40 years old and will soon require the full overhaul.
-The aircraft are in fine condition and very suitable for their purpose, but on one hand spare parts including engines are hard to find, and there will be a shortage of pilots as training facilities for this type of aircraft are out of date, including an old simulator in Ukraine. The average age of our AN-26 pilots is now 57 years, so time is running out.
-Eventually all four AN-26 will be out from our fleet within a short time, requiring replacement with new aircraft. Our choice will be the ATR aircraft, of which the first of two so far ordered arrived with us in August 2018, a freighter with eight tonnes capacity. This aircraft is currently operating charter flights and will later be placed on firm contracts and replacing the AN-26.
-In the are fleet are two SAAB340 aircraft, of which one is grounded due to lack of engines. It has proved equally hard to secure spare parts and notably engines for this aircraft, so we expect the grounded aircraft that has a new landing gear to be sold as airframe.
-We are also operating one ATR 42 passenger aircraft in QC version allowing for uplift of up to five tonnes of cargo, and we expect to take delivery of a second ATR 42 passenger aircraft before the end of this year.
-As the end of the AN-26 freighters is drawing close, we see the future with ATR 72 aircraft. And a few years we plan to have four of these freighters in the fleet, says Ms Rigere.