Embraer has extended its Pool Program agreement with Japan Airlines through a multi-year contract, announced in Singapore on September 21, covering maintenance, repair and spare-parts support for the 32 E170 and E190 aircraft flown by the group's regional subsidiary J-Air.
The renewed Embraer Pool Program arrangement gives the airline access to a pool of repairable components and a dedicated inventory held close to its operations, intended to speed access to critical parts and limit operational disruption.
Under the agreement, Embraer will support a wide range of repairable components across the JL E-Jet fleet. The manufacturer did not specify how many part numbers are covered, the location of the stock or any guaranteed repair turnaround times.
Under OEM pool arrangements, the manufacturer typically owns and manages the rotable inventory, with the operator paying for access to exchange units rather than funding and holding its own spares stock.
E-Jets have operated in the J-Air fleet since 2008 on domestic regional routes across Japan. Embraer puts the fleet's six-month service reliability average at 99.8%, a figure supplied by the manufacturer and not independently verified.
"Through this contract renewal with Embraer, we reinforce our commitment to securing high-quality components and, above all, ensuring the absolute safety of our flight operations," said Yuta Kawaguchi, executive officer and vice president of material and component services at JAL Engineering Co. Ltd.
"Through our Pool Program, we are committed to providing the reliability, responsiveness and operational support needed to maximise the E-Jets' performance," said Carlos Naufel, president and chief executive of Embraer Services & Support.
The renewal forms part of the manufacturer's wider aftermarket network in the Asia Pacific, where its aircraft have operated since 1978. More than 15 airlines across seven countries in the region currently fly E-Jets, according to Embraer.
The regional support infrastructure includes Embraer personnel based near customer operations, a Regional Distribution Centre holding more than $120 million in inventory, E1 and E2 simulators and a network of authorised service centres. Embraer did not state whether the JL inventory will be drawn from the Regional Distribution Centre or held separately.
Financial terms, the length of the contract and the size of the dedicated inventory were not disclosed.
