In a move that solidifies their long-standing partnership, Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) and Air Austral, a Reunion Island-based French airline, have announced a new cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing the maintenance capabilities of the airline’s A220 fleet.

The agreement, facilitated by AFI KLM E&M’s subsidiary EPCOR, focuses on the repair and servicing of the Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) – specifically the GTCP131-9C model – that power Air Austral’s medium-haul A220 aircraft.

Recently, the two entities signed a component support agreement for Air Austral’s A220 fleet.

The newly inked contract extends the collaboration to cover the vital APU maintenance services, offering repair and servicing, provision of replacement units, and access to AFI KLM E&M’s predictive maintenance solutions through the Prognos® for APU platform.

These services will be expertly managed and delivered by EPCOR, the centre of excellence for APU support within the AFI KLM E&M portfolio.

Vincent Guérin, technical director at Air Austral, said: “The technical relationship built up between AFI KLM E&M and Air Austral over the years provides us invaluable reassurance.

“We know and appreciate the quality of their services, the robustness of their solutions, and the availability of their teams. We’re certain to benefit from optimal performance and reliability for APU maintenance on our A220s thanks to AFI KLM E&M and EPCOR.”

This partnership marks another significant milestone in the relationship between AFI KLM E&M and Air Austral, spanning over two decades.

Over the years, AFI KLM E&M has consistently provided expertise in component and engine support for various aircraft types operated by Air Austral.

With the recent introduction of the A220 to Air Austral‘s fleet, the collaboration expanded to include component support, and it now encompasses APU maintenance services as well.

AFI KLM E&M, operating as both an MRO entity and an airline with its own fleet of new-generation Airbus narrow-body aircraft, has developed a comprehensive range of specialised solutions tailored to the A220. The APU support services, available through EPCOR, have been successfully serving A220 operators worldwide since EPCOR’s GTCP131-9C industrial capacity was inaugurated in 2021.

Heidi Haveman, managing director of EPCOR, said: “EPCOR has developed a wide range of tailored MRO solutions for the GTCP131-9C, so airlines can pick and choose those which are best suited to their operational needs.

“We’re delighted about Air Austral’s confidence in our expertise, as the airline becomes our first external customer for the A220.”