Dubai, 14 November 2021 – Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) and Leonardo announced at Dubai Airshow (14-18 November 2021) today the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to strengthen the level of maintenance service for the growing fleet of AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. By this MoA, SAEI will enter a qualification process to be recognised as a Leonardo Authorised Service Centre for the bestselling AW139 model in the country delivering basic maintenance for the type. The MoA also includes the addition of the AW169 helicopter and the AW609 TiltRotor in the future.
Commenting on the announcement, His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim AlOmar, Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said: “It is encouraging to see that SAEI is increasingly being recognized by leading aerospace industry leaders for its competitive capabilities in offering wide-ranging maintenance services to a broad spectrum of aircraft. We hope that the agreement with Leonardo will energize SAEI’s and the wider SAUDIA Group’s efforts to further develop local competencies in aviation and allied industries in line with the Kingdom’s localization and employment generation objectives as outlined in Vision 2030.”
“We are delighted to be appointed as the first authorised Leonardo service centre in Saudi Arabia for AW139, AW169, and AW609 helicopter fleets,” said Captain Fahd Cynndy, CEO of SAEI. “I am confident that our industry-leading capabilities will provide aircraft owners and operators with easy access to reliable, cost-effective and timely services, enabling them to achieve enhanced safety and efficiency while offering superior passenger connectivity and convenience.”
Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters, said: “We are honoured to partner with SAEI to provide the growing fleet of AW139 helicopters in Saudi Arabia with the level of quality service their operators deserve to maximise the advantages of using the world’s best aircraft in its category. We fully share common values and goals about flight safety and efficiency. SAEI’s unique skills and expertise in aircraft maintenance services will be highly beneficial for the AW139 operations to effectively and timely serve their national communities.”
This MoA demonstrates Leonardo’s long-term commitment to the region and aligns with Leonardo’s focus on stronger support services and proximity. Enhanced services will contribute to maximise the helicopter fleet mission effectiveness and safety of missions to the benefit of operators, crews and the served communities. With more than 90 service centres in over 40 countries worldwide, Leonardo is committed to providing leading, comprehensive support and training services to deliver unprecedented benefits to operators in terms of safety, quality, effectiveness, cost, and sustainability as a cornerstone of Leonardo’s Be Tomorrow 2030 Strategic Plan.
The world’s most important helicopter programme since its certification in 2004 and the bestselling type in its category, the AW139 has logged orders for over 1200 units from more than 290 customers in over 70 countries to date. The type has proven extremely successful in the Middle East with over 150 units sold across the region for the wides scope of missions including corporate transport, emergency medical service, search and rescue, law enforcement, offshore transport, government duties.
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About SAEI
SAEI today is the leading aviation technical solutions provider in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Middle East and North Africa regions backed by over 60 years of experience and more than 4,200 highly qualified and trained professional workforce. SAEI holds GACA, FAA, EASA and several other regional and international authorities’ approvals.
SAEI offers an extensive array of integrated Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services to Civil and Military Aircraft owners and operators, both locally and abroad. SAEI services include aircraft, engine, and component maintenance as well as engineering, line maintenance, manufacturing, supply chain and logistics.
For further information on Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries, please visit www.saei.aero
Media Office:
Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries Headquarters
P.O Box 620 C.C 102 Jeddah 21231, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Hani Arab
Email: arab.h@saei.aero
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About Leonardo
Leonardo, a global high-technology company, is among the top world players in Aerospace, Defence and Security and Italy’s main industrial company. Organized into five business divisions, Leonardo has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the USA, where it also operates through subsidiaries that include Leonardo DRS (defence electronics), and joint ventures and partnerships: ATR, MBDA, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and Avio. Leonardo competes in the most important international markets by leveraging its areas of technological and product leadership (Helicopters, Aircraft, Aerostructures, Electronics, Cyber Security and Space). Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2020 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of €13.4 billion and invested €1.6 billion in Research and Development. The company has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) since 2010 and has been named as sustainability global leader in the Aerospace & Defence sector for the second year in a row of DJSI in 2020.
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