São José dos Campos, December 16, 2010 – Embraer signed a five-year agreement with the aviation services provider, National Airways Corporation (NAC), in Johannesburg, South Africa, to become its Authorized Service Center (ASC) for the EMB 110 Bandeirante and the EMB 120 Brasilia. This contract formalizes the renewal of a five-year agreement with Naturelink, which was recently purchased by NAC.
The new ASC will provide routine checks, as well as scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for commercial aircraft. “We are very pleased to expand our customer support network through this new partnership with National Airways Corporation, which is now qualified to provide line maintenance services for these Embraer commercial aircraft,” said Leandro Laia, Embraer Vice President, Customer Support and Services – Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
“With nearly 50 EMB 110s and EMB 120s flying in Africa, today, we looked for expertise, reputation and competitive prices, in order to offer the best to our customers.”
Based in northwest Johannesburg, at the privately owned Lanseria International Airport (HLA), NAC will have access to Embraer’s structure-specific repair solutions and extended databases, and will be entitled to handle airframe and warranty issues on behalf of Embraer customers.
“We are very proud to receive Embraer’s endorsement and to obtain its trust in our maintenance capabilities,” said Martin Banner, CEO of National Airways Corporation. “We are pleased to expand our activities through Naturelink’s expertise. We see this partnership as a very good opportunity to offer our customers in the region a wider portfolio of services.”
About National Airways Corporation. NAC was established in 1946, offering one of South Afirca’s first air charter services. Over the years, the Company has spread its wings, becoming the largest general aviation company in Africa. Offering a full range of aviation services and products to the fixed wing and helicopter markets, NAC specializes in aircraft sales and maintenance, avionics, parts, charter, flight operations and pilot training. In 1999, Imperial Holdings, a mobility group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, purchased a 62 percent share in NAC. National Airways Corporation (Pty) Ltd. is the operating company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of National Airways and Finance Corporation Limited. For more information, visit www.nac.co.za
Embraer S.A. is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil’s leading exporters. Embraer’s headquarters are located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, and it has offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, China, France, Portugal, Singapore, and the United States. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft for the commercial aviation, executive aviation, and defense segments. The Company also provides after sales support and services to customers worldwide. On September 30, 2010, Embraer had a workforce of 17,009 employees – not counting the employees of its partly owned subsidiaries – and its firm order backlog totaled US$ 15.3 billion.
