Volga-Dnepr Gulf (VD Gulf) has been approved as the sole base Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) provider for all aircraft registered in Georgia for a minimum of two years as part of a cooperation agreement with the Georgian Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) that also includes providing aviation technical training for young people to increase the country’s expertise in the MRO sector.
The co-operation agreement was formalised during a two-day meeting between Mikhail Khoroshaev, Director General of Volga-Dnepr Gulf and top Georgian government officials responsible for the aviation sector. The Georgian delegation was led by the Director of the Georgian Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Guram Jalaghonia.
As part of its strategy to develop a growing pool of aviation technical experts, VD Gulf will deliver on-the-job and classroom training for a number of Georgian aviation technicians to familiarise them with selected aircraft types. The Georgian trainees will work alongside VD Gulf’s MRO experts under the supervision of a dedicated VD Gulf trainer.
In addition to becoming the first MRO service provider approved to provide base maintenance for Georgian-registered aircraft, the Georgian Civil Aviation Authority has confirmed that VD Gulf will also be the only organisation with a Georgian license for any aircraft base maintenance outside of Georgia. In the coming year, Volga-Dnepr Gulf expects to complete several Boeing 747 heavy maintenance checks as part of this arrangement.
Mikhail Khoroshaev said: “This is a significant milestone for us. We are committed to supporting the Georgian government’s ambition to create a talented workforce of MRO specialists so that ultimately young Georgians will be able to take over the task of maintaining western aircraft registered and operating in Georgia by themselves.”
Established in 1996, VD Gulf has built a strong reputation for the quality of its aircraft maintenance services and the professionalism of its technical personnel. Its 22,000 sq. mt. MRO hangar facility in Sharjah, UAE, was commissioned in the first quarter of 2013 and allows for the concurrent accommodation of six narrow-body aircraft or two Boeing 747-size wide-body aircraft. The hangar is fully-equipped with all the necessary tools to perform heavy base maintenance together with the required back shops and incorporates a high-performance ventilation and air conditioning system. It holds approvals from EASA and other authorities for line and base maintenance operations, enabling VD Gulf to provide MRO services for Boeing 747-400, 737CL, 737NG, and Airbus A320 Family aircraft.