Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (April 2022): In pursuance to the The Brown Condor Initiative(BCI), Ethiopian Airlines MRO, UTD Aviation Solutions, and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) have signed a tripartite MoU to collaborate on maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services . Ethiopian Airlines’ headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, hosted the signing event.
The Brown Condor Venture (BCI), according to Ethiopian Airlines, is a cooperative initiative which was conceptualized in 2020 and was officially launched in May 2021 by UTD Aviation Solutions and AFRAA. The BCI initiative aims to provide a platform for AFRAA members with Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities to relieve USA MRO workforce crunch in terms of both facilities and manpower constraints, as well as support other airlines from USA in MRO services and aircraft spares.
Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, AFRAA Secretary General, said during the signing event, “This signing ceremony with Ethiopian Airlines is a crucial milestone in the Brown Condor project. For the past two years, as part of the industry recovery efforts at AFRAA, we’ve been working with partners to deliver cost-cutting and revenue-generating solutions to our members. Other AFRAA airlines with EASA or FAA certified MRO capabilities are welcome to join this project. Our collaboration reflects a shift in the MRO industry.
Mr. Mesfin Tassew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, said: Ethiopian MRO Services, as Africa’s largest MRO service provider, is constantly expanding its capacity and reaching out to customers in the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas. We are thrilled to sign this MoU with UTD and AFRAA because it is in keeping with our strategy to expand our market reach and presence in North America, as well as tap into the big potential market in the region.
The Brown Condor Initiative is code named for Colonel John C. Robinson, the first African American aviator who also participated in Ethiopia’s triumphant fight against Italy, according to Ethiopian Airlines. Colonel John C. Robinson was recruited as a fighter pilot by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie at the time. In preparation for conflict, he immediately began teaching young Ethiopians in the technical difficulties of aviation, particularly pilots in preparation for war. Robinson gained international acclaim as the “Brown Condor of Ethiopia” for his brave service in Ethiopian skies. UTD Aviation and AFRAA hope to re-establish African aviation renaissance in MRO services and aircraft spares through this unique combined initiative.
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