Ethiopian Airlines has completed Africa’s first full strip and paint programme of the Airbus A350-900, marking what the airline is describing as a “breakthrough” MRO achievement.
The flag carrier stripped and painted two A350-900 aircraft, which builds on the completion of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner composite painting programme earlier this year.
Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, said both programmes are key milestones in the carrier’s build-out of its in-house MRO capabilities.
“This project reflects Ethiopian’s ongoing commitment to investing in world-class MRO capabilities, strengthening our operational resilience, enhancing our self-reliance, and elevating our global standing,” he said.
“Beyond saving costs, this achievement enables us to generate additional revenue and reinforce our position as a leading MRO service provider in the continent and the region.”
Ethiopian MRO has offered advanced aircraft and aircraft parts painting and coating solutions for almost six decades, serving its own fleet as well as third-party customers.
Currently, Ethiopian provides comprehensive in-house aircraft painting and specialised multi-layer coating capabilities on both advanced composite and aluminium airframes.
The airline said its modern paint shop and hangar enable it to handle painting and coating projects using advanced application methods such as high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) and electrostatic systems spraying.