ASAM SA to provide line maintenance services for Boeing and Airbus in West Africa
The airport assistance company of Mali, Assistance Aeroportuaire du Mali (ASAM SA), has announced its certification as an approved maintenance organisation in West Africa.
December 21, 2017: The airport assistance company of Mali, Assistance Aeroportuaire du Mali (ASAM SA), has announced its certification as an approved maintenance organisation in West Africa. This is with the ability to offer line maintenance services for Boeing 737 (300/400/500 - 600/700/ 800) and Airbus A320 (A318 to A321) aircrafts at the Modibo Keita-Senou International Airport in Bamako, Mali.
The latest certification allows ASAM SA, under the ASAM Technics label, to perform maintenance on airplanes and issue a Certificate of Release to Service (CRS) for an aircraft registered in any member country of the European Union or registered with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
ASAM Technics is now equipped with modern facilities, all the necessary tools and has met the stringent standards required to deliver line maintenance services at the Bamako airport.
With the new approval, ASAM S.A. became the first approved non-airlines maintenance organisations in West Africa.
According to a press release from the organisation, this was possible because of a partnership with AMC Aviation, a French company which has been approved as a maintenance organisation by the European Aviation Safety Agency; the Bamako (Mali) station was approved and added to the list of line maintenance sites with Part 145 approval.
Post the approval; the first maintenance was completed by ASAM Technics’ technicians on December 13, 2017, on an Aigle Azur A 320 from Bamako to Paris/Orly.
“African companies are in a constant and urgent search for cost saving solutions, particularly in terms of aeronautical maintenance. Mali’s strong geo-strategic location allows it to deliver aeronautical services to the entire sub-region. A new terminal has just been completed at the Bamako airport and the establishment of a rigorous environment with international standards will only further increase the attractiveness of this hub,” said Dominique Dreuil, chief executive officer, ASAM S.A.
According to the ICF International 2015 Market Study; 17 percent of maintenance expenses of African companies are spent on line maintenance. While the air transport market is expanding in Africa, margins remain the lowest in the world making it ever more important to focus on reducing costs. According to a recent IATA report, margins will go down from 3.4 percent to 0.6 percent between 2017 and 2018.
