Covers 41 Planes In Operation With Country's Armed Forces

Embraer has renewed the contract for technical and logistical support for the fleet of EMB 121 Xingu aircraft in France, with Structure Intégrée de Maintien en Condition Opérationnelle des Matériels Aéronautiques de la Défense (SIMMAD).

The agency of the French Ministry of Defense, among other things, is responsible for negotiating and signing agreements for the operational support of the country’s three armed forces. The four-year contract covers engineering and on-site technical support, as well as logistics for the 41 EMB 121 Xingu airplanes used by the French Air Force and Navy.

"It is an enormous pleasure to renew this technical and logistical support contract for the fleet of EMB 121 Xingus in operation with the French Air Force and Navy," said Geraldo Ferreira, Embraer Vice President, Customer Support - Defense and Government.

The Xingu aircraft have been flying in France since 1983, when Embraer began its operations in the country through its wholly owned subsidiary Embraer Aviation International (EAI).

Thirty-two of the airplanes are at the Avord Base and are used for training transport pilots for the French, Belgian and Dutch Air Forces, and the other nine serve with the French Navy on missions for transporting official personnel. After the renovation of the avionics system that the French Ministry of Defense is having done for the entire fleet, it is expected that the aircraft will continue in operation until 2020-2025.

"France is a very special customer, and has operated the Xingu fleet for 25 years with high rates of availability. This is the first pressurized aircraft designed and manufactured by Embraer. We will continue providing solid support to this important customer, extending the professional relationship that has been in place since EAI was created, in 1983."

FMI: www.embraer.com