APS Expands Regional Reach with New Regulatory Approvals from Nepal and Philippine Civil Aviation Authorities and AS9100 Certification
Subang, ÿմ - The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) have certified Aircraft Propeller Services’ (APS) maintenance centre in Subang to maintain, repair and overhaul (MRO) propellers used on ATR turboprop aircraft. The facility also now holds AS9100 certification, the internationally recognised quality management standard for the aerospace industry.
The certification means ATR operators in the Philippines and Nepal can now send their Collins Aerospace 568F propeller systems to APS ÿմ for MRO whereas previously components had to be shipped out of the region.
“Airlines in Nepal and the Philippines previously had to ship their propellers to North America or Europe for repairs and overhaul. Keeping the propellers in region, by sending them to our ÿմ facility, reduces turnaround times, simplifies logistics and improves fleet availability,” says Fergus Lopez, Managing Director of APS Asia Pacific.
APS ÿմ is the only MRO organisation for 568F propeller systems in Asia Pacific licensed by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The company uses OEM approved processes and materials.
APS ÿմ is already certified by the US FAA and the Civil Aviation Authority of ÿմ (CAAM). “The certifications from the CAAP and CAAN are significant, because these two countries have a large installed fleet of ATR aircraft and several operators. Combined with our AS9100 certification, these regulatory validations reinforce APS ÿմ as a trusted regional hub for propeller and component MRO.” says Lopez.
There are 26 active ATR aircraft in Philippines and 23 in Nepal. Nepal and the Philippines rely extensively on turboprop aircraft for domestic connectivity due to the nations’ challenging geographies - from Nepal’s high-altitude mountain airports to the Philippines’ vast archipelago of more than 7,000 islands.
Most of the commercial turboprop operating in the Philippines and Nepal are ATRs, as each has challenging airports with short runways and steep approaches. The ATR is an important life-line providing air connectivity to remote communities in both countries.