BAE SYSTEMS WINS $9 MILLION SUPPORT DEAL WITH EASTERN AIRWAYS

BAE SYSTEMS Regional Aircraft has won a five-year MACRO contract with Eastern Airways of the UK. The deal, which provides spares parts support for the airline's Jetstream 41 fleet is expected to generate revenues in the region of $9 million over the period.

Eastern Airways, based in Humberside, operates a fleet of 13 Jetstream 41s seating up to 29 passengers, and 12 of the smaller 18-seat Jetstream 31/32 aircraft and has become the largest fleet operator of Jetstreams outside the United States.

Mr Richard Lake, Chief Executive of Eastern Airways said today: " Eastern Airways has become a very significant Jetstream operator and we are supporting our fleet and route growth with a $1.5 million expansion of our hangar, infrastructure and support capability to create a Jetstream Centre of Excellence in Europe at our Humberside, UK base.�

The airline operates over 100 scheduled flights each weekday and will carry some 500,000 passengers this year on a network embracing Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Humberside, Inverness, Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford, London Stansted, Southampton, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, Teeside and Wick.

Alan Fraser, Managing Director of BAE SYSTEMS Regional Aircraft said today: "We are very pleased to have secured this contract with Eastern Airways whose rapid growth demands a strong and committed support operation from Regional Aircraft. We pledge our total focus to give a top quality service.�

MACRO provides operators a fixed maintenance cost that includes comprehensive spares support for a single fixed rate per aircraft flight hour.