TAM Technic Plans Expansion As It Awaits Spinoff Decision

Travel/Distribution Systems

Aviation Daily May 14 , 2010 , p. 04
Neelam Mathews

TAM Technic, Brazilian TAM Airline’s maintenance, repair and overhaul business unit, is awaiting a decision by its board of shareholders in the second quarter on spinning off the company as an independent body.

TAM is also looking at a partnership with a third-party provider and is in talks with about eight companies, including TAP Technic, Lufthansa Technik, Iberia and Singapore Technologies, Ruy Amparo, MRO VP told The DAILY in Sao Paulo.

The company has been in talks with Airbus about linking to its maintenance network, “But they are slow to make a decision,” laments Amparo. The Airbus initiative is designed to ensure availability of competitive maintenance services and solutions to Airbus customers worldwide.

“An intensive study has been done on the development of fleet, taxation …. We are ready to spin off if the decision is made,” says Amparo.

On TAM joining Star Alliance, Amparo says, “We will get more contacts. However, we are already in touch with many companies we partner with like Lufthansa Technik and TAP.”

TAP Technic is expecting to get its domestic certification (ANAC) for the Boeing 777s by mid-2011. It also plans to build its second hangar by next year. Certification for ATRs is expected in June.