Safran adds orders for its carbon brakes

Safran, the French manufacturer dedicated to the production of components for the aerospace industry, has added two new customers to its order book for its carbon brakes. Through its subsidiary Safran Landing Systems, the company will supply retrofits for the brakes of ATSG’s Boeing 767s and for the A320s of the recently launched Canada Jetlines.

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On the one hand, Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), the world’s largest lessor of cargo aircraft, will retrofit more than thirty Boeing 767Fs in its fleet. This will enable the company to operate a common wheel and brake configuration across its fleet. As part of this agreement, Safran will supply the conversion kits and maintain the systems once they enter service.

Parts for the 767s will be manufactured at the company’s Walton, Kentucky, plant. Maintenance services, meanwhile, will be performed at its network of five workshops located in Milwaukee (Wisconsin), Miami (Florida), Bethlehem (Pennsylvania), Las Vegas (Nevada) and Grand Prairie (Texas).

Carbon brakes offer a competitive advantage in weight, greater strength, and higher reliability than their steel counterparts. This will enable ATSG and its customers to improve operating margins, save fuel and reduce costs.

Canada Jetlines will also use Safran brakes

Canada Jetlines, the new Canadian carrier that will start flying in the northern summer, will also use Safran carbon brakes on its fleet of Airbus A320s. The company will fly from its Toronto hub to the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

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Under this contract, Safran Landing Systems will supply the wheels, brakes, and heat sinks for the aircraft. These will be manufactured at the Walton plant. Maintenance will be performed by Hope Aero Propeller & Components, located in the province of Ontario.

Brad Warren, vice-president of maintenance operations at Canada Jetlines, said: «It is agreements like these that will enable us to execute our growth strategy while lowering operating costs. This will allow us to focus on offering better rates to our customers.

Safran Landing Systems is the market leader in carbon brakes and wheels for the A319 and A320. Around 5,000 aircraft of these types are equipped with Safran components, representing nearly 70% of the worldwide fleet of A320 family models.