According to the general manager of AIBD SA, Abdoulaye Dieye, the building to house the aircraft maintenance centre (MRO) at Blaise Diagne Airport is close to completion. Abdoulaye Diey paid a visit to Inter Tridim in Casablanca to do an inspection of the hangar being built for the infrastructure.

Abdoulaye Dieye said, “The prefabricated equipment composed of steel bars and other tools has alreadybeing sent to Dakar by Inter Tridim, which is in charge of building the workshops, the administrative offices, and above all the metal framework to support the hangar of the MRO center. The company has stated that it will deliver the hangar’s frame in September of next year.”

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Land Mass of the MRO centre at the Blaise Diagne Airport

The MRO centre for the AIBD will be built on more than 10,000 m2. And accept all types of aircraft and perform tests from A to C. It will, in particular, guarantee that Air Senegal aircraft and those of other carriers using cutting-edge technology found in Europe and America be maintained locally.

This project is an essential step in the strategy to turn Senegal into an air hub for West Africa. Which also entails modernizing the nation’s airport infrastructure.

If the project at Blaise Diagne Airport is successful, it could lead to lowering aircraft operational costs. Which can account for up to 40% of airline expenses. Due to their maintenance taking place outside of the continent, which increases the possibility of aircraft unavailability, this constraint is typically one of the main causes of flight delays or cancellations.

Only 4% of MRO installations worldwide, according to official figures, are located on the continent. South African Airways Technical (SAAT), Egyptair Maintenance and Engineering, Ethiopian Airlines Maintenance and Engineering, and Royal Air Maroc Maintenance and Engineering are the principal hubs in Africa.