The company is authorized to perform all maintenance procedures on aircraft belonging to Pantanal, acquired by TAM SA in December
São Paulo, 27 July 2010 - TAM Technological Centre, MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) unit, has been certified by the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) to perform maintenance on ATR-42 aircraft.
The authorization allows the company to perform maintenance on the Pantanal fleet, an airline acquired by TAM last December, and expands the offer of the maintenance centre's services for third-party clients. ANAC has also authorized TAM to perform quick repairs to ATR-42 PW 120/121/121A engines and handle certain operational tests, in addition to nickel and silver electroplating. "We will be in charge of both heavy maintenance and routine services for Pantanal's aircraft, offering what we call total care," explains Ruy Amparo, MRO Vice-President.
Having been granted the certification, the first Pantanal ATR-42 check has taken place at the TAM Technological Centre in São Carlos. In addition to heavy maintenance, the interior of the aircraft will also be reconfigured to TAM's visual standards, and various additional tasks will also be carried out. All five of Pantanal's ATR-42s are expected to pass through the maintenance complex within the next 12 months.
TAM has already been certified by the aviation authorities of the United States (Federal Aviation Administration - FAA), Europe (European Aviation Safety Agency - EASA), Brazil (National Civil Aviation Agency - ANAC), and various South American countries, to perform all major scheduled maintenance procedures (C and D checks). The authorizations are valid for Airbus A318/319/A320/A321/A330's and Boeing 767's in its own fleet and those belonging to other airlines, as well as Fokker-100's.
Since January 2007, TAM has also held IOSA certification (IATA Operational Safety Audit), the world's most complete and widely recognized assurance of operational safety.
Established in the city of São Carlos, in the interior of the State of São Paulo, TAM Technological Centre occupies its own area of 4.6 million square meters. In addition to maintenance hangars, the complex houses workshops for maintenance in aeronautical components, with equipment ranging from navigational computers to complete landing gears.