Air Zimbabwe’s Boeing 777-200ER aircraft left Harare for Ethiopia for mandatory periodic maintenance, which could not be carried out in Harare due to the unavailability of special maintenance equipment.
The maintenance is said to be critical in ensuring that the aircraft remains serviceable in line with the ongoing process of dry leasing it.
In a statement yesterday, Airzim said they had licensed engineers on contract from Asia Aero Technic of Malaysia, but the maintenance tasks could not be completed successfully to the required conformance standards in Zimbabwe in the absence of technical rigs and test equipment.
“The National Airline today at 1138hrs positioned its B777-200ER Reg# Z-RGM to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Ethiopia, for special mandatory periodic maintenance which could not be carried out in Harare owing to the unavailability of special maintenance equipment,” said Airzim.
The airline said discussions and negotiations were at an advanced stage with potential short-listed lessees and a final position would be officially communicated once an agreement had been signed.
It is hoped that an agreement could be thrashed in the “next coming few months as we continue to monitor the effects and milestones in curbing the Covid-19 pandemic”.
The activation of a lease agreement will bring in the much-needed foreign currency revenue for Airzim to augment its current aircraft fleet with an option of outright purchases or lease of smaller aircrafts.
The initiative is part of Airzim’s strategic turnaround plan. The Herald
