RUAG signs sustainment contract with the Netherlands Coastguard for two Dornier 228

RUAG Aviation, the OEM of the Dornier 228, has renewed an aircraft sustainment contract with the Netherlands Coastguard. The agreement comprises full maintenance services for two Dornier 228-212 special mission aircraft. Signed at the Netherlands Coastguard station, Schiphol-Oost, on 20 December 2017, the contract takes effect in May 2018.

The signing of the aircraft sustainment contract between Dornier 228 original equipment manufacturer (OEM), RUAG Aviation, located at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, and the Netherlands Coastguard ensures the specialist support for the two Dornier 228-212 remains continuous since 2007 and now extends over three additional years. On hand for the signing were Captain RNL Navy Ronald Blok, Director of the Netherlands Coastguard, and Volker Wallrodt, Senior Vice President Business Jets, Dornier 228 & Components, RUAG Aviation. 

“Reliability is essential to our sustainment requirements. Our mission schedules are rigorous, our flight plans demanding and availability must be guaranteed twenty-four hours a day,” explains Captain Ronald Blok. “We are confident that RUAG will continue to provide the prompt and highly skilled support we need and have come to expect,” he confirms. 

“We are pleased to have earned and retained the trust of the Netherlands Coastguard for the sustainment of their special mission aircraft,” states Volker Wallrodt. “This new agreement confirms our organization’s reliability as a maintenance, technical and material support provider for the Dornier 228.” 

Each of the two Netherlands Coastguard Dornier 228-212 special mission aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art communications technology, radar for the detection of environmental pollution and an infrared camera system enabling mission-readiness under all conditions. The maritime patrol aircraft are deployed to fulfill the wide spectrum of coast guard tasks, including search-and-rescue, disaster and incident control, environmental supervision and border surveillance. Throughout the year, one aircraft and its crew are on standby for deployment above the North Sea, or elsewhere in Europe, twenty-four hours a day. 

“We are in a unique position to offer comprehensive and integrated support services to the Netherlands Coastguard, as well as to all Dornier 228 operators,” explains Volker Wallrodt further. In fact, RUAG Aviation is an EASA approved Part 21J Design Organization (DOA) and, at the same time, is also the Dornier 228 Type Certificate (TC) holder. “Our team of customer support, engineering and technical specialists apply their thorough Dornier 228 knowledge to provide mission-adaptable solutions, upgrades and full life cycle support services.”

RUAG Aviation is supported by partner Jet Support B.V., at Schiphol-Oost. Their proximity to the Netherlands Coastguard station ensures the group’s aircraft availability requirements are promptly met. Aircraft maintenance as well as Continuing Airworthiness Management (CAM) are included in the subcontract signed by Volker Wallrodt and Ton van Deursen, Managing Director, Jet Support, also on 20 December 2017. Together both companies are responsible for the overall maintenance of the two aircraft and have jointly provided these required services since 2007.