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Nok enhances aircraft checks

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BANGKOK, 12 March 2018 – Nok Air is strengthening checks beyond routine inspections to ensure the reliability of its Bombardier Q400 fleet following a recent incident involving one of its turboprop aircraft that was forced to make an emergency landing.

The incident occurred, 18 February, shortly after the twin-propeller aircraft took off from Sakhon Nakhon airport with 84 passengers on-board.  The left engine flamed out forcing the pilot to return to the airport.

Nok Air announced Friday that it has “engaged plane manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace and engine supplier Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) to launch an extra series of actions beyond routine to ensure that aircraft can operate with utmost reliability.”

“We will go the extra mile to offer peace of mind, not only for us, but also, most importantly, for all our passengers,” said Nok Air CEO, Piya Yodmani.

“As the operator of the world’s youngest fleet of the 86-seat Q400 turboprops, Nok Air has contributed to making the Q400 aircraft the (highest) performing and reliable turboprop, achieving an impressive dispatch reliability of 99.5% since it commenced commercial services in 2014,” said Bombardier Commercial Aircraft vice president and general manager, customer services and Q400 Programme, Todd Young.

He confirmed Bombardier would continue to provide the highest level of support as the airline implements its enhanced maintenance programme.

Bombardier has also confirmed it will offer refresher course on maintenance of the Q400 aircraft to Nok Air’s 16 flight operations engineers at its headquarters in Canada later this year.

Engine manufacturer, PWC, has also vowed to render technological support to enhance Nok Air’s maintenance capability of the PW150A engines, used on the airline’s fleet of eight Q400s.

Procedures were reviewed after a Nok Air’s flight, DD9407, experienced an engine flame-out shortly after take-off from Sakhon Nakon to Bangkok 18 February. The engine was sent to Singapore for repairs.

Following the incident, Vector Aerospace-Asia, the authorized PWC Designated Overhaul Facility in Asia, was commissioned to conduct in-depth engine check on all PW150A engines at Nok Air using the “Borescope” technique.

Nok Air operates one of the youngest fleet of Bombardier Q400 in the world an average age of 3.5 years.

Last year, Nok Air was named a winner of the 2016 Airline Reliability Award for Q400 from Bombardier.

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