Maintenance

Canadian maintenance, repair and overhaul company ExelTech Aerospace secured new business from Pinnacle subsidiary Colgan Air to perform heavy maintenance on aircraft being returned to lessors.

ExelTech management says the new agreement builds on its Saab 340 turboprop heavy maintenance experience with other operators of the aircraft including Mesaba Airlines and Alaska-based PenAir.

Specifically Colgan's deal with ExelTech covers maintenance of aircraft exiting the carrier's fleet and being returned to lessors.

In August Pinnacle said it was cutting 10 Saab 340s from Colgan's fleet, with five being returned to lessors, and in its most recently quarterly filing Pinnacle said six additional 340s would be retired.

ExelTech in September officially announced it was offering heavy maintenance for the Embraer E-170/190 aircraft family and named Republic Airways subsidiary Shuttle America as the launch customer. Previously the company has said it would like to secure a second customer by year-end.