Aircraft

Tanzanian regional carrier Precision Air is to take six new ATRs, an order which is evenly split between the ATR 42-500 and the larger ATR 72-500.

Precision Air, which was established in 1993 and is 49%-owned by Kenya Airways, will use the six aircraft to modernise and upgrade its fleet and open new regional routes across Africa.

The carrier, which operates four ATR 42-320s and two ATR 72-210s, will take delivery of the aircraft between 2008 and 2010.

Precision Air Services chairman Michael Shirima says: “The new fleet of ATR aircraft responds to our desire and our need to increase our route coverage and our presence in the African skies.

“We are convinced that ATR represents the best choice to achieve our goal of renewal and expansion according to the principles of comfort and performance that we want to offer our passengers.”

The $97 million deal follows a memorandum of understanding between Precision Air and ATR signed in May this year, which paved the way for the airline’s four-year fleet modernisation plan. Additionally the two firms have signed a memorandum to establish an engineering and pilot training programme in France for Tanzanian students.

Precision Air flies to over 15 destinations in Tanzania and serves cities in surrounding states including Nairobi, Mombasa, Pemba, Lilongwe and Blantyre.