Flight International online news 08:30: France’s ministry of defence has emerged as the client behind the purchase of two Austrian Airlines Airbus A340-200s sold by the carrier as part of a long-haul fleet adjustment.
The aircraft are being leased to the French Air Force for transportation of military staff and troops. Initially the lease will be for five years, with options to extend it to nine.
France’s government is orchestrating the acquisition which has been arranged through a consortium including flag-carrier TAP Portugal and French retail bank Caisse d’Epargne’s specialist subsidiary Ingepar.
Ingepar is arranging the transaction to purchase, finance and lease the A340s to the defence ministry’s procurement agency Delegation Generale pour l’Armement.
“The contract is among the first private-finance initiatives of a significant size mandated in the defence sector in France,” says Caisse d’Epargne, which is funding the project through a long-term loan.
Delivery of the aircraft – ten-year old examples, presently bearing registrations OE-LAG and OE-LAH – will take place in July next year and January 2007.
TAP Portugal is to perform maintenance at Lisbon on the two CFM International CFM56-powered jets. The aircraft will undergo modification to increase their seating capacity from 257 to 279.
France’s air force was previously a long-term operator of McDonnell Douglas DC-8 transports.
DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW/LONDON
Source: Airline Business
