SAS Flight Academy and Saab Aircraft extend Training Cooperation

SAS Flight Academy and Saab Aircraft extend Training Cooperation SAS Flight Academy AB and Saab Aircraft AB have signed a long-term agreement to extend the Saab 340 Aircraft training cooperation. The original agreement, entered in 1982, was initially extended in 1997 and is now extended for an additional 10-year period. Under the terms of the contract, SAS Flight Academy, located at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport, undertakes to continue to operate a training center for the Saab 340 Aircraft under its existing TRTO approval, providing aircraft type conversion and recurrent pilot training for Saab's customers. Saab Aircraft provides necessary data and documentation for the training programs as well as an instructor backup capability using crew resources from its test pilot group. Some practical parts of the training are conducted at the Saab factory in Linköping. Under Saab's own TRTO approval, achieved in Feb 2004, training will also be conducted by Saab instructors in the SAS Flight Academy Saab 340 simulator. The new agreement also includes a specific working group between SAS Flight Academy and Saab with the objectives to improve the operational feedback to Saab via SAS Flight Academy and to further develop and improve the training programs. Sven-Erik Jeppsson, Director, Customer Services at Saab Aircraft AB, comments, "The extended training cooperation agreement ensures long term training support for our Saab 340 operators and is an excellent complement to Saab's existing factory maintenance training capabilities." Eric Wahren, Manager Business Development, SAS Flight Academy AB, underlines the importance of this contract: "Since the very beginning of the Saab 340 training program development and during the subsequent training production, we have had an excellent cooperation with Saab Aircraft AB. A training contract, extended for the second time to last in total 32 years, is a unique proof of customer satisfaction, which we are very proud of." Saab Aircraft AB, with offices in Linköping Sweden and Sterling, Virginia in the U.S. supports and maintains the combined Saab 340 and Saab 2000 fleet of over 500 aircraft in service with operators around the world. Saab Aircraft AB is part of the Saab Aviation Services Business Unit of Saab AB. Saab is one of the world's leading high-technology companies, with its main operations focusing on defense, aviation and space. The group covers a broad spectrum of competence and capability in systems integration. SAS Flight Academy AB, one of the leading training centers in Europe, provides training for pilots, cabin crews, maintenance technicians and ships' officers. It offers training for twelve different aircraft types, ranging from regional to long haul aircraft and helicopter. SAS Flight Academy has two training centers, one in Stockholm, Sweden, and one in Copenhagen, Denmark, and will open a third training center at Gardermoen, Oslo Airport, Norway, in August 2004. For further information please contact: John Belanger, Public Relations and Communications, Saab Aircraft AB, phone +46 13 183101, www.saabaircraft.com, www.saab.se Eric Wahren, Manager Business Development, SAS Flight Academy, phone +46 8 797 2116, www.sasflightacademy.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/03/29/20040329BIT00390/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/03/29/20040329BIT00390/wkr0002.pdf