Bombardier Becomes First OEM to Earn Accreditation From Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA)
Bombardier Aerospace and the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) today announced that Bombardier’s aircraft dismantling operations have officially been accreditated by AFRA. The accreditation, which was awarded following a comprehensive two-day audit, covers teardown efforts for CRJ100/200 regional jets at Bombardier’s Service Centers in Bridgeport West Virginia and Tucson, Arizona. AFRA is recognized worldwide for its leadership in promoting best practices for salvaging and recycling components taken from aging aircraft during disassembly.
The AFRA endorsement marks another step in Bombardier’s drive to reduce the environmental impact of its products at each stage of the aircraft’s life cycle, up to and including the end of its service life.
“Bombardier is proud to be the first original equipment manufacturer to obtain this certification,” said James Hoblyn, President, Customer Services & Specialized and Amphibious Aircraft, Bombardier Aerospace. “We are committed to being at the forefront of the aerospace industry with regard to corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship, and are continually embedding sustainable development principles into our day-to-day practices – whether it be in recycling aircraft parts, reducing and offsetting carbon emissions or desigining aircraft with reduced environmental impact.”
“We are delighted to extend AFRA’s accreditation to such a prominent and prestigious company as Bombardier Aerospace," said Martin Fraissignes, Executive Director of AFRA. “Their AFRA accreditation further recognises Bombardier Aerospace’s continuing commitment to environmental best practice and operational excellence in the field of aircraft dismantling and parts recycling. The fact that a distinguished company such as Bombardier Aerospace seeks AFRA accreditation for their aircraft recycling activities, further reinforces the fact that AFRA is the global industry leader in defining environmental and technical standards in managing end of life aircraft.”
“AFRA now sets the industry standards for the safe and sustainable disassembly of end-of-service aircraft – and these standards are of such environmental and financial value," continued Mr. Fraissignes, “that the leaders in the industry continue to adopt them, as can be seen by the steadily increasing interest in AFRA accreditation.”
In August, Bombardier announced that it would work in conjunction with Magellan Aircraft Services LLLP of Charlotte, North Carolina to disassemble CRJ100/200 regional jets, refurbish useable components and remarket them to operators. Bombardier has estimated that each of the 10 CRJ100/200 aircraft covered under the initial agreement and managed by Bombardier Commercial Aircraft’s Asset Management Group (AMG) has an estimated 1,500 serviceable parts, including 300 line replaceable units (LRUs).
Magellan was awarded AFRA accreditation in December 2009 and will facilitate access to genuine, certified parts for operators of CRJ aircraft around the world through its global network.
On December 1, 2009, Bombardier Inc. issued its second company-wide corporate social responsibility report, Moving Forward Responsibly, available on the company website.
The legendary CRJ100/200 aircraft, the world’s first 50-seat regional jets, was launched in March 1989. As of January 31, 2010, Bombardier had delivered more than 1,040 CRJ100/200/440 aircraft and their corporate variants to operators around the world.
About AFRA
Established in 2006, AFRA is a not-for-profit industry association with 42 members whose businesses focus on environmentally responsible management of aircraft as they reach the end of their life cycles. AFRA members have many years of combined aircraft recycling experience:
- 30% of the worlds fleet that was recycled in 2009 was done at AFRA member facilities
- 50% of the world’s parked fleet is stored at AFRA member facilities, and
- AFRA members recycled 217,000 tons of Aluminum, 3,700 tons of high-strength alloys, and 600 tons of used aircraft parts were returned safely to service
