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• Agreement Covering Southern Air’s 777 Freighter and 747-400 Fleet
 
Hanover, Germany, and Norwalk, Connecticut, September 12, 2011 – Southern Air Holdings, Inc. has awarded MTU Maintenance Hannover an exclusive 12-year maintenance and spare engine support contract covering all present and future GE90-110B engines in Southern Air’s 777 Freighter fleet. The two companies also entered into an agreement under which MTU will provide maintenance and spare engine support to Southern Air’s CF6-80 engines for the multiple GE-powered 747-400s it will be adding to its fleet starting next year. MTU expects this multi-year partnership will generate at least 150 million Euros in revenues over the lifetime of the agreement.

"We are excited to enter into this long-term partnership with Southern Air, a leading global air cargo carrier. Southern Air is the world’s first ACMI operator to fly the new 777 Freighter, and we look forward to being the exclusive maintenance provider for the GE90-110B engines that power these state-of-the-art aircraft," said Dr. Stefan Weingartner, MTU President Commercial Maintenance.

Southern Air took delivery of its first two 777 Freighters last year. The company will take delivery of an additional two 777 Freighters in March-April 2012 and is actively looking to add additional 777 Freighters to its fleet.

“We have chosen MTU Maintenance based on their sterling reputation as a provider of commercial engine maintenance services. We are pleased to enter into this new agreement which will cover our fleet of 777 Freighters, the most advanced freighters on the market, as well as our incoming 747-400s,” said Daniel J. McHugh, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Air. 

MTU Maintenance obtained the MRO license for the GE90-110B engines last year and is optimally prepared to support this propulsion system. 

MTU Maintenance is the largest independent provider of commercial engine MRO services worldwide and operates affiliates in all major regions and markets around the globe. MTU Maintenance Hannover, the group's flagship company, specializes in the repair and overhaul of medium and large scale commercial engines, among them the General Electric  CF6-50, CF6-80C2 and GE90-110B/-115B, the Pratt & Whitney PW2000, the International Aero Engines V2500, and the CFM International CFM56-7. Alongside technical repair offerings, including hightech repair techniques, the company also provides additional services like technical and logistic support up to complete LRU support, engine leasing, customer training, on-sites services and 24-hour service support.

About MTU Aero Engines
MTU Maintenance’s parent company is MTU Aero Engines, Germany's leading engine manufacturer and the country's only independent engine builder, is an established player in the industry. The company has a workforce of more than 8,000  employees worldwide. A technology leader, MTU excels in low-pressure turbines and high-pressure compressors, as well as in manufacturing and repair techniques.

About Southern Air
Southern Air was founded in 1947 as a high-quality global cargo carrier specializing in the provision of block space and aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (“ACMI”) services. Southern Air’s blue-chip customer base includes some of the world’s largest combination cargo carriers and government agencies. Southern Air currently operates a fleet of 11 Boeing 747-200s and will be adding four 747-400s to the fleet by Q1 2012. Southern Air is the first ACMI operator in the world to operate the new Boeing 777 Freighter. For more information about Southern Air, visit: www.southernair.com.