Ethiopian Airlines Achieves African First with A350 Paint Shop

‍ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has completed Africa's first full strip-and-paint program on two Airbus A350-900 aircraft from its widebody fleet at its Addis Ababa (ADD) home base. The achievement represents a significant technical milestone for the African MRO, demonstrating advanced capabilities in handling composite aircraft structures. This accomplishment follows the airline's recent development of full strip-and-paint capabilities on its Boeing 787 fleet earlier in 2024.

The A350 presents unique challenges for maintenance operations due to its advanced composite construction. Composite materials, primarily carbon fiber, require specialized painting techniques distinct from those used for traditional aluminum aircraft. The complexity increases because the A350 has metallic mesh embedded under the paint for lightning protection, as carbon fiber lacks sufficient electrical conductivity on its own.

Mesfin Tasew, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, emphasized the strategic importance of this capability. "This project reflects Ethiopian's ongoing commitment to investing in world-class MRO capabilities, strengthening our operational resilience, enhancing our self-reliance, and elevating our global standing," he stated in an airline press release. Beyond cost savings for the airline's own operations, the capability enables Ethiopian MRO to generate additional revenue by serving third-party customers across the region.

Technical Expertise, Infrastructure Investment

Ethiopian MRO now has comprehensive in-house aircraft painting capabilities across its entire fleet, covering both advanced-composite and aluminum airframes. The facility uses advanced application methods, including High-Volume Low-Pressure (HVLP) and electrostatic spray systems. These sophisticated techniques ensure proper paint adhesion to composite structures that undergo constant pressurization and depressurization cycles during flight operations.

The achievement comes after significant infrastructure investment by ET in its MRO capabilities. In July 2024, the airline opened three new maintenance facilities at ADD, totaling over $150 million, including a two-bay hangar, a component workshop, and a central warehouse. The new component workshop alone added over 170 capabilities, covering Boeing 737 and De Havilland Q400 landing gear, avionics, and generators.

Ethiopian MRO currently employs over 3,000 technical staff and operates six main hangars at its Addis Ababa hub. The MRO has provided aircraft maintenance services for nearly six decades, serving not only its own fleet but also third-party customers across Africa and the Middle East. The carrier has also entered into strategic partnerships, including a July 2024 Letter of Intent with ATR to develop maintenance and training capabilities for ATR aircraft.

Strategic Vision

This achievement aligns directly with Ethiopian's "Vision 2035" strategy to become one of the world's top 20 most competitive aviation groups. The airline's MRO expansion forms a crucial pillar of this vision, positioning Ethiopian as the continent's leading maintenance provider. The capability to handle the most advanced widebody aircraft strengthens the airline's competitive position across multiple business lines.

The full strip-and-paint capability on both A350 and 787 aircraft represents more than a technical achievement for the carrier. It demonstrates the airline's commitment to operational self-reliance, revenue diversification, and positioning as Africa's premier MRO. As African air travel continues its rapid growth trajectory, ET’s investment in world-class engineering capabilities positions the carrier to lead the continent's aviation sector for decades to come.