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rubriik - Profimeedia
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ubriik<br />
And then, at the very end of the f<strong>in</strong>al hangar we<br />
see the most beautiful blue tail of an airplane! By<br />
the time we make our way there, a red carpet and<br />
chairs have appeared <strong>in</strong> front of the plane – everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
is ready for the handover ceremony of the<br />
first Estonian Air Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen!<br />
Midday. Follow<strong>in</strong>g a period of brief and excited<br />
commotion <strong>in</strong>side as well as around the plane<br />
we take our seats and the ceremony beg<strong>in</strong>s. The<br />
Bombardier CRJ programs director, Jean-Guy<br />
Blond<strong>in</strong>, and Vice President, Anne Woodyatt, say<br />
their words of thanks and wish the plane and its<br />
crew all the best. They also speak of the advantages<br />
of the CRJ NextGen regional jets, such as the<br />
stylish cab<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>terior, lower fuel consumption and<br />
lower ma<strong>in</strong>tenance and servic<strong>in</strong>g costs, as well as<br />
the company’s aim of offer<strong>in</strong>g an „amaz<strong>in</strong>g customer<br />
experience”. Anne Woodyatt then asks the<br />
President of Estonian Air, Andrus Aljas, and the<br />
Chairman of the Council, Joakim Helenius, to<br />
accept the large ceremonial key to the airplane.<br />
Joakim Helenius emphasizes <strong>in</strong> his speech<br />
the important role the new planes will play <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Estonian Air strategy and Andrus Aljas, <strong>in</strong> turn,<br />
thanks the Bombardier and Estonian Air teams <strong>in</strong><br />
his warm and emotional address – everybody who<br />
has contributed to the long production process<br />
– and assures us that we are to fly home <strong>in</strong> the<br />
even<strong>in</strong>g with the very same plane.<br />
Complet<strong>in</strong>g all necessary paperwork by several<br />
parties (Estonian Air, Export Development Canada,<br />
Bombardier and Estonian Civil Aviation Adm<strong>in</strong>istration)<br />
has lasted up to the very last m<strong>in</strong>ute<br />
and everybody is relieved, on both sides of the<br />
Atlantic, when everyth<strong>in</strong>g is f<strong>in</strong>ally signed and<br />
sealed.<br />
Afternoon. After the ceremony and the follow<strong>in</strong>g<br />
lunch, Jean-Guy Blond<strong>in</strong> makes a couple<br />
of phone calls and tells us that everyth<strong>in</strong>g is ready<br />
for us to take off sometime after 5 p.m. (<strong>in</strong> Estonia,<br />
it is past midnight). Several quick press releases<br />
and blog post<strong>in</strong>gs later we bid a warm farewell<br />
to our hosts and the follow<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>utes seem like a<br />
dream: I open the door of the plant’s nice kitchenette,<br />
step outside and start walk<strong>in</strong>g. There are no<br />
tedious customs procedures, only the plane stand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a few steps away <strong>in</strong> the dusk, stairs <strong>in</strong>vit<strong>in</strong>gly<br />
wait<strong>in</strong>g. I pause for a moment – this is it then…<br />
Estonian Air<br />
fleet dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the first<br />
20 years<br />
Estonia’s national carrier,<br />
Estonian Air, was founded as<br />
a state-owned public limited<br />
company on December 1, 1991<br />
after the restoration of Estonian<br />
<strong>in</strong>dependence.<br />
Estonian Air <strong>in</strong>herited from<br />
Aeroflot, the Soviet Union<br />
airl<strong>in</strong>e, twelve Antonov AN-2,<br />
twelve Tupolev TU-134A and<br />
four Jakovlev JAK-40 type<br />
planes.<br />
Estonian Air sold the AN-2 type<br />
planes rather quickly — the last<br />
of them be<strong>in</strong>g deleted from the<br />
national civil aircraft register<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1996. The TU-134A type<br />
planes were <strong>in</strong> service until<br />
1996. Estonian Air sold the last<br />
JAK-40 type plane <strong>in</strong> 1998.<br />
In 1995, Estonian Air leased<br />
its first new Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737-500.<br />
The first Fokker 50 was leased<br />
<strong>in</strong> 1996 and Estonian Air operated<br />
altogether four Fokker<br />
50 planes, the last one was<br />
redelivered <strong>in</strong> 2004.<br />
In 2006, Estonian Air got<br />
its first Boe<strong>in</strong>g 737-300.<br />
Estonian Air has operated<br />
altogether twelve Boe<strong>in</strong>g<br />
planes.<br />
In 2007, subsidiary, Estonian<br />
Air Regional, started operation<br />
with two SAAB 340 type planes.<br />
In 2011, Estonian Air purchased<br />
two new regional jet type<br />
CRJ900 NextGen planes from<br />
the Bombardier Aerospace <strong>in</strong><br />
Canada. A third plane of that<br />
type will be delivered <strong>in</strong> 2012.<br />
As of February 2011, the Estonian<br />
Air fleet consists of two<br />
88-seat CRJ900 NextGen<br />
planes, three 118-seat Boe<strong>in</strong>g<br />
737-500 and two 142-seat Boe<strong>in</strong>g<br />
737-300 planes. Estonian<br />
Air Regional has two 33-seat<br />
SAAB 340 planes.<br />
If you can<br />
dream it –<br />
we can<br />
build it<br />
custom-made prefabricated houses<br />
Flight of a lifetime. When all 14 passengers<br />
AS Matek<br />
are on board, the two happy and radiant Estonian<br />
Pärnu mnt 158, 11317 Tall<strong>in</strong>n<br />
Air flight attendants-<strong>in</strong>structors, Meelike-Enel Andrejeva<br />
and Anneli Kalevi, lock the door and we<br />
Estonia<br />
TG 2532<br />
Telephone: +372 622 0077<br />
leave Canada beh<strong>in</strong>d with the Bombardier <strong>in</strong>struc-<br />
Fax: +372 622 0078<br />
ISO 9001<br />
E-mail: matek@matek.ee<br />
BUREAU VERITAS<br />
kevad/spr<strong>in</strong>g 2011 I INTIME www.matek.ee<br />
Certification 29
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