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ExelTech enters Embraer ERJ145 regional jet heavy maintenance market

April 25, 2008, Montreal - ExelTech Aerospace Inc.has announced that Republic Airways has become the launch customer for the its new ERJ145 heavy maintenance product offering.     


April 25, 2008  By Carey Fredericks

1_030101_0462_b_rgbApril 25, 2008, Montreal – ExelTech Aerospace Inc., Canada's largest
publicly-listed commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul
organization, has announced that Republic Airways has become the launch
customer for the Company's new ERJ145 heavy maintenance product offering.
    

ExelTech will perform heavy maintenance, including major structural
inspections and modifications, on up to 41 aircraft operated by Republic's
Chautauqua Airlines subsidiary. All of this work will be performed at the
Company's Quebec City facility, beginning in April 2008. If Republic contracts
ExelTech for all 41 aircraft, the Company will generate revenue estimated at
$8 million.
    
This new work builds on a relationship established in December 2007, when
ExelTech began weight upgrade modifications and systems upgrades on 15
aircraft. To date, this work has generated approximately $750,000 of revenue
for the company.
    
"We are happy to expand our relationship with ExelTech" stated Wayne C.
Heller, Executive Vice President & COO, Republic Airways. "Their combination
of quality of workmanship, excellent costs and reduced turn times have made
them an important value added partner to our Company."
    

According to Donald Kamenz, Vice President, Marketing and Sales, ExelTech
Aerospace, this expanded contract is significant for a number of reasons: "We
have entered into the ERJ145 heavy maintenance market by winning a launch
contract from Republic Airways, one of the most respected regional carriers in
the industry; Republic becomes the tenth member of the US Regional Airline
Association to entrust aircraft heavy maintenance to us; and by adding the
ERJ145 to our portfolio, we now offer maintenance support for the five most
widely utilized regional aircraft types, including the Bombardier CRJ regional
jet and the ATR, Bombardier Dash 8 and Saab 340 turboprop families."

     About Republic Airways

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     Republic Airways Holdings Inc., based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a
publicly-listed holding company that owns Chautauqua Airlines, Republic
Airlines and Shuttle America. Together, these airline subsidiaries offer
scheduled passenger service on approximately 1,300 flights daily to 120 cities
in 37 states, Canada, Mexico and Jamaica through airline services agreements
with six major U.S. airlines. All of the airlines' flights are operated under
their partner brands, including American Connection, Continental Express,
Delta Connection, Frontier Airlines, United Express and US Airways Express.
Republic Airways Holdings currently employs approximately 5,000 aviation
professionals and operates 222 aircraft, including regional jets in the
Embraer ERJ145 family.

     About ExelTech Aerospace

The third-largest commercial airframe Maintenance, Repair, and overhaul
(MRO) vendor in Canada, ExelTech Aerospace is listed on the TSX Venture
Exchange and trades under the symbol XLT. The company holds Transport Canada,
US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) approvals to maintain a range of aircraft and associated structures,
components and systems. Aircraft models serviced by ExelTech Aerospace include
Embraer ERJ and Bombardier CRJ regional jets and ATR-42 and 72, Bombardier
Dash-8 and Saab 340 regional turboprops.

With 230,000 square feet of hangar, shop and office space in three
facilities at Montreal and Quebec City, and with marketing offices in the US
and Europe, ExelTech Aerospace provides maintenance repair and overhaul
services to airlines in Canada, the US and 24 other countries around the
world.
    
In the summer of 2008, ExelTech will open a purpose-built 140,000 sq ft
state-of-the-art maintenance facility at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau
International Airport.
    
To learn more about ExelTech Aerospace Inc. (TSX Venture: XLT), please
visit our website at www.exeltech-aerospace.com .

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