Gallery: Latest Aftermarket Developments In The Americas

In March, the FAA awarded $5 million in grants to a selection of schools and companies to help the aviation industry grow its MRO workforce pipeline. The grant recipients will use the funding to establish new educational outreach programs, provide scholarships or apprenticeships, conduct outreach about MRO careers or to support aviation maintenance-related opportunities in economically disadvantaged areas.

Later in March, U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation that would ease tuition pressures for students pursuing MRO careers. The Aviation Workforce Development Act would make training at FAA-certified aircraft maintenance technician schools (as well as pilot schools) eligible for inclusion in Section 529 Plans, which enable third parties to pre-pay or contribute to education expenses in a tax-free investment account.

To support its workforce growth strategy, Hawaiian Airlines joined Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Aviation Maintenance Technology SkillBridge program in January. Through the program, Embry-Riddle helps military service members transition to civilian aviation careers. Hawaiian is looking to recruit for hundreds of positions to support its upcoming growth phase.

FEAM Aero and Epic Flight Academy will break ground on a new aircraft mechanic program school at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) on April 17. The school will be part of FEAM’s partnership with the Epic and will help FEAM fill workforce pipeline at its growing CVG facilities.

AAR acquired MRO software provider Trax in March. It says the acquisition will enhance its strategy to offer digital solutions to aftermarket customers and enable it to cross-sell products and services through Trax’s customer base.

Alaska Airlines recently selected Aermetric maintenance software for real-time analytics and smart fleet management. Aermetric says its software increases aircraft availability and provides substantial savings from unplanned maintenance.

Colombian carrier Avianca signed a five-year contract in February with Lufthansa Technik for condition monitoring services via the MRO’s Aviatar platform. It will use the digital platform to monitor its Airbus A320 and A330 family aircraft, engines and components.

Embraer signed several deals in January and February to onboard new customers for its Beacon digital maintenance coordination platform. AOG provider Vortex Aircraft Services, Canary Islands carrier Binter Canarias and Brazilian helicopter operator Ocean Explorer will all use the platform to improve maintenance operations.

Forefront Aerospace Services acquired Airflight Aerospace, a Part 145 repair station in Florida specializing in electromechanical aircraft accessories, on April 12. It says the acquisition enables it to provide more in-depth inspections, repairs and troubleshooting capabilities.

At the beginning of 2023 Unical Aviation and FTAI Aviation partnered to jointly acquire the assets of iAero Thrust, an MRO specializing in CFM56 engine maintenance. Its assets and facilities in Miami will operate under the rebranded name QuickTurn Engine Center. The companies expect the newly-acquired facility to support 150 light shop visits and 300 engine tests annually, and it will also offer field maintenance services.

In February StandardAero purchased Western Jet Aviation, an independent MRO specialized in Gulfstream aircraft. Western Jet operates facilities at Van Nuys Airport and Miami Opa-Locka. The acquisition will add to StandardAero’s existing business aviation MRO capabilities in Springfield, Illinois, where it offers services for a variety of private aircraft platforms, including Beech, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer and Gulfstream types.

In early February Wencor Group acquired Aero-Glen International, a Fort Worth, Texas-based stocking distributor offering kitting solutions for the aerospace industry. Wencor says the acquisition enhances its aftermarket hardware offerings and aligns with its product expansion strategy.

Also in early February, aftermarket distributor and MRO services provider VSE Corporation acquired Precision Fuel Components, which specializes in servicing engine accessory and fuel systems in the business and general aviation market. The acquisition expands VSE’s capabilities within business, general aviation and rotorcraft markets.

In mid-January AIM MRO Holdings, a manufacturer and supply chain manager for aerospace industry consumable repair products and materials, acquired Tribologix, a provider of engineered surface coatings used to reduce friction and wear in extreme markets.

In late February Embraer began its first passenger-to-freighter conversion, following its announcement in 2022 that it would launch an E-Jet conversion program. The E190 aircraft from an undisclosed customer arrived at Embraer’s Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil facility on Feb. 17 and the OEM estimates the conversion will take 15 months.

GA Telesis delivered the first of two scheduled Boeing 737-800SF freighter conversions to Bluebird Nordic earlier this month.

Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. received several new freighter conversion orders, including a Boeing 737-400SF and six CRJ200 SF freighter conversions from Aeronaves T.S.M. and an MD88SF freighter conversion from Everts Air Cargo.

After opening a new U.S. teardown facility in Arizona last October, eCube began its first disassembly project at the site in late February. The teardown on an Airbus A319 was conducted for inaugural customer Killick Aerospace.

AAR recently acquired nine Boeing 757-200 aircraft for teardown. Industry sources told Aviation Week the aircraft, which were most recently operated by American Airlines, were part of a bidding war by several teardown companies. The aircraft are equipped with Rolls-Royce RB211 engines and AAR says the acquisition will help it continue to support the RB211-powered 757 cargo market.

Several other teardown specialists have been busy acquiring and disassembling aircraft and engines. Aventure Aviation acquired seven Boeing 737NGs from WestJet Airlines in February. VAS Aero Services acquired two Boeing 737-700s in February and two Airbus A320-family aircraft in March. GA Telesis dismantled a Pratt & Whitney 4168 engine in February and announced plans in mid-March to manage used serviceable material distribution of two Boeing 767-300s.

Kellstrom Aerospace renewed and expanded its exclusive commercial aftermarket distribution agreements with five business units of Ametek Aerospace & Defense in January. Under the contracts it will distribute Ametek-manufactured components found on Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer and Gulfstream aircraft, as well as parts for CFM International, GE and Pratt & Whitney engines. Kellstrom also was appointed as a global aftermarket distributor of Global Filtration’s commercial aerospace filtration products.

GA Telesis was awarded multi-year global exclusive distribution rights for CFM56-5B factory new Flex Shafts under an agreement signed with Honeywell Aerospace in late March.

Several engine MRO providers have expanded facilities and capabilities in Dallas this year. HAECO Global Engine support added a new eight-bay gantry system and Leap-1A/-1B tooling at its Dallas facility in February in preparation for offering quick-turn maintenance tasks on Leap engines.

MTU Maintenance Dallas is moving its operations in Grapevine to a new, larger facility at Fort Worth Alliance Airport to accommodate growing workforce and enable engine testing on-site. It plans to begin operating an engine test cell facility by the fourth quarter of 2023.

StandardAero established a CFM56-7B Service Center at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It is in the process of adding new service offerings at the facility, including CFM56-7B test capabilities at the facility’s six-cell engine test center.

Engine maintenance specialist Vortex Aviation plans to open a new MRO facility in the Chicago area May 1. Located in Roselle, approximately 20 mi. from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the facility will provide on-site and on-wing maintenance services.

Quality Aircraft Accessories reopened an expanded repair station facility in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in late March. The facility will offer maintenance, repair and overhaul of general aviation accessories, focusing on magnetos and exhaust systems.