StandardAero breaks ground on Winnipeg expansion for CFM56 MRO

StandardAero yesterday broke ground on a 27,000-sq.-ft. expansion to the Winnipeg facility where it currently performs CF34 engine MRO, growth that will enable it to begin working on CFM56-7Bs next year.

The company this year inked a 12-year agreement with WestJet valued at more than $850 million to perform maintenance on CFM56-7Bs powering the LCC's 81 737NGs. It also reached an agreement with GE Aviation that made the Winnipeg facility, which currently stands at 135,000 sq. ft., a "designated fulfillment center" for CFM56-7B engines.

The expanded facility will enable StandardAero, a major player in the regional, military and business aviation engine and component MRO markets, to enter the commercial narrowbody engine MRO sector.

"We determined that the logical next step in terms of growth is getting into the large fan engine business," President and CEO Robert Mionis told ATWOnline in Winnipeg, adding that the CFM56-7B is a "sweet spot" to enter the market with more than 6,000 currently in service. "WestJet is a great launch customer, [but] we feel confident in our ability to grow beyond WestJet and we have the capacity to fill up the building," he said.

VP-CF34 Program Rob Stone said the expansion, to be completed by July 2010, will enable StandardAero in Winnipeg to perform MRO on 240-300 CF34s and CFM56-7Bs annually. The facility will have 300 employees, most of whom will work on both engine types, by the end of next year. Tempe-based StandardAero is a subsidiary of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise.

by Aaron Karp

Originally published 18 Sep 2009 at: http://feeds.atwonline.com/~r/AtwDailyNews/~3/hS74HRwT2wA/story.html