On March 13, 2015, Aircelle (Safran) formally inaugurated the Aircelle Services Americas facility at Indianapolis, Indiana, and began maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for jet engine nacelles.
Aircelle says the 17,000-square-ft. MRO shop reliable maintenance solutions matched to customers’ needs, having started with Aircelle-manufactured nacelles for regional aircraft and business jets – and now expanding to nacelles for single-aisle and widebody airliners. This facility marks the latest expansion of Aircelle’s global MRO network, and is the company’s first dedicated facility in the United States. Its area of responsibility covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. Aircelle Services Americas also specializes in composites work.
“As one of the world’s leading suppliers of engine nacelles, Aircelle understands the importance of establishing full MRO capacity in the proximity of major markets,” explained Martin Sion, president of Aircelle. “Our Indianapolis operation brings proven capabilities into the Americas for our current and future nacelle products—both for in-shop servicing and on-wing repair.”
Aircelle Services Americas currently is certified for nacelle maintenance, repair and overhaul on the following twin-engine regional jetliners: Embraer’s ERJ135 and ERJ145, equipped with Rolls-Royce AE 3007 engines; along with the Embraer E170 and E175, which utilize GE CF34-8E powerplants.
In addition, the facility is qualified for MRO work on business jet engine types that include: the Rolls-Royce BR710 for Bombardier’s twin-engine Global 5000/6000 and the Gulfstream G550; the Honeywell HTF7000 on Bombardier’s twin-engine Challenger 300/350, the Embraer Legacy 450/500 and Gulfstream G280; as well as Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW307 for the Dassault tri-jet Falcon 7X.
Aircelle Services Americas’ MRO capabilities are quickly expanding to other Aircelle-produced nacelles, beginning with CFM International CFM56-5 engines that power Airbus’ A320 family of twin-jet airliners, the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 for Airbus’ A318, the PowerJet SaM146 powerplants on twin-engine Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional aircraft, and Rolls-Royce Trent 700s for Airbus’ A330 twin-engine widebody jetliner.
Future coverage will enable the Indianapolis operation to handle other Aircelle-produced nacelles, such as those for CFM International LEAP-1A powerplants that will equip the future Airbus A320neo (new engine option) jetliners, along with Rolls-Royce Trent 7000s for Airbus’ in-development A330neo version.
With the current and forthcoming activity, Aircelle Services Americas is preparing to ramp up its business volume and increase the company’s staffing. This builds on the already established, proven and certified MRO capabilities of Aircelle Services Americas – having previously been Applied Composites Engineering’s (ACE) nacelle repair division. The operation was acquired by Aircelle after seven years of successful cooperation with ACE on nacelle maintenance, repair and overhaul solutions at the site in Indianapolis.
Aircelle’s purchase from ACE involved the nacelle repair division’s tooling and MRO resources, along with the transfer of qualified staff members, who have become Aircelle employees.