Delta TechOps continues to enhance maintenance capabilities with its latest milestone – the grand opening of a brand-new engine repair shop.
The facility will be dedicated to performing maintenance on Pratt & Whitney GTF engines including the PW1100G and PW1500G, which power Delta’s new fleet of advanced Airbus A321neo and A220 airliners, respectively. The shop will service GTF engines that belong to Delta aircraft alongside customer engines maintained through Delta TechOps MRO business.
The new shop is 155,000 square feet with room for expansion and includes approximately 60 engine bays with the option to add more in the future. Key areas of the shop include a hospital or quick turn area, engine disassembly and assembly, module disassembly and assembly, work in progress (WIP), cleaning, shipping and receiving, and an administrative area.
The new GTF engine shop is the latest in a series of investments by Delta to bolster the infrastructure and resources available to the TechOps team. These investments support Delta’s goal of expanding the revenue stream generated by the MRO business. The new facility will also be home to several hundred staff members including more than 100 mechanics along with others working in engineering and supply chain, which reflects Delta’s dedication to creating high quality career opportunities in STEM.
“We are incredibly proud of our new engine shop and what it means for the future of Delta, our partnership with Pratt & Whitney, and our relationships with our other MRO customers,” said Don Mitacek, senior vice president of Delta TechOps and president of Delta TechOps Services Group. “The investments we’ve made in new capabilities and facilities over the past five years solidify our position as a strong global MRO provider and will enable Delta people to continue to provide exceptional service and reliability to our customers.”
Delta TechOps has invested in other major projects, including a new test cell, hot section repair shop and an additive manufacturing shop.
Delta hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new facility alongside state government officials and Pratt & Whitney leaders. At the event, attendees heard from CEO Ed Bastian, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development , Pat Wilson, and the president of Pratt & Whitney, Shane Eddy.
“As both a customer and a member of our GTF MRO network, our relationship with Delta is one underpinned by transparency, teamwork and commitment. For more than 90 years, we have worked together to overcome challenges and find creative, mutually beneficial solutions,” said Shane Eddy, president of Pratt & Whitney. “This beautiful larger facility marks the latest chapter in our shared commitment to providing customers with world-class MRO service and exemplifies the growing demand for GTF engines.”
Pratt & Whitney has been a long-standing partner of Delta Air Lines and the TechOps division.
TechOps announced it would become an MRO provider for the PW1100G and PW1500G engines as a part of Pratt & Whitney’s global GTF MRO Engine Network — one of 10 active overhaul centers and piece-part repair providers.
“Pratt & Whitney GTF engines will not only power Delta’s fleet of the future but will also support many other commercial airline operators in the Americas and beyond,” Bastian said. “The opening of this new facility will help us continue to provide dependable jobs and dependable engines for years to come.”
Through expanded capabilities and new facilities, Delta’s MRO is projected to grow significantly in the coming years.