Drakkar Aerospace and Argo Aviation Launch New Mobile Repair Services JV

Drakkar Aerospace & Ground Transportation and Argo Aviation Group have launched a new joint venture offering mobile repair services in the Americas. The new company, called Argo MRT Americas, is the latest offshoot of UK-based Argo MRT [Mobile Repair Team], which formed in September 2019.

Argo MRT Americas will initially focus on mobile repair services and plans to add inspection capabilities by the end of 2022, including non-destructive testing, borescope inspections, and aircraft physical/record inspections. The JV will offer its services to OEMs, MROs and lessors across the Americas on a 24/7, year-round basis.

According to Benoit Hudon, president and CEO of Drakkar Aerospace & Ground Transportation, the Canadian outsourcing specialist has been looking to add mobile aircraft repair services to its portfolio for some time now. “Although launch during the pandemic may seem audacious, we believe it is the perfect timing to offer our mobile repair services to support customers, OEMs, operators, MROs and lessors to get aircraft flying back in the sky again,” he says.

Argo MRT Americas will be headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, with its first satellite office located in the greater Toronto area. The JV partners plan to put together a standalone workforce of more than 50 specialists within the next three years.

The JV will take advantage of existing tools, processes and certifications from its UK-based sister company, which serves customers in the EMEA region. It will deploy the company’s digital platform that enables customers to track real-time progress of tasks and ensure proper documentation and traceability as requested by the authorities. It will also have access to Argo MRT’s FAA Part 145C repair station in Honiton, UK, which can be used for repair support worldwide.

According to a representative for Argo MRT Americas, the JV has use of Argo MRT’s approvals, including type ratings on aircraft ranging from Learjet 45s to Boeing 787s, advanced composite and metallic structures qualifications, and licenses from the FAA, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), UK Civil Aviation Authority and Transport Canada. The representative says Argo MRT Americas is in the process of applying for Transport Canada, FAA and EASA approvals to support the same capabilities in the Americas.

In addition to the new Americas expansion, Argo is planning to establish a sister company at an undisclosed location in Asia soon. It says more details will be announced in the first quarter of 2022.