GA Telesis plans to set up its first U.S.-based Specialized Procedures Aeroengine Hospital (SPAH) later this year. It will establish a SPAH at the Wilmington Air Park in southwestern Ohio in partnership with Air Transport Services Group (ATSG), with plans to begin operations in September.
GA Telesis first entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement in May 2021 with Wilmington-based ATSG to build a SPAH in the U.S. It already operates a SPAH in Helsinki, Finland, which first opened in July 2020 and expanded its capacity last year to meet growing engine MRO demand.
Like the Helsinki SPAH, the 72,000 ft.2 Wilmington SPAH will offer a variety of services, such as engine lease return inspections, engine storage and preservation, engine module change, hot section repairs and service bulletin implementation. It says the facility will be capable of inducting more than 200 engines per year, with a focus on engines manufactured by GE and CFM International.
At the time of the joint venture announcement in May 2021, the companies said they were evaluating proposals for a state-of-the-art test cell at the facility, which GA Telesis said would be a “game-changer” for Americas-based operators. According to a spokesperson for ATSG, the companies are still evaluating this opportunity.
According to a spokesperson for ATSG, the facility will expand its customer base internationally and combine its freighter aircraft experience with GA Telesis’ established SPAH capabilities. “Both GA Telesis and ATSG see this as an opportunity to provide world-class engine repair to their customers and to meet the increasing demand on engine services in the general market,” says the spokesperson. “The JV will continue growing services as the customer base grows at the location.”
The Wilmington SPAH will also add technician roles for the region. The companies are receiving assistance from JobsOhio and a 1.3%, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit provided by the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to hire for roles at the facility. ATSG says the companies are projecting to have 50 positions at the SPAH, the majority of which will be maintenance technicians.
GA Telesis has been collaborating with ATSG subsidiary Cargo Aircraft Management on CF6-80A/A2 engine teardowns since last summer. The teardowns are helping both companies build a pool of used serviceable material.
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