1. Automating Wheel and Brake Operations
Company: Kunz GmbH
Product: Established in 1987, Kunz GmbH is a supplier of wheel and brake shop equipment based in Hahn am See, Germany, with a U.S. subsidiary called Kunz Corp. based in Suwanee, Georgia. The company serves a customer base of airlines, wheel and brake OEMs, MROs and military organizations. It also offers consultancy services for complete turnkey wheel and brake shops. Kunz has recently been focused on introducing fully automated machines into the wheel and brake shop. In March, it presented its prototype of what it says is the world’s first fully automated wheel assembly line, which is designed to assemble more than 90 wheels in a single shift.
marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/kunz-gmbh
2. Growing Global Capabilities
Company: Antavia
Product: Ametek MRO subsidiary Antavia specializes in maintenance for a range of aircraft equipment, including wheels and brakes. It provides full-scope support for all types of wheels and brakes, including inspection, overhaul, nondestructive testing (NDT) and painting capabilities, for airlines, aircraft OEMs and business/military aircraft operators. Antavia is based near Toulouse, France, with a second facility near Paris-Le Bourget Airport. It opened a new wheel and brake facility at Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2021, and plans to open a new wheel and brake MRO shop in Singapore this month.
marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/antavia-co
3. Specialty Wheel and Brake Services
Company: TT Repairs
Product: TT Repairs is an FAA- and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)-certified repair station based in Louisville, Kentucky. It provides wheel and brake-part repair services for a wide variety of airframes, ranging from helicopters and business aircraft to Airbus and Boeing models. Its specialized services include NDT, part fabrication, custom tooling and thermal spray. It recently added capability for electro-spark deposition technology, which is a pulsed-arc micro-welding process that applies a fused, metallurgically bonded coating using low total heat input so the bulk substrate material remains at or near ambient temperatures.
marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/tt-repairs
4. Independent Repair and Overhaul
Company: World Aero
Product: Based near London Gatwick Airport, World Aero is a privately owned, independent aircraft wheel and brake MRO. Its repair and overhaul capabilities include wheel and brake units from Collins Aerospace, Honeywell, Meggitt and Safran. In recent years, World Aero says it has expanded its capabilities to include more aircraft types in both the corporate and commercial aircraft markets. World Aero says it has routinely overhauled up to 100 wheels per week since 2011 for one of Europe’s largest airlines. World Aero’s repairs are backed by UK Civil Aviation Authority, EASA and FAA triple release and warranty.
marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/world-aero-ltd
5. Florida Wheel and Brake Specialist
Company: B&W Aviation
Product: Established in 2010, B&W Aviation is an FAA and EASA-approved repair station based in Miami. It provides repair and overhaul services for wheels, brakes, batteries and engine harnesses for customers in the commercial, cargo, private and military aviation segments. B&W Aviation is now looking to open a second facility in Florida to add to its 16,000 ft.2 of MRO and storage space.
marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/b-w-aviation-brakes-and-wheels
6. New Wheel and Brake Repair Facility
Company: FL Technics
Product: Lithuanian MRO FL Technics provides a variety of wheel and brake services, including repair, exchange and sale, as well as retrofit and logistics capabilities. In April it set up a dedicated facility to repair wheels and brakes at Hanover International Airport in Germany, which will operate as FL Technics Wheels and Brakes. FL Technics says the location will be a support hub within its global network of MRO markets.