MHI RJ Aviation Group
MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ), the largest regional maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) service provider in the U.S., announced it has signed a three-year Aircraft Heavy Maintenance Service Agreement with Piedmont Airlines. A wholly owned subsidiary of the American Airlines Group, Piedmont operates more than 300 daily departures.
MHIRJ states a crucial part of its growth strategy and commitment to broadening its markets, will be conducting maintenance work on Piedmont’s fleet of Embraer E145 aircraft at their Bridgeport WV facility. Under the terms of the agreement, MHIRJ will operate a single dedicated nose-to-tail heavy maintenance line at the service center with the potential of adding more lines in the future. The first Piedmont aircraft is scheduled to enter the facility in early May.
Currently, MHIRJ supports American Airlines with MRO contract services for PSA Airlines, Air Wisconsin Airlines, and SkyWest Airlines on CRJ700, CRJ900, and CRJ200 aircraft and with American Airlines’ interline partner Contour Airlines.
This is quite disruptive – MHIRJ is the former Bombardier CRJ line. Doing CRJ-related MRO work fits right in. But now adding ERJ MRO work? This could enable MHIRJ to grow into the largest regional jet MRO. This combination of CRJ and ERJ work enables MHIRJ to arguably have the greatest range of regional jet expertise. Once they work on the ERJ, could the E-175 be far behind? We would be surprised to see MHIRJ not use this role as a stepping stone to something else.
Views: 6
