My Visit to Queretaro

This week, I visited Messier Services new maintenance facility in Queretaro, Mexico. The facility does landing gear and hydraulic component work for Bombardier CRJ and Airbus A320 aircraft, with expansion to 737NG and A300 components expected soon. I had visited Messier Services' U.S. facility in Sterling, Virginia about four years ago. There were many A&Ps working there, and the facility was performing a lot of landing gear and hydraulic component work. Two years ago, Messier Services realized it had outgrown the Sterling facility, and needed to open a new facility to accomodate expected growth. It eventually chose Queretaro. The Sterling, Virginia facility has since been shut down, with all the work that was previously done there now being done in Queretaro. Most of the equipment was moved from Sterling to the new facility. As I walked around the facility, I must admit I was impressed. The work was being performed just like any top-notch facility I have seen in the U.S. The processes were meticulous, with every attention to detail being paid. Current maintenance manuals, detailed inspection processes, and quality assurance steps were all incorporated. By the way, before the facility opened, Messier sent many of the technicians (who are certified by Mexico's aviation authority) to facilities in the U.S, France, U.K., and Singapore for intensive training on the landing gear systems and processes they would be working with. Training lasted from several weeks to several months, depending on the job being performed. During a press conference, I asked about drug and alcohol testing. The facility is certified as an FAA Part 147 repair station, and I asked if Messier Services' technicians at the facility were required to undergo random drug and alcohol testing as workers at repair stations in the United States are. The facility manager told me that although there are no requirements for drug testing, they chose to implement a program anyway, and it is in effect. Messier Services' V.P. of sales and marketing told me he tries to get potential customers to visit the facility. He said there is a negative perception about foreign repair stations by some, and he likes to counter that objection by having the customers visit the facility and see first-hand what a top-notch facility it is. After my visit, I would agree it is a top-notch facility. Messier Services has invested a lot in the facility and the workers to grow its business. It seems to be in a good position to accomplish that growth. Thanks for reading. Joe Escobar