DULUTH, Minnesota, April 29, 2014 – AAR (NYSE: AIR) has signed a five-year exclusive contract with Air Canada to support its fleet of 89 Airbus 319, 320 and 321 narrow-body aircraft. The scheduled heavy maintenance will be performed at AAR’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Duluth International Airport.
The five-year deal formally extends service that began under a letter of intent signed in October 2012. Work initially commenced at AAR’s aircraft maintenance facility in Miami and was transitioned to Duluth after AAR opened the new MRO in November of that year.
The contract was ceremonially signed by AAR and Air Canada executives today at an event to celebrate a maintenance milestone at AAR’s Duluth repair station – completion of the hundredth aircraft for Air Canada. The aviation executives were joined at the hangar by Duluth Mayor Don Ness, the Canadian Consulate General, other local and state officials and AAR employees to showcase the public-private partnerships that have played a key role in re-opening the formerly abandoned 188,000-square-foot hangar. Today, AAR Aircraft Services – Duluth supports three lines of aircraft maintenance and 305 jobs and is on track to add a fourth line in November, creating another 70 jobs.
“I’d like to thank Air Canada for making this relationship official based on the good work our employees have been doing,” said Chris Jessup, Senior Vice President, AAR Airframe and Engineering Services. “Locating an MRO in Duluth has been a great asset for us, and we look forward to meeting the next milestone.”
Air Canada’s Vice President, Maintenance and Engineering, Alan Butterfield, added, “We are very pleased with the work performed by AAR Airframe and Engineering Services on Air Canada’s narrow body airbus fleet. This contract assures Air Canada of a quality solution for our A320F maintenance needs through AAR’s extensive and proven capabilities in this field.”
The Duluth repair center operates as part of AAR’s nationwide 1MRO Network, which also includes facilities in Indianapolis, Miami, Oklahoma City, Hot Springs, Ark., and a new operation in Lake Charles, La., which can accommodate wide-body aircraft. AAR’s 1MRO approach provides customers with access to integrated repair, engineering, IT, parts services and increased flexibility. AAR is the No. 1 provider of MRO services in North America and No. 3 in the world, according to industry rankings.
About AAR
AAR is a global aerospace and defense contractor that employs more than 6,000 people in 17 countries. Based in Wood Dale, Illinois, AAR supports commercial, government and defense customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Technology Products. AAR’s services include inventory management and parts distribution; aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul; and expeditionary airlift. AAR’s products include cargo systems and containers; mobility systems and shelters; advanced aerostructures; and command and control systems. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com
Media contact: Kathleen Cantillon at 630-227-2081 | [email protected], or email [email protected]
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada’s largest domestic and international airline serving more than 180 destinations on five continents. Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2013 served more than 35 million customers. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 60 Canadian cities, 49 destinations in the United States and 72 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,269 airports in 193 countries. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a four-star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax that ranked Air Canada in a worldwide survey of more than 18 million airline passengers as Best Airline in North America in 2013 for the fourth consecutive year. For more information, please visit: www.aircanada.com
