AAR CORP. recently welcomed FAA Division Manager for Aircraft Maintenance Jackie Black for a visit to the company’s Engineering Services and Airframe Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operations in Greensboro, North Carolina.

First, Black toured AAR’s Greensboro Engineering Services facility, which was added to AAR’s Engineering Services network after the company acquired Aircraft Reconfig Technologies (ART).

This gave the AAR team the opportunity to highlight its extended capabilities in engineering as well as its Organization Designation Authorization (ODA), showcasing how the acquisition has helped AAR improve and expand its:

• Engineering expertise
• Certification capabilities
• Customer support offerings

 Black also toured AAR’s Greensboro Airframe MRO facility. During his visit, Black oversaw a site-wide safety stand down that allowed technicians to break from daily responsibilities and:

• Discuss safety priorities
• Share best practices in safety
• Reinforce AAR’s safety culture

Highlighting safety standards, the session covered the FAA’s priorities and dedication to collaborating with industry organizations and regulators to maintain high safety standards across aviation.

The session involved a roundtable discussion, covering topics like:

• Regulatory oversight
• Certification processes
• Certificate Management Unit (CMU) coordination

This allowed inspectors, auditors and leaders at AAR to discuss how AAR and the FAA work together to prioritize and promote aviation safety in maintenance.

AAR is one of two independent MROs that operate using a CMU structure, which allowed the team to share unique insights on how they maintain safety and compliance.

AAR’s Vice President and Chief Quality Officer Art Smith said, “We appreciated the opportunity for our team members to connect directly with FAA leadership and discuss the shared responsibility we all have in advancing aviation safety.”

Smith added, “These conversations strengthen collaboration, encourage the exchange of ideas, and reinforce the culture of safety, quality, and compliance that guides our work every day.”