StandardAero, a leading U.S.-based engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider and one of the inaugural members of CFM International’s Premier MRO network, has secured contracts with multiple engine lessors to supply Leap-1A and -1B engines for Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. This move positions the company to support airlines and asset managers within its customer portfolio.
Following its signing of a non-airline CFM Branded Service Agreement in March 2023, StandardAero transformed its San Antonio facility into a dedicated hub for quick-turn and performance restoration work on the Leap 1A and 1B variants. The facility, now equipped with two correlated test cells, reached full Leap engine capability by the end of last year. To accommodate this focus, the company is relocating other engine product lines away from the San Antonio site.
Will Pitcher, Senior Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Customers at StandardAero, emphasized that the leasing agreement is designed to maximize aircraft operational availability while minimizing the overall maintenance costs for customers.
In April, StandardAero further strengthened its partnership with CFM International by agreeing to boost operational efficiency at San Antonio and expand shop throughput capacity by 2029. This expansion comes in response to CFM’s projection of a threefold increase in Leap engine maintenance shop visits by decade’s end.
To prepare for this surge, StandardAero is industrializing component repair processes for the Leap engine family and has developed over 300 component repair solutions to date. The company is also investing in workforce development, training technicians at its in-house San Antonio training center. Initially planning to add 100 employees in 2024, StandardAero now targets growing its staff by 400 by 2027, bringing the total workforce at the site close to 1,000.
This strategic expansion highlights StandardAero’s commitment to meeting the growing global demand for efficient and reliable Leap engine maintenance services.