Lufthansa Technik's New Facility in Puerto Rico Begins Operations

Lufthansa Technik's state-of-the-art maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, has officially commenced operations with its first overhaul line on time. Established in just 11 months after ground-breaking in August 2014, the facility is FAA Part 145 and EASA Part 145 approved, catering to initial customers such as Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways, which operate Airbus A320 family aircraft from the Americas. The facility is set to expand with the addition of a second overhaul line in November, followed by three more lines by early 2017, which will include Boeing 737 by then.

Key Takeaways:

Lufthansa Technik's new facility in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, has started operations with its first overhaul line on time, just 11 months after the ground-breaking ceremony in August 2014.
The facility is FAA Part 145 and EASA Part 145 approved, initially catering to Airbus A320 family aircraft operators such as Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways.
A second overhaul line is planned to be operational in November, with three more lines to be added by early 2017 to include Boeing 737 by then.
The facility will eventually offer five lines for base and heavy maintenance checks (C-, IL-, and D-checks), along with other maintenance work on narrow body aircraft.
Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico has been founded to strengthen its service portfolio in the Americas, one of the most important MRO markets worldwide.
The facility extends over a total area of 215,000 square feet and is expected to grow its workforce from 140 to 400 in the next two years.
Dr. Johannes Bussmann, Chairman of the Executive Board of Lufthansa Technik AG, expressed his gratitude for the comprehensive support from the Puerto Rican government and for the trust of customers Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways.
Governor Alejandro Garcia-Padilla of Puerto Rico hailed the MRO facility as a significant project that results in economic benefits for the island.

Statistics:

11 months: the time it took for the facility to be operational after the ground-breaking ceremony in August 2014.
215,000 square feet: the total area of the facility.
140: the initial number of highly qualified employees working for Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico.
400: the planned workforce in two years' time.
5: the number of lines for base and heavy maintenance checks (C-, IL-, and D-checks) the facility will eventually offer.
3: the number of additional overhaul lines planned to be operational by early 2017.

Sources:

Lufthansa Technik press release, July 21.
Governor Alejandro Garcia-Padilla's statement.
Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza's statement.
Elmar Lutter, CEO of Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico's statement.