MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ) plans to open two airframe heavy maintenance lines at Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon, Georgia, by mid-year, adding a third major-check facility to its North American network, the company said Jan. 27.
The new facility will service CRJ200s, -700s and -900s, the company says. Its deal with Macon officials allows for an expansion of up to four lines, which would require hiring about 200 workers.
“The MHIRJ Macon expansion is expected to open for business in the second quarter of this year,” a company spokesperson said. "Our lines are fully occupied, and we continue to work with our key customers to understand future demand."
Macon joins Bridgeport, West Virginia and Tucson, Arizona in the MHIRJ CRJ airframe heavy maintenance network. The company has 36 heavy-check lines—20 in Bridgeport and 16 in Tucson. It also has a component repair and overhaul shop in Bridgeport.
“We have experienced phenomenal growth in our business and are in the middle of a strategic expansion plan of our MRO infrastructure in the United States,” said Ismail Mokabel, senior vice president and head of aftermarket at MHIRJ. "The new Macon facility is MHIRJ’s first investment in the state of Georgia and will allow us to expand our business and bring our operations closer to some of our key customers.”
Aviation Week Fleet Discovery shows 1,100 CRJ200s-900s in service and another 230 in storage. Most of the in-service fleet—795, or about 70%, are in North America.
