Delta Air Line's maintenance division is evaluating expansion of its engine overhaul offerings to include services on the International Aero Engines IAE V2500s powering Airbus A320 narrowbodies and McDonnell Douglas MD-90s.
During the International Aviation Forecast Summit hosted by the Boyd Group International in late October, TechOps president Tony Charaf said that Delta - which operates a fleet of V2500-powered MD-90-30 twinjets - was in the process of determining if maintenance of the powerplant type was "something we want to get into". As part of the evaluation, it is considering whether it would acquire tooling or purchase a company already offering V2500 overhauls. "There are many opportunities," says Charaf, "but we're not sure."
Charaf believes the global maintenance, repair and overhaul market is not likely to pick up until mid- to late 2011 as demand for overhaul and repair started slowing after passenger and cargo levels began to fall.
Delta TechOps recorded about $560 million in revenue for 2009. Charaf says revenue should be close to $500 million for 2010.
Source: Flight International
