Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) is expanding its civil aircraft maintenance business in the USA and will soon open a major facility at the Griffiss business park in Rome, New York, which was formerly a US Air Force base.
The facility will be opened at year-end. The company's Commodore Aviation facility at Miami International Airport will close when the new centre opens.
IAI's US business will be renamed Empire Air Center and will enable the company to double its overhaul sales in the country. David Arzi, general manager of IAI's Bedek division, says sales at Commodore Aviation in 2002 totalled $35 million. "The new facility will enable us to double that number," says Arzi.
Empire Air Center has signed a 20-year lease contract with the local authorities. It includes 31,000m2 (335,000ft2) of hangar and office space, plus 8Ha (20 acres) of ramp area. The IAI subsidiary has options to lease an extra 20,900m2 of hangar space.
Arzi says the facility will initially employ around 200. Services will include heavy maintenance and interior refurbishment.
"We intend to become a major maintenance, repair and overhaul facility on the East Coast and offer our services to airlines and air forces," says Arzi. Commodore maintains Mexican air force Lockheed Martin C-130s and Spanish air force Boeing 707s.
Source: Flight International
