Mubadala signs deal to form landing gear MRO specialist

The joint venture company will be the Middle East’s first dedicated landing gear service provider once it becomes fully operational in 2012.

According to the companies, the joint venture remains subject to negotiation and may change before the facility formally opens..

The agreement will be signed during the Farnborough Airshow by Mike Brand, president, Goodrich Landing Gear and Homaid Al Shemmari, executive director of Mubadala Aerospace. The signing was also attended by Troy Lambeth, the chief executive of Mubadala’s recently established spare engine and rotable leasing subsidiary, Sanad Aero Solutions (Sanad).

Under the terms of the agreement, the joint venture company will provide MRO services and rotable support for landing gear on commercial aircraft with its primary focus on customers in the Middle East region. Sanad is expected to play a key role in supporting the joint venture company with rotable landing gear assets. The company will initially support both Boeing and Airbus commercial aircraft, including the A380 and B777 models, with plans to extend to other commercial and military markets.

The facility will be based in Al Ain, alongside other Mubadala Aerospace companies including Strata, the composite manufacturing facility and AMMROC, the military MRO centre.

Commenting on the agreement, Brand said, "This represents a significant commitment to our customers in the fast-growing Middle East region. By combining the original equipment and MRO expertise of Goodrich with Mubadala’s growing aerospace network and rotable asset leasing, we can truly provide an improved value to customers in the region.“

Al Shemmari said, “This agreement emphasizes the continued development of Mubadala Aerospace’s global MRO network. In Goodrich we have a relationship with one of the world’s top aerospace companies that brings their expertise to a new regional hub in the Middle East. The UAE already has the world’s largest wide body fleet in the region and the new facility will deliver much needed landing gear capability for our existing and future customers.”