MAINTENANCE REPAIR AND OVERHAUL

New Zealand’s aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies operate in an environment that encourages new thinking to be responsive and deliver innovative solutions.

High quality standards and productivity levels, coupled with intellectual property acquired over many years and moderate OECD-level costs, mean its MRO companies are internationally competitive in selected niches.

The leading MRO companies in New Zealand, both fixed and rotary wing, offer full design, engineering and manufacturing capability and have extensive experience servicing international clients, as well as the local industry. Customers are primarily in the commercial sector but the industry also services a number of defence contracts, in Australia, New Zealand aqnd Chile. A number of companies now provide a growing range of MRO services to international markets.

Scheduled maintenance, inspections, repairs, modifications and overhauls are performed on more than 3800 New Zealand-registered aircraft which are manufactured by global companies. These include Airbus, Beech, Bell/Agusta, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Embraer, Eurocopter, Fairchild Metroliner, Hawker Beechcraft, Lockheed Martin, Robinson and Saab. New Zealand has also earned a reputation for quality engine repair and overhaul work – including on high performance engines – for leading engine brands such as Honeywell, Pratt and Whitney, TCM Continental and Textron Lycoming.

The country’s credibility is confirmed across the MRO industry through a range of approvals for companies from international bodies such as the FAA (United States), EASA (Europe), CAAC (China), JCAB (Japan), CASA (Australia) and NZCAA (New Zealand). Several companies hold Bureau Veritas quality approvals and some now have AS9100 approvals.

Major MRO operators in New Zealand include Aeromotive, Air New Zealand, Airwork, Fieldair, Eurocopter, Hamilton Aero Maintenance, Helicopters NZ, Hawker Pacific, and Oceania Aviation. Growing expertise among New Zealand-based suppliers of components and services to the aviation industry makes the country an increasingly convenient location for MRO work.

New Zealand also has World class capabilities in aircraft restoration and replica production, especially of WW1 And WW2 aircraft. Companies are based in several centres including Ardmore, Dunedin, Mandeville, Masterton, Omaka and Wellington.