Video cameraperson: Derek Pedley on November 26th, 2013
Monarch Aircraft Engineering Limited (MAEL) are bucking the trend, and have invested a 110,000 square feet maintenance facility at Birmingham Airport in the UK Midlands.
26th November 2013 represented a major landmark in MAEL’s future, as it opened its new hangar facility at Birmingham International Airport. The state-of-the-art facility is capable of handling up to 10 narrow bodied aircraft at the same time, in two bays that are also each capable of accommodating a Boeing 747 “Jumbo Jet”. The facility already employs 150 staff – including many apprentices trained at Monarch’s own training centre – and has the potential to employ at least as many staff more as work expands. Already MAEL at Birmingham is handling work for Monarch Airlines itself, as well as line maintenance and light checks on flyBe’s Embraer 175, Embraer 195 and Bombardier DHC-8 fleet. It is also performing work for Thomson Airways, and in December 2013 is set receive the first of a number of Boing 737-800 aircraft from Dubai-based FlyDubai for pre-delivery modifications.
In addition to working on Monarch Airlines’ fleet of Airbus A300, A320, A321, A330 and Boeing 757 aircraft, MAEL Birmingham also has capability to perform maintenance work on Boeing 737 and Boeing 767s, and has recently been appointed as one of only six worldwide “GoldCare” centres for the new Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” aircraft. Before its Birmingham hangar opened, MAEL was already regarded as one of the top-ten maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO ) providers in Europe, and this new state-of-the-art facility will only serve to enhance the company’s reputation and potential.
MAEL Birmingham was formally opened on 26th November 2013 by Monarch Holdings non-executive director Sir Roy McNulty, in an event attended by Fabio Montegazza who represented the Montegazza family that ultimately owns over 80% of the Monarch group.