Eirtrade Grows MRO Footprint In Ireland

Eirtrade Aviation, the Irish asset management and trading company, has grown its aftermarket presence at Knock Airport on Ireland’s west coast after announcing a trio of MRO-related milestones.

The company has announced the relocation of its engine disassembly business to Ireland West Airport Knock, which is already home to its airframe disassembly line and a Part 145 line maintenance operation through its Eirtrade Aviation Maintenance business, established at the site in 2021. Before moving west, Eirtrade’s engine disassembly activities were previously carried out in Dublin.

The transferring of its engine disassembly services enables it to service CFM International CFM56-3, -5A, -5B, -7B and -7BE engines in Knock. Typically, Eirtrade says the disassembly of the CFM narrowbody engines can be done in a period of 20 days. Other engine-related services include engine storage, shrink wrapping, swapping out engine stands, inventory checks, physical inspections and module disassembly.

Eirtrade has also grown its activities related to Airbus A330 aircraft at the airport in County Mayo. First, it has committed to tearing down four of the widebody aircraft, with the first two expected to be dismantled in December.

“Dismantling of the first two A330 airframes following redelivery will complete in four weeks’ time,” says the company’s Chief Investment Officer Lee Carey. “However, EirTrade will remarket and lease the CF6-80E1 engines to monetize remaining green time.” Inventory removed from the aircraft will be sold, leased, and exchanged to support EirTrade’s A330 customer base.

Carey adds that once the aircraft’s engines become unserviceable, they will also undergo disassembly with the components sold to support EirTrade’s A330 customers.

Coinciding with the teardown agreement is the addition of European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part 145 line maintenance approval for A330 aircraft. These include A330 aircraft with GE Aerospace CF6, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, Rolls-Royce Trent 700 and for A330neo variants powered by Trent 7000 engines.

“EirTrade is extremely active on the A330 platform and the ability to support our own assets from our facility in Ireland West Airport will streamline operations,” Carey says.