Envoy Air Expands MRO Facilities to Accommodate Larger Aircraft

American Airlines subsidiary Envoy Air is expanding its maintenance operations in Springfield, Missouri to accommodate service on its Embraer E175 aircraft. The airline has announced plans to move into a new, larger facility at Springfield-Branson National Airport, which it expects to be operational by the third or fourth quarter of 2021.

Envoy has maintained its Embraer 140 and 145 aircraft from a hangar in the airport’s general aviation area since 2004, but the facility is not big enough to house its newer E175s, which it has been adding to the fleet since 2016. It currently operates 98 of the aircraft type.

The new facility, which Envoy will lease from the airport, has room to house three E175s simultaneously in the hangar, as well as additional room for more aircraft outside. It will also feature dedicated areas for parts storage, training and administration.

According to Jay Murray, Envoy’s vice president of maintenance, the new facility will enable scheduled overnight maintenance for up to three E175s and provide line maintenance for the daily American Eagle service from Springfield to American’s hubs in Charlotte, Chicago and Dallas/Forth Worth.

Murray says the facility will also help create new jobs. Envoy plans to hire mechanics, inventory control clerks, management and support personnel. A representative for the airline says new hires will start between March and April and require training that lasts between 4-6 weeks.

In addition to building up maintenance operations in Springfield, Envoy recently completed the installation of new high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters on its entire Embraer 145 fleet. The airline’s technical operations and maintenance teams performed installations on its 58 E145s at maintenance facilities across the Envoy network.