Embraer has begun work on its new Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility for commercial jets at Perot Field Alliance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas.
The October 20 ceremonial groundbreaking took place almost a year to the day after the project was initially announced, with the new, state-of-the-art hangar scheduled for opening by 2027.
With the expanded infrastructure, Embraer’s capacity to serve its E-Jet customers in the U.S. will grow by 53%.
Embraer has tapped into a rich seam of sales through its E170/175 series aircraft, having become the aircraft of choice for U.S. regionals constrained by scope clauses, which limit the weight and seat numbers of aircraft employed by regional carriers acting as capacity providers to the U.S. majors.
There are more than 1,000 E175s either operating or on order in the U.S., and orders keep rolling in for the aircraft, despite it being the E1 version with previous-generation engines. (Although specialist regional aircraft lessor TrueNoord notes that the E175 E1+ variant with winglets offers a 5% fuel burn benefit over the previous E175.)
In one of the latest major orders, Embraer booked 60 E175s from Utah-based regional operator SkyWest at June’s Paris Air Show, and the OEM anticipates continued strong demand for the E175.
Additionally, Envoy Air and Piedmont Airlines, wholly owned subsidiaries of American Airlines Group, earlier this year announced plans to take on 45 E175s for Piedmont and 33 more for Envoy’s already large fleet of the type.
Embraer’s MRO investment at Fort Worth – anticipated to reach up to $70 million – is expected to create approximately 250 new skilled aviation jobs in Texas. Prior to the new facility coming on-stream, Embraer, in collaboration with the City of Fort Worth, Denton County, and the State of Texas, began operations at Alliance Airport in June in an existing hangar.
“This moment marks a new chapter in Embraer’s journey in the United States,” Embraer president and CEO, Francisco Gomes Neto said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “This facility is a symbol of our long-term commitment to the U.S. market.”
The groundbreaking “marks an exciting milestone for our region,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker. “The airport continues to serve as a hub of innovation and economic opportunity, and Embraer’s expansion further strengthens Fort Worth’s position as a global leader in aviation and advanced manufacturing.”
The new Fort Worth service center will be part of Embraer’s global network, which comprises more than 80 Authorized Service Centers and 13 Embraer-owned Service Centers.
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