Aircraft components specialist Flitetec is launching a new customer-focused service in support of its ambitious growth plans. Flitetec – based in the UK, with sites in France and North America – will officially unveil its OEMRepair Hub at Farnborough International Airshow (to be held on 22-26 July at Farnborough, UK).
Flitetec said it aims to “revolutionise the way requirements are handled for customers needing repair and overhaul for components and equipment initially supplied by OEMs”. The service is being launched after Flitetec doubled its annual revenues in each of the past two years and sets its sights on strong further growth.
“Many operators in aviation are facing increasing challenges in the repair and replacement of parts on their assets, especially legacy aircraft,” said Trevor Lea, managing director at Flitetec. “The original equipment manufacturer may not exist anymore, be part of a larger group or no longer have the capability or capacity to perform repairs and refurbishment for particular parts. In some cases, parts may no longer available.”
“All of the time an asset is non-operational it is costing money,” Lea continued. “The cost of repair or refurbishing safety- or mission-critical equipment or components can be a fraction of the upgrade cost for an entirely new aircraft or platform. With OEMRepair Hub, we have identified a gap in the market to provide a comprehensive solution that seamlessly manages repair processes, ensuring efficiency, reliability and exceptional customer satisfaction. This solution extends to acquiring the design rights and tooling to legacy products, no longer supported by the OEM.”
“We are able to draw upon the combined knowledge and hundreds of years of experience of our team of working in this mature marketplace and our ability to map supply chains back to source difficult-to-find products,” said Lea. “It means we can act as the bridge between the operator and the OEM to enable repair, refurbishment or replacement.”
Lea added: “OEMRepair Hub aims not only to manage repair orders but to elevate the entire repair experience. It allows customers to focus on what they do best, innovating and growing their business, rather than worry about the logistical minutiae of repairs.”
Flitetec will perform repairs, refurbishment and replacement in-house and work with dedicated partners and certified repair centres. It is targeting defence customers managing the risk of obsolescence on military aircraft as well as civil sector businesses. OEMRepair Hub is also intended to reduce the strain on OEMs fielding enquiries about parts and repairs. Products are primarily electro-mechanical and avionics components, as well as door locks and latches.
“The benefits of our specialist OEMRepair Hub include enhanced efficiency with streamlined repair processes which will reduce turnaround times and operational delays,” said Lea. “Centralised management and communication eliminates the hassle of juggling multiple repair orders and ensures that all parties are informed and aligned.”
“Flitetec is an EASA/CAA-approved 145 repair organisation,” Lea said. “Superior quality control is built into the service with rigorous quality assurance processes to guarantee high-standard repairs and compliance with OEM specifications and certifications to ensure the longevity and reliability of repaired equipment.”
Flitetec designs, manufactures, repairs and distributes a wide range of aircraft products for global civil and defence aerospace markets. Its OEMRepair Hub launch follows the opening of a new French facility in Mont-de-Marsan, between Bordeaux and Toulouse, in January.
Lea said: “Flitetec has successfully achieved record growth having doubled the business in size twice in past two years. This is the perfect time for OEMRepair Hub and we are excited to launch it at the Farnborough International Airshow to help drive our strategic growth plans.”
