Sanad, the aerospace engineering and leasing company owned by UAE sovereign investor Mubadala, has completed work on the first engine to enter its upgraded facilities in Abu Dhabi. The Leap engine MRO center is the first such certified facility in the South Asian (India and Pakistan), Middle East, and North Africa (SAMENA) region.
The milestone follows the 11-year shop visit offload agreement Sanad signed with GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines at the Paris Airshow in June. In the deal, Sanad expanded its MRO services to include new-generation CFM International Leap-1A and -1B engines, which power the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max family aircraft, respectively.
“Flydubai is pleased to be among the first airlines to benefit from Sanad’s Leap Engine MRO center,” said Mick Hills, COO of Flydubai. “The remarkable speed at which they initiated operations and successfully enhanced the MRO capabilities on our first Leap engine is a testament to their expertise and commitment.”
A special ceremony recently took place as Sanad unveiled the center to mark the commencement of the Leap engine induction program. The center began operations only a month after the parties signed the agreement. The Flydubai unit is the first of 450 such engines expected to undergo service at the center.
“The inauguration of Sanad’s Leap MRO center marks a pivotal milestone for Abu Dhabi’s aviation sector as we strengthen our partnership with GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines,” said Mansour Al Janahi, Sanad managing director and group CEO.
Sanad sees a substantial and stable flow of work emanating from the Leap program, which has accumulated a worldwide backlog of more than 10,000 engines. It also stresses the importance of the job opportunities the center will create in Abu Dhabi and throughout the emirate, underlining the capital’s status as an aviation hub.
Sanad has invested more than $27 million in enhancements to its Abu Dhabi facility including improved machinery, infrastructure, and technology.
“Sanad’s commitment to excellence and speed in establishing this…Leap engine MRO center makes it an important part of the global Leap open MRO network,” said John Slattery, GE Aerospace's chief commercial officer.