AMAC Replaces Halon Extinguishers as MRO Roles Expand

AMAC Aerospace is helping aircraft operators meet requirements to install Halon-free fire extinguishers to replace ozone-depleting equipment under international rules. On Monday, the Europe-based maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) group announced that it now holds a supplemental type certificate for the installation process and is helping clients meet EASA’s deadline of Dec. 31, 2025.

Under global environmental protection regulations, aviation authorities are phasing out Halon-based portable extinguishers that are used to protect cabin and crew compartments in aircraft. AMAC is conducting the work at its sites in Switzerland and France.

AMAC says it is seeing growth in the number of pre-purchase inspections (PPIs) it is conducting for aircraft buyers and sellers. This week, the company reported that it is now offering these services at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, as well as at its Turkish bases in Bodrum and Istanbul.

The privately-owned group conducts PPIs on a wide variety of aircraft, including those manufactured by Bombardier, Dassault, Gulfstream, Airbus, and Boeing. These inspectios provide detailed information on each aircraft’s condition, assessing airworthiness, maintenance status, and overall condition.

“We provide our clients with the necessary flexibility in terms of aircraft type and slot availability while always maintaining AMAC’s high quality standards,” said Franck Nommay, senior sales and key account manager.

Starlink Installations

AMAC is now an authorized aircraft integrator of Starlink’s communications equipment, and has already completed integration on several Airbus, Bombardier, and Gulfstream aircraft. The Starlink system currently delivers connection speeds of up to 50 Mbps, and the manufacturer expects to boost this to 100 Mbps by 2026. AMAC also said it recently became the first MRO provider to complete the installation of Gogo's Ku-band Plane Simple installations on a Boeing Business Jet.

Meanwhile, AMAC’s French subsidiary, JCB Aero, is marking its first anniversary of holding EASA Part 145 MRO approval. Over the past 12 months, it has handled more than 20 projects, including cabin modifications to line and base maintenance tasks.

With Airbus A320 maintenance approval in hand, the company is working to add the Boeing 737 series to its Part 145 certificate by year-end. From its base at Auch Airport near Toulouse, JCB Aero manufactures cabin interior hardware for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, specializing in composite and carbon-fiber production techniques.

According to JCB Aero COO Frédéric Dezauzier, the company currently has some MRO slots open. “The ramp-up on the aircraft and cabin maintenance has been a huge success,” he said. “Thanks to the shared experiences within the AMAC group, JCB Aero can deliver high-end services on time and [meet the] quality expectations of our customers. Some of them have already come back.”

AMAC’s information technology division GAMIT this week announced that it has won a five-year contract to digitize the technical records of freight operator European Cargo. The UK-based company offers this service using its Records Online Asset Management platform, which manages all technical documentation.