Story ID: 
Textron Aviation Goes Big Down Under
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: The airframer is upgrading its service network in Australia with expanded, modernized facilities
Word Count: 226
Looking to improve its service business aviation capabilities in Australia, Textron Aviation will expand its facilities at two sites. The airframer also has rebranded Premiair Aviation Services—the Australian MRO chain it acquired in 2020—to Textron Aviation Australia to fully integrate its locations in Perth, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast into its global service network.
In Perth, Textron will relocate its Jandakot Airport operation to a larger facility on the field, providing increased space for servicing aircraft and improving scheduling to lessen customer aircraft downtime. The new service center is expected to be running at full capacity by the end of next month.
At Essendon Fields Airport in Melbourne, Textron is adding 5,000 sq ft of parts storage, quadrupling its spares inventory in the region. The company is also adding a customer support and warranty team there to handle all Cessna, Beechcraft, and Hawker parts requirements. It said the expanded facility should be fully operational by month's end.
“Increasing parts inventory and team members in Australia allows us to respond even faster to customers when they need support,” explained Brad White, the Wichita-based group’s senior v-p of global parts and distribution. “With more than 1,400 aircraft operating in the region, we’re making this investment in direct response to customer feedback and an increasing demand for parts availability globally.”