EirTrade Aviation’s expanding airframe and engine disassembly facility in Knock, Ireland West Airport, has been certified to ‘KPI-Diamond’ status by AFRA (Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association). This accreditation recognises the application of best management practices in accordance with AFRA’s standards and was introduced with the intention of it being an elite level of competence based on the high quality of data gathered.
Steven Trowell, Senior Vice President – Maintenance & Disassembly at EirTrade Aviation, explains that in the aviation industry it is essential to have the right approvals and certifications to instil confidence in customers. “At the Diamond standard, data is gathered for each asset, so it doesn’t matter if it is one engine or twenty aircraft, the level of detail and monitoring is the same. It’s a team effort. EirTrade’s disassembly and line maintenance facility is expanding rapidly, with the Company seeing an exponential increase in the number of aircraft and engines coming in for redelivery following the maturity of a lease and teardown. This has coincided with several initiatives focused on training and recruitment. Trowell is responsible for building an expert team and empowering them with the knowledge and qualifications to deliver efficient turnaround times.
“As the only teardown operation in Ireland we have a huge responsibility to reassure our customers, in the airline, lessor and Used Serviceable Material (USM) community, that we meet the highest standards in Europe. We’re running this established capability alongside our Part-145 line maintenance services, so Knock is fast becoming an aviation hub of interest to technicians and maintenance engineers,” he says. “Our focus on sustainability and the circular economy through aircraft disassembly supports the recovery, reuse and recycling of valuable aircraft components and materials, contributing to a more resource-efficient aviation industry. The combination of aircraft disassembly, line maintenance, storage and lease-transition services that EirTrade offer deliver opportunities for operational efficiencies and diversified revenue. We believe that our expansion will attract further aviation investment, create highly skilled employment and support the development of a specialist aerospace cluster in the west of Ireland.”
