December 8, 2009 — RENO, NEVADA — GE Aviation has selected Premier Turbines as its Designated Repair Center in North and South Americas for M601 and H80 turboprop engines.
As part of this exclusive agreement, Premier Turbines will offer heavy repair services, exchange engines and rentals, line replacement unit rotable pools and field service support to all existing and future M601 and H80 engines in the Americas region. GE Aviation will provide the necessary OEM parts to meet Premier Turbines’ needs. Premier Turbines will be ready to accept M601 engines for repair in the first quarter of 2010.
“GE chose Premier Turbines based on its strong commitment to customer support and quality as well as its extensive experience providing repair services for turbine engines,” said Brad Mottier, vice president and general manager of Business & General Aviation at GE Aviation. “This designation will further expand GE’s service and support offerings for M601 operators and future H80 engine operators.”
Located in Neosho, Missouri, Premier Turbines is a leading provider of repair and overhaul services for commercial, government and military turbine engines, components and accessories with more than 40 years experience. Premier Turbines is dedicated to providing precision service, on-time performance and the expertise that comes from decades of experience on thousands of turbine engines. The company was acquired by BBA Aviation in 2003.
Last year, GE Aviation began offering M601 operators around-the-clock customer support through its Business Jet Operations Center. The Business Jet Operations Center is staffed with customer product technicians who can provide a rapid response to needs, such as parts availability, trouble-shooting and field issues. M601 engines are overhauled at GE Aviation Czech’s facility in Prague.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is a world-leading provider of commercial and military jet engines and components as well as avionics, electric power, and mechanical systems for aircraft. GE Aviation also has a global service network to support these offerings. For more information, visit us at www.ge.com/aviation.
GE AVIATION EXPANDING OPERATIONS IN BATESVILLE
Governor Haley Barbour announced today that GE Aviation is expanding its operation in Batesville. The company’s Batesville plant produces composite components for the GEnx jet engine, which will power Boeing’s new 787 and 747-8 aircraft. The GEnx engine is the world’s only jet engine with composite fan blades, composite fan platforms and a composite fan case.
With the expansion, GE Aviation will add an additional 350 jobs over the next few years. The facility currently employs more than 100 employees.
“I am delighted that GE Aviation is expanding its operations in Mississippi and is adding 350 jobs at its Batesville facility,” Governor Barbour said. “This premier aviation company has become a valued corporate citizen in Mississippi, and I commend it for its continued commitment to the state and for creating additional high-wage, high-skill jobs for Mississippians.”
The opportunity to expand these operations stems from the growth of advanced composites in jet engines, which can provide greater durability and weight savings over more traditional metal materials. GE Aviation is pursuing advanced technologies, materials and processes that will result in more efficient jet engines.
“Our Batesville operation is involved in some of the most advanced manufacturing processes in the aviation industry,” said Jeanne Edwards, GE’s plant leader in Batesville. “Also, GE is very fortunate to have a strong order book for its new GEnx engine. Many of the technology advantages inherent in the GEnx engine are linked directly to the components produced in Batesville.”
The expansion will represent a company investment of approximately $85 million. The Mississippi Development Authority provided $8.6 million in Momentum Mississippi incentives to assist with this project. In addition, Panola County provided $4 million to assist with the expansion.
GE Aviation partnered with Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory to demonstrate the capabilities necessary for producing composite fan platforms in 2006. In 2007, the company announced it would locate a new manufacturing facility in the state. After its Batesville facility was completed in 2008, the company began production of these components there.
In June of this year, GE Aviation announced a new research partnership with the University of Southern Mississippi in which researchers from both the company and the university are working together on technologies related to composite panels, which will also be produced in Batesville.
“Mississippi is rapidly becoming known as a center for composite materials and technologies,” said Gray Swoope, executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. “I am proud that GE Aviation is utilizing our available resources and developing these materials and processes here in Mississippi, and I am pleased the company is working with Mississippi universities to further refine these technologies. GE Aviation’s decision to further invest in its Mississippi operations demonstrates its continued confidence in the state and in our workforce.”
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WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — AirTran Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), today announced a “Six Cities in Six Weeks” picketing tour. As frustrations escalate over management’s continued stalling of contract negotiations, AirTran Flight Attendants will begin a series of public protests on Monday, February 14 in Atlanta and conclude on April 1 in Baltimore. If a tentative agreement is not reached by April 1, then picketing will continue in six additional cities.