A year after earning its Part 145 certificate, Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Omni Aircraft Maintenance has taken full advantage of its status as an FAA-approved repair station, witnessing the annual number of its MRO jobs roughly triple over the span of a year. For 40 years, the company’s MRO division has maintained Omni Air Transport’s fleet of Learjets under individual mechanics’ A&P licenses. The division has expanded its scope of activity to include several aircraft models, ranging from King Airs to Gulfstreams. Now, as outside work accounts for roughly 25 percent of its business, the company plans to open a new 20,000-sq-ft hangar in Tulsa, effectively doubling its capacity from three heavy lines to six by the end of the year.
In a recent interview with AIN, Omni Aircraft Maintenance president and co-owner Caleb Benner said it took about two years to gain the Part 145 ticket, somewhat longer than he originally expected due to a shortage of inspectors at the FAA. “It went pretty smoothly, but there were some changes here locally within the FAA we were dealing with, as well as some internal changes with us as we grew the company,” explained Benner. “We started out with three inspectors but at the end of the job I think only one of the original three was still on this project.”
More In Maintenance and Modifications
