Ascent’s chief commercial officer Scott Butler underscores the repair station’s commitment to green practices and a sustainable aviation future.

Ascent Aviation Services (Ascent) is a Class IV 14 CFR Part 145 certified repair station specialising in every aspect of the aircraft maintenance lifecycle of all fleet types.

We maintain narrowbody and widebody, small to large, regional to long-haul aircraft, and one of the largest storage and reclamation operations in the world.

Ascent has expanded its capabilities and has begun building two new hangars at its Pinal Air Park (MZJ) location in Arizona to support the B777-300ER modification programme.

The new programme will greatly extend the life of these widebody passenger airplanes, reducing the excessive waste due to large-scale reconfigurations.

Ascent has been a longtime accredited member of the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) and in June I was elected to a three-year term to the association’s board of directors.

Ascent’s vision greatly aligns with AFRA’s mission that “champions the collective needs of the aviation sector in advancement of environmentally responsible end-of-service practices and realisation of circular economy goals, by developing and promoting the safe and sustainable management of components and aircraft”.

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At Ascent, we are proud to be on the leading edge of green initiatives and fostering a more sustainable aviation lifecycle. As an MRO and retirement hub, we handle reclamation and disposal of dozens of commercial aircraft annually.

Along with green revolutions in other industries, AFRA’s Best Management Practices has increased awareness and improved the sustainability of end-of-life aircraft management.

Ascent has long maintained a quality centric approach to the disassembly process and uses this MRO mentality from when the aircraft lands to the final hull disposal. Each component removed goes through a thorough inspection and handling process before being sent to our own Part 145-approved back shops or being shipped to our customers.

We have added landing gear teardown and overhaul to the large capabilities list, further extending the lifecycle of these valuable aviation components.

Our customer base now often requires ESG processes flown down from their own initiatives, even in normal maintenance and handling procedures, pushing the industry to sustainability levels seen in other industries.

Ascent views the end-of-life market growing from the niche component world to a full-value lifecycle which is getting more investment from all levels of manufacturer, government and other investment funds.

The more we bring visibility to this lifecycle will only lead to greater shared responsibility for its sustainability.

This feature was first published in MRO Management – August/September 2024. To view the digital version of the magazine in full, click here.