Russian MRO provider S7 Technics has revealed plans to launch a new shop at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport for overhauling CFM56-5B and -7B engines, and Honeywell 131-9A/9B APUs.

The new facility, which will be one of the company’s “highest priority projects” for 2022, will provide operators with “an opportunity to overhaul their engines in Russia instead of shipping them abroad, thus reducing both the maintenance costs and downtime”.

The MRO provider has also released its performance report for 2021. The company said it outperformed pre-crisis levels by almost 25 per cent last year – performing 106 checks compared to 85 in 2019.

In 2021, two of the company’s engine shops – at Domodedovo and Mineralyne Vody – completed works on 60 engines, including base maintenance of 12 engines.

The amount of work performed by staff – measured in labour hours – outperformed 2019 levels by 12.5 per cent.

S7 Technics’ deputy general director for marketing and sales Nikita Belykh said: “We have streamlined the types of operations which were successful in 2020. For instance, riding the wave of high demand for aircraft redelivery checks we have launched a new offer – dedicated full-service support of aircraft return and acceptance procedures – within our engineering centre.”

In 2021, S7 Technics obtained approval for maintaining Airbus A320neo aircraft with LEAP-1A engines at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport.

The company also added a new cabin interior repair shop at its Domodedovo base, and introduced Russia’s first automated facility for manufacturing composite panels for cabin floors and overhead bins for Airbus A320 family aircraft.

Belykh added: “Now that we have the capability to produce seat cushions and covers inhouse, as well as baggage and floor panels for aircraft cabins, we are able to maintain aircraft interiors in fully operational condition throughout aircraft operation, as well as to fully restore it, which is necessary for redelivery of an aircraft to lessor or to the next operator.”