Covington Aircraft has announced plans to open a facility in Brazil, the first international site for the Oklahoma-based radial and turboprop engine overhaul specialist.
A potential facility in Goiás state is currently under negotiation, a largely agricultural region near the capital of Brasilia, says chief executive Paul Abbott.
Goiás has a large population of turboprops, such as Beechcraft King Airs, and agricultural aircraft, including a diverse mix of Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-powered Thrush and AirTractor aircraft, as well as radial-powered Grumman Ag Cat biplanes.
Covington started operations in Oklahoma 35 years ago to support aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney R-980 and R-1385 Wasp radial engines. As many of their customers converted to PT6-powered aircraft by the mid-1990s, Covington followed suit as an OEM authorised repair and overhaul provider.
The company is still considering options for expanding on either the US east or west coast, Abbott says. But the Brazilian market presents an attractive expansion opportunity with a large supply of aircraft and a dearth of local support options.
The region “has a lot of PT6s, but not a lot of support”, Abbott says.
When the facility opens, Covington plans to introduce services gradually. The Brazilian workers will begin working on repairs to the hot section of engines, as well as supplying parts. In a few years, the facility could develop to start performing full engine overhauls.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
