Low cost Irish carrier Ryanair is expanding its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) base in Kaunas, Lithuania.
The transport industry giant has plans to invest about €250,000 into the expansion of the facilities of its maintenance unit, Kaunas Aircraft Maintenance Services (KAMS), which is situated at Kaunas International Airport.
According to KAMS’s accountable manager, Karolis Čepukas, a series of new workshops will be opened at the facility thanks to the new investment.
Cepukas commented: “This year, the expected volume of airframe maintenance and aircraft components in Kaunas is increasing, so it was decided to open additional workshops for aircraft components within our existing hangars.
“We are opening workshops for repairing aircraft airstairs, filling oxygen cylinders, and working on metal and composite parts. In addition, we will be hiring additional aircraft airframe technicians.”
The firm expects its turnover to jump by 20% this year, and has plans for a 30% rise in the number of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul specialists it employs. Following the expansion, around 140 specialists will be employed at the site.
KAMS’s growth is closely linked to the continued expansion of Ryanair’s fleet; by 2020 the firm will be operating more than 500 aircraft. And in this context of continued strong growth, KAMS is optimistic that in the future new hangars for aircraft refinishing and other maintenance activities could be opened at the Kaunas site.
Lithuania’s aviation industry has the potential to continue future growth thanks to recent reforms to the study programmes provided by Lithuanian higher education institutions, which were proposed by the industry and supported by Invest Lithuania.
Aviation companies that operate in the Kaunas region will provide Aviation Engineering students at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) with the chance to accumulate more practical experience during their studies. In their third year, students will have the chance to do a full year internship at one of the many aircraft maintenance and repair organisations who are taking part in the scheme.
