Swissair partner to open subsidiary in California

(AP) -- SR Technics, a subsidiary of Swissair parent SAirGroup, said on Thursday it will establish an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul operation in the United States, based in Palmdale, California.

(AP) — SR Technics, a subsidiary of Swissair parent SAirGroup, said on Thursday it will establish an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul operation in the United States, based in Palmdale, California.

The Swiss firm and Boeing have signed a memorandum of understanding for SR Technics to buy a hangar facility at Palmdale, SAirGroup said in a statement.

The complex being bought by SR Technics is on a 60-hectare (148-acre) parcel of land with 100,000 square meters (1 million square feet) of hangar space and support buildings, it added. It did not disclose the value of purchase.

The new subsidiary — known as SR Technics America Ltd. — will initially concentrate on converting DC-10 jets to refurbished MD-10s, the group said.

It “will also offer a wide variety of aircraft products and services including regularly scheduled aircraft checks and modifications for Boeing (including McDonnell Douglas) and Airbus aircraft.”

SR Technics noted that North America is “by far the largest market region” for the services it offers.

The company’s total turnover last year amounted to $786 million, of which 48 percent came from customers outside SAirGroup, the statement said.

SAirGroup includes Swissair and the European regional airline Crossair and has more than 3,000 employees.