Aircraft repairs take off as Ireland’s aviation industry flourishes

The more aircraft there are in the air, the more maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activity is required on the ground. It’s why one of the spin-off benefits of Ireland’s aircraft leasing success has been the growth of the MRO industry here, most of it concentrated at Dublin and Shannon airports. Notwithstanding current short-term supply chain issues resulting from a shortage of component parts, the auguries are good. According to UK aviation analytics company Cirium Ascend Consultancy, some 45,900 new passenger, freighter and turboprop aircraft are set to be delivered between now and 2043. “Rises in disposable income result in increased demand, and both China and India are growing markets,” explains John Cotter, professor in finance and chair in quantitative finance at University College Dublin. That bodes well for Ireland’s MRO sector which, in 2020, was estimated to account for 2,600 highly skilled jobs directly and 4,500 jobs overall across the economy.<br/>