AGSE’s GTF Shipping Stand a Welcome Addition to Helvetic Airways

For nearly two decades, Helvetic Airways, one of the world’s fast-growing regional airlines, has successfully operated flights to popular vacation destinations across Europe and North Africa. Its fleet of fuel-efficient, narrow-body Embraer E2 “Profit Hunter” aircraft, each powered by twin Pratt & Whitney PW1900G high-bypass PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ (or GTF) engines, are stationed at Zürich Airport, a short drive away from the carrier’s headquarters in Kloten, Switzerland. To better expedite the critical engine changes needed to both minimize costs and keep these aircraft flying on schedule, Helvetic teamed with AGSE™, Pratt & Whitney’s preferred manufacturer of trusted and reliable engine transport stands for the entire GTF family.

A new AGSE-E277-G01 Transportation Stand, custom-designed to support the PW1900G engine, was delivered to Helvetic’s line maintenance hangar in Zürich and immediately put to work. Its rugged features include a shock-mounted transportation base that reduces vibration during transport of the engine, a steering and caster lift bar for enhanced ergonomics, and Skydrol-resistant paint for lasting protection against corrosion. In addition, adapters on its separable shipping cradle are compatible with Embraer-designated bootstrap systems to simplify the removal or installation of the engine from or on the aircraft wings.

AGSE is proud its OEM-approved GSE now plays a pivotal role in Helvetic Airway’s bustling line maintenance operation and remains committed to supporting its endeavors into the future. To learn more about the AGSE-E277-G01 Transportation Stand and all its benefits, please click here.

Up & Running: Westmont’s Gantry System is a Critical Component of United Airlines’ New TOC!

In late 2021, United Airlines proudly cut the ribbon on its $352 million technical operations center (TOC) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). This state-of-the-art facility includes a training center for maintenance staff, sophisticated tracking systems to keep tabs on tooling, the latest safety and fire controls, and a 407,000 square foot hangar floor used to service the airliner’s extensive fleet of both narrowbody and widebody aircraft.

During the development of its TOC at LAX, United teamed with Westmont Industries, AGSE's parent company, to design, build, and install a 3-Bay Gantry System for the horizontal maintenance and repair of jet engines that power its fleet. Commencement of this project closely followed a successful installation of a similar Westmont gantry at United’s TOC in Houston, Texas, USA. Now complete, the ergonomic, user-friendly system can support one narrowbody and two widebody engines simultaneously, readily meeting the newly opened facility’s high levels of engine traffic.

Co-headquartered a short crosstown drive away from LAX, AGSE™ and Westmont remain honored to both continuously supply innovative, rugged, and long-lasting GSE & Tooling to United Airlines and take part in the airport’s ongoing renovation and modernization. Click here to learn more.

AGSE™ Shines in the City of Gold at MRO Middle East 2022!

AGSE, a leader in the original design and manufacture of innovative aerospace GSE & Tooling solutions, showcased its products and services from Booth #626 at MRO Middle East 2022. The two-day event was held in Sheikh Saeed Halls 2-3 of the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from February 22-23, 2022. Members of our Global Sales Team were onsite to guide visitors through our comprehensive range of superior functional, OEM-approved equipment, from Engine Transport Stands to Horizontal Engine Build & MRO Systems to Line Maintenance Tooling, all for the industry’s top jet engine programs.

Organized by Aviation Week, MRO Middle East provides a world-class venue for professionals at airlines, OEMs, leasing companies, and MRO service providers. It is ideal for senior-level attendees looking to grow their networks, explore new technologies, and learn from the most reputed experts in commercial aviation.

AGSE was excited to be a part of MRO Middle East and reconnect face-to-face with our valued customers and peers. To discover more events where you can meet with members of our Global Sales Team, please click here!

General Electric to Make Aviation Its Main Focus

General Electric’s time-honored run as one of the United States’ top manufacturing conglomerates has reached yet another milestone as the company announced plans to split its three core businesses into separate publicly traded enterprises. GE Healthcare, a maker of MRIs and other hospital equipment, and GE Power, a producer of turbines for power plants and wind farms, will respectively spin-off in early 2023 and 2024, leaving GE Aviation as GE’s cornerstone operation. This unit, a key supplier to The Boeing Company, is globally renowned for building and maintaining a plethora of the most widely used jet engines in commercial aviation.

Since the development of its first wide-body aircraft engines, GE has not only adopted AGSE's custom-designed, superior functional GSE & Tooling for the safe and efficient handling of their high-bypass turbofans but also recommends our wide array of solutions to the industry’s top airlines, aircraft hangars, and engine shops. In addition, Westmont Industries, AGSE's parent company, maintains a successful track record with GE via the installation of overhead gantry systems, used for the horizontal build & MRO of all GE engines, at many of their production facilities around the world. Lastly, AGSE Tooling continues to serve as a trusted supplier of line maintenance and shop tooling for the LEAP program, a 50-50 joint venture between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, as well as CFM56 engines.

As GE takes on this fresh wave of strategic initiatives, AGSE™ is ready to provide its full support every step of the way to help the acclaimed engine manufacturer attain the next level of innovation and service. Read the full story by clicking here.

AGSE™ Exhibits its Latest GSE & Tooling Solutions at MRO Europe 2021!

AGSE showcased its latest OEM-approved GSE & Tooling solutions from Booth #4097 at MRO Europe 2021. This two-day commercial air transport MRO event was held at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from October 20-21, 2021. Members of our European Sales Team guided visitors through our robust offering of custom-designed, superior functional equipment, from Shipping Stands to Overhead Gantries to Line Maintenance & Shop Tooling, all for the industry’s top jet engine programs.

Organized by Aviation Week, MRO Europe provides a world-class venue for those involved in the MRO sector to exchange ideas and best practices, share experiences, debate issues and challenges, and gather knowledge. It is strongly attended by professionals at airlines, OEMs, leasing companies, aviation authorities and regulators, and MRO service providers.

As live events return, AGSE is prouder than ever to sponsor major expos like MRO Europe and reconnect face-to-face with our valued customers and industry peers. To discover more events where you can meet with members of our Global Sales Team (LIVE!), please click here!

AGSE-Westmont Commends GE Aviation for a Half-Century of Excellence with its CF6 Engine!

AGSE-Westmont, the global leader in the original design and manufacture of innovative aerospace ground support equipment, aircraft tooling, and high-quality specialty industrial equipment, applauds GE Aviation on reaching yet another milestone as its CF6 high-bypass turbofan engine enters 50 years of service. Originally developed for the first McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft, the CF6 steadily evolved to power longer-range flights for both commercial and military aircraft, including the Airbus A310, the Boeing 747-400, and the Lockheed C-5M Super Galaxy. Despite younger GE programs currently replacing it on some newer variant passenger aircraft, the CF6 recently experienced a surge of flight cycles for long-haul freight operators as demand for express delivery spiked during the height of the COVID pandemic. New CF6s, along with a dedicated network of qualified MRO services, carry on the legacy of GE's cornerstone wide-body engine by powering aircraft not limited to the latest Boeing 767s, the Airbus A330, and possibly the Antonov An-124 freighter.

Since the early stages of the CF6 program, GE has recommended AGSE's robust offering of GSE & Tooling solutions for the handling of these engines by airlines, aircraft hangars, and engine shops. Westmont, AGSE's parent company, has also maintained a successful track record of installing gantry systems used for the horizontal assembly of this engine and other GE platforms at multiple GE Aviation production facilities around the world. Like the CF6, these highly durable solutions can accommodate an extensive range of applications, from supporting quick engine change procedures to the highest maintenance levels of engine disassembly.

AGSE-Westmont is proud to have remained a trusted and reliable partner of GE Aviation throughout the development of its CF6 program and will continue to provide the necessary ground support equipment and technical services to keep these prominent workhorse engines in the air for decades to come! Click here to read the full story.

An Executive Action: AGSE Shipping Stands featured in The New Air Force One Documentary!

Ever since its call sign was created in 1953, no aircraft in the sky has been more important than Air Force One, transporting Presidents of the United States to some of the most dangerous destinations in the world. In 2017, the United States Air Force purchased two flight-tested but undelivered 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft from Boeing to be converted into The New Air Force One, replacing the aging and predominantly analog-controlled Boeing 747-200Bs that are currently in service.

To meet the compulsory security level of presidential aircraft, the Boeing 747-8s were required to undergo a thorough retrofitting of the latest telecommunications and security equipment at Boeing’s Rapid Response Modification Center in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The reconstruction also included an upgrade in the electrical power generators for the aircraft’s GEnx engines, as the power consumption on The New Air Force One would be much greater than a commercial Boeing 747. The engineering team managing this elaborate project deployed eight (8) AGSE 11C4349P01 (AGSE-E176-G03) Engine Transport Stands to assist in the removal of each aircraft’s existing GEnx-2B engines safely and efficiently, prior to replacing them with more energy-saving, higher thrust GEnx models.

AGSE thanks the United States Air Force for protecting our great nation as well as Boeing for placing trust in our ground support equipment for the most critical fleet on the planet. The National Geographic full documentary, The New Air Force One: Flying Fortress, can be viewed by clicking here (see one of our Shipping Stands in action at the 18:52 mark).

AGSE-Westmont Congratulates GE Aviation for Surpassing 5 Years of Operations at its Lafayette Engine Facility

AGSE-Westmont, the global leader in the original design and manufacture of innovative aerospace ground support equipment, aircraft tooling, and high-quality specialty industrial equipment, salutes GE Aviation for eclipsing its fifth year of operation at its state-of-the-art production facility in Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Opened on October 8, 2015, the 300,000 square foot plant originally concentrated on the final assembly of LEAP-1B engines, the core assembly of LEAP-1A engines, and LEAP Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services. Today, not only does this facility remain committed to the growth of the LEAP program, but to a new final assembly line for Passport engines as well.

During construction of the Lafayette plant, Westmont Industries, AGSE’s parent company, teamed with GE Aviation to install an overhead gantry system used to support horizontal engine assembly and engine MRO. This project was built upon Westmont’s track record of successful crane system installations at multiple GE Aviation facilities around the world. The original gantry system at Lafayette consisted of three transfer cranes and six workstations, but later expanded to twelve workstations in 2017.

AGSE-Westmont remains honored to have taken part in this facility’s journey through its first five years and wishes GE Aviation as well as the local Lafayette community continued growth and many more milestones for years to come! Click here to learn more.

AGSE Adds New Features to its Website

Four new features are now available on the AGSE website under the Company tab, providing additional insight into the organization’s history, product offerings, quality standards, and customer feedback.

The interactive Company Timeline page covers AGSE’s accomplishments by decade, from its founding in 1973 to its current standing as a trusted and reliable GSE & Tooling source.

With a simple click on the Our Products button, visitors can discover a summarized breakdown of all AGSE solutions and how their GSE or aviation transport needs may be fulfilled. This page also references some of the top engine programs supported by our select OEM-approved products.

Downloadable documents under our Company Certifications page substantiate AGSE’s adherence to Quality Management System standards (ISO 9001:2015) at both our headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, California, USA and our Tooling division in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

Lastly, the Testimonials page discloses what our customers are saying about our products and services, highlighting the value that AGSE has delivered to their business.

Explore these new features by clicking here.

AGSE Launches Product Literature Landing Page

The Product Literature landing page on the AGSE corporate website makes it even easier for customers to discover optimal Ground Support Equipment & Tooling solutions! Located under the Services & Support tab, visitors can download the latest AGSE product brochures by the engine program of their choice.

The interactive brochures feature the widest selection of OEM-licensed offerings in the industry, with products categorized from shipping stands to lifting fixtures to shop dollies. A simple click anywhere on a desired part number will navigate to its associated product landing page on the AGSE website, where additional features, specifications, and information regarding related products are conveniently located.

GEnx-1B, GEnx-2B, Pratt & Whitney GTF, and Rolls-Royce product brochures are now available with many more engine programs to come! For customers outside of North America, print-friendly versions in A4 paper format are provided for each brochure.

Visit the landing page by clicking here.

AGSE Delivers 300th LEAP Stand

AGSE is proud to announce the completion and delivery of its 300th LEAP stand. Following the successful LEAP stand design and prototype testing, AGSE is honored to be the most experienced LEAP stand builder in the world.

Being a select supplier for CFM International and other major OEM’s around the world for many engine programs is the best testimonial of ASGE's technical capabilities, impeccable reliability, quality and superior aftermarket product support.

CFM International is a 50/50 Joint Venture between GE Aviation & SAFRAN.

AGSE Delivers 1,000th Geared Turbofan Engine Stand

AGSE is the only company in the world licensed to manufacture and sell engine stands for all models of the GTF family (PW1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, 1700, 1900). With 12 proprietary designs and over 1,000 engine stands manufactured and delivered, AGSE is a trusted and reliable ground support equipment supplier for Pratt & Whitney GTF engines. Innovative designs that promote operational efficiency have allowed AGSE to remain a preferred supplier of P&W for over 25 years.

We look forward to continuing to support our customers on this innovative engine program.

Westmont Industries a Proud Contributing Partner for CFM’s Historic Milestone

In April 2019, CFM International reached a new production milestone when it completed the build of its 15,000th CFM56-7B engine; Westmont is proud to to be a partner supporting CFM/GE engine production for over 40 years with its renowned gantry systems. In addition to GE Evendale, Westmont systems support engine assembly at many other CFM and GE engine production sites and are also extensively used across multiple prominent engine MRO facilities around the world. Those include SSAMC, GE Durham, GE Lafeyette, GE Strother, GE Celma, Air France, Asiana Airlines, and American Airlines Tulsa among many others.
Founded in 1954, Westmont Industries, the parent company of AGSE, designs, manufactures, and installs large high quality specialty equipment including Engine Gantries, Workstations, Vertical Build and Access Stands, Crane Systems, and Turnkey Projects around the world.

AGSE Expands Coverage in the Middle East/Africa/India Region

AGSE is pleased to announce that Mr. Kiran Singh, based in Dubai, UAE, has assumed a position as Regional Sales Manager, Middle East/Africa/India (MEAI). Kiran will provide both sales and technical services for all of AGSE and Westmont product offerings. Kiran graduated with an MBA degree in Aviation Management from IBSAMS University, Mumbai, India. He has more than 20 years of Sales experience in the Aviation Industry working for companies like Iberia Maintenance, AAR Corp & Air France/KLM Engineering & Maintenance.

AGSE Expands Support in Asia Pacific Region

We are pleased to announce a new addition to the AGSE family – Mr. Ken Low. Ken has assumed a position as Regional Sales Manager, Asia Pacific. In this newly created role, Ken will provide both sales and technical services for all of AGSE and Westmont product offerings.

Ken is from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from University of Science Malaysia, Penang.

AGSE Tooling Expands to Better Service LEAP Customers

AGSE Tooling, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, has moved into a new facility to accommodate LEAP customer growth and the addition of new customer service and technical support personnel. The doubling of the warehousing facility, combined with a growing technical team, enable AGSE Tooling to better service and respond to increasing customer demands – in 2018 and beyond.

AGSE remains a trusted and preferred supplier for hundreds of customers around the world who value high levels of OTD, Quality and Technical Support.

AGSE Welcomes Customers at MRO Americas ’18

AGSE-Westmont were proud to exhibit at MRO Americas, April 10-12, 2018. During the 3 day event, the AGSE-Westmont brand and our product capabilities were visible to over 12,000 people from all over the world; Purchasing Managers, Engineers, Suppliers, and others. Technical and commercial meetings were held with many customers. These events are very important to our industry because they create new relationships and also solidify our existing relationships around the world with our important business partners. However, most satisfying was the positive feedback that our team received from happy customers — “Exceptional Quality,” “Reliable Delivery” and “The occasional problem gets resolved quickly.”

AGSE Expands Sales and Support Capabilities in China

In April 2018, AGSE added a new member to the AGSE Team – Mr. Jack Yang.

Jack has joined AGSE as Regional Sales Manager, China, and will be based in Shanghai. In this newly created role, Jack will provide both sales and technical services for all of AGSE and Westmont product offerings.

Meet Our New European Regional Sales Manager

In April 2018, AGSE added a new member to the AGSE Team – Mr. Pedro Fernandes. Pedro joined AGSE as a Regional Sales Manager for Europe.

Pedro is from Lisbon, Portugal. He graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Lisbon Technical Institute (2002) and finished his studies with a Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics from the Institute Polytechnique in Toulouse, France (2006).

AGSE Secures Order with 20th LEAP Customer

AGSE celebrates continued success with the addition of our 20th LEAP tooling contract! Our rapidly expanding client roster confirms our position as the best choice for sourcing precision engineered tooling that is optimally priced, and delivered with 24/7 customer support.

With 44 years of diversified GSE and tooling experience, and superior in-house engineering/manufacturing capabilities, AGSE remains the trusted and preferred supplier for hundreds of customers around the world.

AGSE Adds China Eastern Airlines to its Client Roster

AGSE is proud to add China Eastern Airlines—China’s second-largest carrier by passenger numbers—to our growing client list of Asian airlines. China Eastern, which operates the largest fleet of LEAP engine-powered aircraft in China, needed an experienced partner that would deliver greater value, 24/7 real-time customer service, and global support to their operations. As an industry innovator with over 40 years of experience in the China marketplace, AGSE proved uniquely qualified to meet their needs.

China Eastern Airlines is headquartered on the grounds of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in Changning District, Shanghai, China.

Loong Air Selects AGSE as LEAP Tooling Supplier

After careful consideration, Loong Air has chosen AGSE as its LEAP tooling supplier for its new fleet of A320-neo’s. As a trusted GSE and tooling supplier in the Chinese market for many years, and backed by our Asian distribution center, AGSE was able to offer Loong Air a customized tooling and service solution tailored to meet their specific needs.

Founded in 2013, Loong Air is headquartered at Hangzhou International Airport in Ziaoshan District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

AGSE Becomes LEAP Tooling Supplier for Air India

Following many months of customer consultations, technical discussions and assistance with tool selection, AGSE is honored to have been selected LEAP tooling provider for Air India—first LEAP operator in the country and the third-largest airline in India in terms of passengers carried.

This success came after many years of successful partnership that provided AGSE with an opportunity to become a trusted supplier for many engine programs.

This also continues a winning streak of having been selected as LEAP supplier for Southwest Airlines, SAS, Pegasus Airlines and Garuda.

Southwest Selects AGSE as LEAP Tooling Supplier

After a winning streak of having been selected as LEAP supplier for SAS, Pegasus Airlines and Garuda, AGSE had a strong finish in 2016 with another major victory.

Southwest Airlines, first domestic LEAP-1B operator, has chosen AGSE as LEAP tooling provider for the upcoming deliveries of 200 LEAP-1B equipped fleet of Boeing 737MAX.

It’s the highest honor for AGSE to continue our longstanding and successful relationship with Southwest, now—as a trusted LEAP tooling supplier.

Once more, AGSE has proven its ability to be a one stop shop and technical expert for a variety of engine programs and projects.

AGSE is honored and looking forward to making Southwest’s Entry into Service a complete success.