GE Aviation selects Strother, Kansas, to assemble Passport 20

GE Aviation chose its facility in Strother, Kansas, to assemble its new Passport 20, which will power the next-generation large-cabin business jet. GE’s additional US$7m investment in machinery and equipment will enable Strother to assemble, maintain, repair and overhaul the Passport 20 engine, which will power Bombardier’s Global 7000 and Global 8000 large, ultra long-range twinjets now in development. While the new engine assembly capability for Strother will not result immediately in adding to their almost 700 employees, it will contribute significantly to maintaining stable employment levels at the plant for many years to come. “This investment will position Strother to play a pivotal role across the entire life cycle of the Passport 20 engine,” stated Tony Aiello, GE Aviation’s vice president and general manager, Assembly, Test and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Operations.