GKN Aerospace opens new US business jet engine integration facility

GKN Aerospace is to open a new 24,000 ft² facility where it will consolidate the company’s integration activity for Honeywell’s HTF7000 series of business jet engines. The new facility will sit alongside the Honeywell operation in Phoenix, AZ and will pod Honeywell’s engines into GKN Aerospace designed and manufactured nacelles for HTF7000 powered aircraft – including Bombardier, Gulfstream and Embraer business jets. GKN Aerospace will then deliver the complete propulsion system, on Honeywell’s behalf, directly to the appropriate airframe end customer assembly line. The Arizona site will commence operation in the autumn of 2013, becoming fully functional by the end of the year when it is expected to employ up to 50 people, handling the podding of engines for the Bombardier CL300 and CL350, the Gulfstream G280 and the Embraer 450/500 business jets. At capacity, the site will be capable of assembling 28 complete power systems per month.