Emirates Airline has announced it will open an engine overhaul shop slated to complement its test cell in Dubai. The $120 million facility will be located on approximately 22.3 acres of land. Emirates plans to break ground by next year’s first quarter, with the facility expected to begin service by the fourth quarter of 2014. “The engine shop will create more than 500 new job opportunities, with a large percentage of these to be occupied by UAE nationals,” said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Emirates has signed a Letter of Intent with General Electric to oversee the design and construction of the shop. When it enters service it will have the capacity to perform 300 DE90 and GP7000 engine repairs annually. The engines are used on the airline’s Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 fleet. “We are pleased and proud to be working with Emirates in supporting the building of the engine shop and to use GE expertise in this field to introduce best industry practices in managing engine repairs,” said Muhammad Al-Lamadani, senior executive sales for GE International.