Textron Aviation is putting a big emphasis on aftermarket service and customer support at this year’s NBAA-BACE, announcing an expanded parts operation and a new satellite service center in Dallas.

In a move to address growing demand and increase efficiency, Textron Aviation (Booth 1273, Static 502) will nearly triple the size of its Wichita parts warehouse and distribution center. It will do so by adding 180,000 sq ft to the company’s existing 65,000-sq-ft warehouse. Construction is expected to take 12 to 18 months and be completed in fourth-quarter 2023, senior v-p of parts and programs Kriya Shortt told AIN.

The expanded facility will provide space for larger parts such as wheels and windscreens and allow the company to consolidate those larger parts from its eastside campus to its westside campus. It also will accommodate the higher parts demand that the airframer has experienced following its earlier initiatives to improve access to its parts by way of a website and to adjust pricing to the market.

“We’ve made a lot of effort over the past two years to…have the right parts in stock, to be priced to the market, and make it easy to do business with,” Shortt said. “We certainly have seen as we have that value proposition and we are executing to that, we’ve seen volume growth. So, we want to make sure we can continue to earn that business from our customers. We want to be front of mind for them when they’re thinking about parts support.”

Also, by the end of the year, the airframer will establish a new satellite service center at Dallas Love Field (KDAL). The 12,000-sq-ft satellite center will offer unscheduled maintenance and AOG service as an extension of its factory service centers in Houston and San Antonio.

The KDAL operation will additionally serve as the operations hub for nine mobile service units, as well as others positioned throughout Texas. More than 20 technicians will be based at the center. “Dallas is an expanding market for locally based customers flying Textron Aviation aircraft, in addition to a large volume of transit customers doing business in the area,” said senior v-p of customer support Brian Rohloff. “These customers now have access to local factory direct, expert service, and support at our new satellite service center.”