The aftermarket in Florida is experiencing accelerated growth as MRO players in the state complete mergers and acquisitions, add new capabilities and open new or expanded facilities.

Florida has more than 2,000 aviation businesses and 125 public-use airports, according to the state’s international commerce organization, SelectFlorida. Much of this activity is concentrated in South Florida, with companies that have established presences near Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

In its recently released aviation investment banking report, Cassel Salpeter & Co. described South Florida as “a major global hub for the MRO and [used serviceable material] market, driven by its entrepreneurial prowess, strategic location as the gateway to Latin America, a high concentration of airlines and cargo carriers and a highly skilled workforce.” The report adds: “The aviation services industry in South Florida is experiencing significant growth, driven by high demand for air travel, supply chain challenges for new parts, and a boom in engine and airframe maintenance, among other services.”

Joey Smith, aviation director at Cassel Salpeter, says these factors as well as a more lenient tax code and the state’s lifestyle and climate have led some large firms to relocate to the state. “We’ve seen an institutionalization of the aviation space in South Florida as bigger firms have come down here and as the [merger and acquisition (M&A)] activity has increased,” he tells Inside MRO.

Smith says three of the firm’s Florida-based MRO industry clients have M&A deals in the works, and he notes several substantial acquisitions that were recently completed by aftermarket companies in the state.

The first are Miami-based HEICO’s 2025 acquisitions of Millennium International Avionics, a Missouri-based provider of business jet avionics repair services, and Gables Engineering, a Coral Gables, Florida-based manufacturer of advanced avionics controls. HEICO tells Inside MRO the business achieved $4.5 billion in sales last year, and it anticipates more than $5 billion in sales this year.

Another “very acquisitive” company, according to Smith, is VSE Corp., which has three MRO facilities and a parts distribution center across Florida. VSE acquired Florida-based MRO provider Turbine Controls and parts specialist Kellstrom Aerospace in 2024. In December, the company acquired Aero 3, an MRO and distributor specialized in the commercial wheel and brake aftermarket. Aero 3 has nine MRO facilities across the U.S., Canada and the UK, including in Hialeah Gardens, Florida. In January, VSE also agreed to acquire Precision Aviation Group, an Atlanta-based MRO with 29 global locations that supports the component, engine, avionics and designated engineering representative repair segments.

Hanwha Aviation, which was launched as a leasing company in 2024, last year bought Eko Green Industrial, an FAA-certified repair and teardown facility in Miami. Following the acquisition, Hanwha rebranded the business as Hanwha AeroTechnix, focusing on CFM56-5B, -7B and Leap-1A and -1B engine types (page MRO 30).

New York-based FTAI Aviation acquired full ownership of Florida-based CFM56 engine specialist QuickTurn Engine Center (later rebranded to FTAI Aviation USA) in late 2023 after buying the remaining 50% stake from Unical Aviation. The deal marked further aftermarket incursion for the company, which has since acquired Lockheed Martin Commercial Engine Solutions in Montreal and a 50% stake in IAG Engine Center Europe in Rome.

Smith also highlights GA Telesis’ acquisition of AAR’s landing gear overhaul and wheels and brakes businesses in April 2025, which GA Telesis CEO Abdol Moabery describes as “the largest acquisition in the company’s history.”

The move “significantly increases our global overhaul capacity, broadens our OEM and airline relationships and positions us among the largest independent landing gear MRO providers worldwide,” Moabery tells Inside MRO. “More importantly, it deepens vertical integration within our ecosystem, allowing us to control more of the value chain from asset acquisition through teardown, repair, overhaul and redeployment.”

Although GA Telesis has locations across the world, it is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale and has facilities throughout the state, including a major MRO services presence in the Miami area and facilities farther north in Orlando and Tampa. Moabery says Florida is “the operational backbone of our ecosystem,” and he notes that the state is “one of the most strategically advantaged aviation aftermarket hubs globally” due to factors such as its proximity to Latin America and the Caribbean, active air cargo activity, logistics infrastructure, a technical training pipeline and an experienced aviation labor pool.

“Equally important is the density of capability,” Moabery says. “Airlines, MRO providers, asset managers, lessors, OEM representatives, training institutions and logistics partners operate in close proximity. That concentration drives speed, collaboration and capital efficiency. Turn times shorten, supply chains compress and decision-making accelerates.”

In addition to integrating its landing gear overhaul and wheels and brakes acquisition, GA Telesis has been growing its engine module business by expanding overhaul capabilities for GE Aerospace and CFM International engines. The company also has been boosting its digital portfolio by launching a blockchain-based life cycle registry platform, Wilbur. Besides continuing to grow these two business portfolios, Moabery says GA Telesis will “continue to evaluate targeted acquisitions that enhance vertical and horizontal integration, expand geographic reach and strengthen technical capability in areas where scale and data create a durable competitive advantage.”

Another acquisitive aftermarket company that recently established a footprint in Florida is Setna iO. The company acquired a majority stake in Miami-based component repair specialist Zulu Global in February 2025, and in August, it acquired a majority stake in Hialeah-based Landing Gear Technologies. In September, its Setnix repair station subsidiary announced a strategic partnership with Tampa-based Altitude Aero, an aircraft-on-ground and logistics specialist. This year, Zulu Global will move into a new South Florida facility that Setna iO CEO David Chaimovitz says is about three times the size of its current operation. After these acquisitions, Chaimovitz expects Setna iO’s MRO earnings to quadruple this year.

Ontic is another MRO provider that sees Florida as a strategic location. Last year, it consolidated its MRO product lines—which include avionics, satcom systems, mechanical and linear actuators and other components—into a new MRO center in Miramar. The facility is “designed to provide focused repair and overhaul services with improved turnaround times and enhanced technical depth,” the company says. Ontic plans to grow staff there to 125 from an initial headcount of 60 last year and to boost growth by taking on additional product licenses from its OEM partners and investing in its dedicated MRO repair station in Tewkesbury, England.

Beyond building new facilities and making acquisitions, many other Florida-based aftermarket companies are expanding their businesses.

The Xtreme Group (TXG), a South Florida-based aviation services provider with air cargo, leasing, airframe MRO and engine MRO subsidiaries, is planning to grow markedly in 2026-27. The company launched 7Air, its cargo airline, last May to support the Caribbean and Central American markets. TXG CEO Carlos Cock tells Inside MRO that 7Air has recently added new routes and aircraft; its current fleet comprises four Boeing 737-800Fs. The airline also has established its own bonded warehouse, “giving us the flexibility to better serve and control the needs of the region,” he says.

TXG’s engine MRO subsidiary, which supports 7Air, recently rebranded as Ignite Aero Engines and appointed Juan Pantoja as president. Pantoja says the CFM56 specialist is “doubling down” on modular maintenance solutions and predictable turnaround times. The company’s Davie, Florida-based facility can accommodate up to 20 engines simultaneously.

TXG’s Aventus leasing subsidiary has secured additional capital to acquire new aircraft and engines this year, while its heavy maintenance subsidiary, Xtreme Aviation, is starting construction on a new 70,000-ft.2 facility in Fort Lauder­dale that will double its size. The facility is expected to open by the second or third quarter of 2027.

Miami-based inventory specialist DASI acquired Mesa Airlines’ entire Bombardier CRJ/MHI RJ Aviation spare parts inventory in March as Mesa transitions to Embraer E-Jets through its integration with Republic Airways.

Medley, Florida-based Component Overhaul Services will be adding in-house plating capabilities in the second quarter, and it also plans to introduce a new hydraulic test stand to support testing and overhaul capabilities. The company says it will continue to invest in infrastructure, equipment and workforce to meet increased demand for landing gear and accessory services.

End-of-life aircraft asset manager and component specialist Alaris Aerospace has three Florida facilities in Pompano Beach, Okeechobee and Sanford. As of March, it was actively disassembling three GE Aerospace GE90-94 engines and a Rolls-Royce Trent 700 and bidding on multiple CFM International CFM56 engines to add to its portfolio.

The company is targeting up to 10 engine teardowns this year and tells Inside MRO it has an “ambitious” growth plan for 2026-28 that entails scaling inventory, expanding market reach and tripling revenue. Alaris Aerospace has secured $50 million in capital to acquire young Airbus A320neo airframes, and it intends to raise another approximately $100 million in capital to support engine teardowns.

Dania Beach, Florida-based used serviceable material (USM) provider Next Level Aviation recently expanded its inventory through support from its commercial banking partner, PNC Bank. Next Level Aviation, which specializes in A320 and Boeing 737 family components, aims to continue expanding its product and service offerings and geographic footprint, which also includes a facility in Dublin. The company launched a military division in 2025, which it expects to grow this year.

AMP Aero, a Miami-based component specialist, recently ramped up its inventory for GE90, CFM56 and International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500 platforms. It plans to expand into leasing solutions this year and to launch its own MRO operation by 2027 to “control material turnaround times, improve cost efficiencies and strengthen service reliability across our portfolio,” a company representative says.

Powerhouse Engines, a Miami-based CFM56 MRO provider, added blade-tip grinding to its capabilities last year and introduced Ramco software for digital management of repair processes, inventory allocations and workflow. This year, the company plans to scale its engine leasing portfolio, increase shop visit induction volumes, grow its heavy shop visits and add more vendor and supplier partnerships.

Doral, Florida-based Flight Power, which specializes in turbine engine component support for platforms such as the CFM56, V2500, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 and GE Aerospace CF6 and CF34, is increasing capacity. The company tells Inside MRO that it recently opened a third facility because growing customer demand had pushed its other two facilities to nearly full capacity. The new facility will support growth in its component repair throughput, exchange pool programs and engineering-driven repair development initiatives. Flight Power also is expanding rotable inventory, exchange pool programs and material support programs, and adding honeycomb repair capabilities.

Concentrated mostly around Miami in the Miami-Dade and Broward County areas and Central Florida is one of the largest congregations of engine MRO shops in the U.S.

Engine MRO providers are attracted by the state’s deep supplier access, strong technical talent and reliable logistics through multiple international cargo gateways, including airport hubs like Miami International Airport, deep seaports and trucking routes that allow for engine movement across the U.S. The business environment has aimed to solidify this status—parts, labor and equipment used in qualified repairs are sales-tax exempt.

Engine shops are also dealing with high demand, since MROs in the state are particularly strong on legacy and current-generation engine platforms. The demand-driven environment, against the backdrop of a constrained supply chain, has led MRO providers to ramp up shop capacity.

Among the prominent legacy repair specialists in Florida is CTS Engines, which has a commercial engine maintenance portfolio of most legacy widebody powerplants composed of CF6-80C2, CF6-80A, CF6-50, GP7200 and PW2000 engines. The MRO moved into a new 216,000-ft.2 engine shop last year in Coral Springs, 20 mi. northwest of Fort Lauderdale, with shop capacity to overhaul, repair and test 200 legacy engines per year. It also operates an outdoor test stand in Jupiter with 155,000 lb. of thrust.

Bill Kircher, CEO of CTS Engines, tells Inside MRO that CTS is committed to legacy engines for years to come, given sustained demand in that segment from airlines and cargo operators. “As airline shops like Lufthansa, All Nippon Airways, China Airlines and KLM move away from the legacy engines as part of their fleet, they move their focus to new engine models like the Leap, [Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan] and [GE Aerospace] GEnx, and this opens up an opportunity for us to support their fleet and offload work,” he says. “While delays in new aircraft deliveries are extending the life of existing aircraft, these legacy platforms were already expected to remain in service for many years.”

Another independent MRO, Pem-Air Turbine Engine Services, which operates at two locations across the state, made its first foray into Leap engine services in February. Initially focusing on lighter maintenance work scopes such as hospital visits and field services on the -1A and -1B, the company plans to scale capabilities as customers grow.

In addition, Pem-Air has recently expanded its V2500 services. These will be carried out at its Brookville engine MRO facility, located about 45 min. from Tampa. Pem-Air also operates an engine component and accessory repair shop in Davie, near Miami. The company has capability for General Electric CF6, CF34 and GE90, CFM56, Pratt & Whitney PW2000 and PW4000, V2500, Engine Alliance GP7200 and Rolls-Royce RB211, Trent 800 and JT3D and JT9D engines. It is looking to grow capacity and capability to new platforms, if it sees a market.

“Growth for us isn’t about scale for its own sake—it’s about expanding capabilities thoughtfully, maintaining operational stability and adapting quickly to our customers’ evolving needs,” a Pem-Air spokesperson says.

New-technology engine platforms also are being ramped up in the state. Pratt & Whitney, which operates an MRO facility in West Palm Beach for the geared turbofan engine, last year completed a $20 million investment in the site, which brought about a 40% increase in capacity.

Engine test capacity—which is underserved in North America, even on established engine types—also is being addressed. One method is through partnerships. Willis Engine Repair Center, the engine MRO business of Willis Lease Finance Corp., partnered with Doral-based MRO provider Global Engine Maintenance last year to form a joint venture and construct a test center for CFM56 engines. Operating as Willis Global Engine Testing in West Palm Beach, it will seek to reduce turnaround times for both companies’ customers and third parties.

Parts manufacturer approval (PMA) developments aimed at offering engine parts in short supply are also underway in the state. Chromalloy, which has Florida locations in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Tampa, has gained several FAA approvals for components in the past year. These include the October FAA approval for the CFM56 high-pressure turbine stage 1 turbine that it developed in a joint venture with FTAI, which intends to develop five CFM56 PMA parts in total.

At the time of the announcement, the company told Aviation Week that it expects to ship a few dozen shipsets, but this is expected to reach hundreds of shipsets by the end of this year. Chromalloy invested more than $100 million over seven years into parts design, development and certification while also adding area smelting, forging, machining and coating functions to its facility in Tampa.