MRO Management: Southwest’s Grand Reveal

Southwest Airlines’ recently completed aircraft maintenance facility at Houston’s William P Hobby International Airport was featured in the February / March issue of MRO Management. The 245,000 SF complex more than doubles the airline’s previous maintenance operations in Houston.

“As we grow our fleet and destinations from Houston, there’s a greater need to have a facility that can handle the work that’s needed to keep our operation running at the highest efficiency,” says Kelley Agrella, Director of Technical Operations at Southwest. “We have long-term growth plans for Houston, and this will help us achieve that goal.”

Ghafari led the facility design, factoring in provisions to support new and larger aircraft variants than Southwest has historically flown. Ted Oberlies, Senior Vice President of Ghafari’s Aviation Group, says the hangar capacity and geometry were planned to provide efficiency and scheduling simplicity, supporting a mix of light and heavier base checks.

“Four of the six service positions under cover enable independent entry and egress,” he says. “The material stores and critical shop areas are configured to provide direct access to the hangar areas, thus reducing circulation and clutter and effectively improving workspace utilization.”

Read the full issue of MRO Management here (the Southwest Houston hangar article is on page 60).