Delta TechOps facility to host Vice President Pence for visit

Delta Air Lines' TechOps maintenance facility will host a visit by Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday, where he will be briefed on emergency preparedness before Hurricane Florence makes landfall.

At the Delta facility near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Pence will meet with executives and speak to employees.

Pence is visiting the Technical Operations facility during a time of expansion for Delta’s maintenance operations, which is driving more business for the airline’s thousands of maintenance workers.

A Delta TechOps employee walks past an airplane engine inside a Delta TechOps building near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, in Atlanta. Delta announced a new partnership with Rolls Royce as an approved maintenance center. BRANDEN CAMP/SPECIAL

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Atlanta-based Delta recently opened a massive new engine repair shop at its TechOps facility, with operations starting this month. It will use the facility to work on its own engines as well as engines from other airlines and aircraft operators. Doing contract maintenance for other carriers is a major focus for growth in Delta's TechOps business.

Delta developed the 127,000-square-foot shop after striking an agreement in 2015 with Rolls-Royce to become an authorized maintenance center for Rolls-Royce engines.

When the deal was announced, officials said it would generate work for the next 30 years for the TechOps business, and keep more than 5,000 jobs in Atlanta.

Eric Schulz, Rolls Royce president for civil large engines, speaks inside a Delta TechOps building near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, in Atlanta. Delta announced a new partnership with Rolls Royce as an approved maintenance center. BRANDEN CAMP/SPECIAL

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

icon to expand image

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

The airline is also building a new engine test cell, to open this December. And earlier this year, Delta signed an agreement with Pratt & Whitney to maintain engines for Delta Airbus A321neo and A220s.