FAA suspends AAR aircraft gear plant maintenance certification

The Federal Aviation Administration said it suspended certification at an AAR Corp. plant that services aircraft landing gear, saying the company used faulty repair and inspection processes.

AAR didn't follow aircraft manufacturer maintenance manual procedures, and returned aircraft parts to service as being overhauled when they weren't, the FAA said today in a statement. The suspension at the facility in Miami was effective yesterday, and remains in effect until the company can show that it meets FAA requirements, the agency said.

Aircraft operators affected by the violations were notified in March "and corrective action was taken," the FAA said in the statement. Hundreds of Boeing Co. aircraft were outfitted with "unapproved" landing-gear parts under a maintenance contract with Wood Dale-based AAR, the FAA said in a safety alert last year.

The company said it has made changes to respond to the FAA's findings.

"We have worked diligently with the FAA over the past year to respond to its concerns," Chief Executive Officer David Storch, said today in a statement on PR Newswire. "We remain committed to resolving this matter as expeditiously as possible. The company will also work equally hard to minimize any inconvenience to its customers and employees during this period."

AAR may appeal the order to the National Transportation Safety Board by Feb. 20, the agency said.