AAR Corp, a Chicago-based aviation services company with maintenance facilities across the United States, is winding down its Legacy Commercial Programs division as part of a strategic realignment of its MRO business. The move reflects a broader shift toward higher-margin, long-term contract work with airline customers and government clients, according to Aviation Week reporting.
AAR Corp operates heavy maintenance facilities at several US locations and has established itself as one of the primary providers of airframe heavy checks for narrowbody commercial aircraft in North America. The company's hangar capacity at US airports supports maintenance for carriers operating Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family aircraft.
The wind-down of the Legacy Commercial Programs division is expected to improve operational focus and financial metrics by exiting lower-margin business lines that had diverted management attention and shop capacity from more strategically valuable work. Aviation industry analysts have noted a broader trend among large MRO providers to concentrate on core competencies as skilled labor constraints make it increasingly important to allocate workforce efficiently.
AAR Corp has faced competitive pressure from both US-based MRO providers and lower-cost offshore maintenance facilities in Latin America and Southeast Asia. The restructuring is designed to position the company's domestic facilities to compete on turnaround time, customer proximity, and service quality rather than on cost alone.
Source: Aviation Week -- https://aviationweek.com/mro/supply-chain/inside-mro-news-briefs-contracts-june-july-2026