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StandardAero is one of the aerospace industry’s leading independent maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers. Our unmatched support and personalized customer service is second to none.

StandardAero offers extensive MRO services and custom solutions for business aviation, commercial aviation, military and industrial power customers. Over 8,000 professional, administrative and technical employees work in more than 50 StandardAero facilities worldwide, with additional strategically located regional service and support centers across
the globe

We provide the following capabilities through our network of Centers of Excellence and Mobile Service Teams:

  • MRO for fixed-wing aircraft, engines & APUs
  • Rotorcraft and component MRO
  • Airframe inspections and major modifications
  • FAA-authorized avionics capabilities
  • Comprehensive engineering services
  •  Custom exterior, paint, and interior design

FOUNDED IN 1911

StandardAero’s origins date back to 1911, just eight years after the Wright brothers’ historic flight at Kitty Hawk. Founded by Charles Pearce and William Bickell in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the company—then known as Standard Machine Works—specialized in the repair, overhaul, and rebuilding of automobile, truck, and tractor engines. Recognized for its exceptional craftsmanship, skilled workforce, and advanced equipment, Standard Machine Works quickly established a reputation for excellence, as noted in contemporary publications.

As civil aviation grew in the region during the mid-1920s, the demand for trusted engine service increased. Shipping engines to manufacturers in Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, or Ottawa took time and added costs.

To meet this demand, Standard Machine Works expanded its services to include aircraft engines. They established an Aero Engine Division in the basement and first floor of their St. Matthews facility. In April 1936, the team rebuilt its first aircraft engine — an Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah piston engine.

By November 1936, most engine manufacturers had appointed Standard Machine Works as an authorized service station, including Canadian Pratt & Whitney, de Havilland, and Jacobs. That fall, the company also became an authorized service station for Bendix Aviation Corporation of Bendix, NJ, maintaining Bendix-Eclipse starters, generators, and control boxes.

In 1949, the company incorporated as Standard Aero Engine Limited (SAE) and expanded its facilities and capabilities, sharpening its expertise in civilian and military aircraft engines. By 1960, SAE began overhauling turbine engines, investing heavily in tooling and training. They also partnered with Trans-Canada Air Lines to use one of the airline’s engine test cells.

Over the next six decades, the company grew steadily through strategic acquisitions, new program wins, and expanded services. StandardAero earned recognition as one of the aerospace industry’s leading independent maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) providers. Our success reflects the merger of businesses with complementary specialties, enhancing our capabilities and driving customer loyalty and value.