AME is continuing to focus on growing its Scandinavian customer base. FL Technics is its main competitor in the region, but the strategies of the two MROs differ: FL Technics is mainly looking at the Russian airline market. Bolinder says there is plenty of room for both.

Tallinn's location and cost levels make AME an attractive location for Scandinavian operators. Ample parking space, for as low as €50 per day, is a factor that has also not escaped the attention of lessors that need to send a repossessed aircraft somewhere fast. And, since Estonia is part of the Schengen Zone, moving labor around the region for AOG incidents is also easier logistically, says a Scandinavian operator that is in discussions with AME to handle its fleet of Boeing 737s.

With these opportunities, AME is firmly positioned as a leading MRO in the Baltic region, and it has the potential to grow its customer base further into Western Europe as it proves itself a serious competitor to higher-priced, larger MROs.