Rolls-Royce flies high with center

Jet engine manufacturer celebrates opening of $4M global training facility

By Ted Evanoff
ted.evanoff@indystar.com

It doesn't rank with the zoo or the museums as a tourist draw, but a Rolls-Royce training center in Indianapolis is bringing in a steady trickle of international visitors.

The London-based jet engine maker on Tuesday celebrated its new $4 million Regional Customer Training Center at Indianapolis International Airport.

The center was opened during one of the worst recessions in half a century, although Rolls-Royce officials figure slow engine sales will rebound from the global recession with stronger demand later this year, particularly for helicopter engines. Analysts estimate demand for those engines will surpass 150,000 units over the next decade.

Rolls-Royce executive Axel Arendt, head of the company's defense aerospace business, came in from London for Tuesday's event, saying the new center would double the region's training capacity.

Rolls-Royce, which employs 4,000 in its Indianapolis jet engine complex, had been running the training classes for its engine customers in smaller facilities in the city before the current center was opened in October.

Crews from Mexicana Airlines and the U.S. Coast Guard were at the site Tuesday, learning how to care for Rolls-Royce engines used in their fleets.

The training center, covering 42,000 square feet, has seating for 144 students at a time, or about 7,000 students a year, figuring each would attend classes for five days and then depart.

Last year, about 1,200 students came for courses on 22 engine models and products. Visitors for such courses have hailed from Belgium, India, Indonesia, Turkey the United Kingdom, among other areas.

The facility employs 15.

Last month, the company signed a $35 million supply contract with the U.S. Army and a $400 million contract with Bell Helicopter.

Rolls-Royce's operations in the city trace to Allison Engineering, a company acquired in 1929 by General Motors and sold off in 1993 to investors, who resold it to the British company.