Strata, the Mubadala-owned aerospace manufacturer based in Al Ain, has secured Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) certification from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) under the regulator's CAR-145 framework. The approval marks the company's formal entry into regulated maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) work and extends its role beyond composite aerostructures manufacturing.

What CAR-145 covers

CAR-145 is the GCAA's core regulation for issuing maintenance organization approvals. It mirrors the structure of EASA Part-145, the European standard that governs most commercial-aircraft MRO providers worldwide. A CAR-145 certificate allows an organization to:

• Perform and certify maintenance on UAE-registered aircraft and components
• Operate under a controlled Maintenance Organization Exposition (MOE)
• Work only within the scope and limitations set out in its certificate

For a Tier 1 aerostructures supplier, the approval opens a separate commercial lane: signing off maintenance on parts the company already produces, and competing for third-party MRO contracts that require a national regulator's authorization.

Why Abu Dhabi pursued the move

The certification fits Abu Dhabi's strategy of building a self-contained aerospace cluster anchored by Mubadala, the emirate's sovereign wealth fund. Mubadala's aerospace portfolio already spans:

• Airframe composite manufacturing through Strata
• Engine MRO through Turbine Services & Solutions (TS&S)
• Parts distribution and other services through portfolio companies

Adding maintenance certification to Strata broadens the cluster's services footprint and supports the UAE's stated goal of capturing a larger share of global MRO work — a market that industry forecasts size above $100 billion annually.

What remains unclear

The announcement did not specify which aircraft types or component categories the initial scope covers. It also did not disclose the headcount of licensed certifying staff — Cat A, B1, B2 or C personnel under EASA-equivalent ratings — that will operate under the new MOE. GCAA approvals are normally tied to an operations specification document that defines both scope and limits.

It is also unclear whether Strata will pursue line maintenance at airports, base maintenance at a dedicated hangar, or both.

What changes next

The certificate provides a regulatory platform, not a revenue stream. Converting the approval into contracted work will likely involve one of three paths:

• Capturing in-service maintenance on parts Strata originally built
• Signing third-party operators for new MRO contracts
• Supporting UAE carriers including Emirates, Etihad and flydubai as their fleets expand

The company's location in Al Ain, adjacent to Al Ain International Airport, offers a base for any line-maintenance expansion the certificate enables.

For the GCAA, adding a national aerostructures manufacturer to its AMO register strengthens local oversight capacity at a time when the UAE's commercial-aviation fleet continues to grow and business-jet traffic through Dubai and Abu Dhabi keeps rising.

Whether Strata uses the new scope to anchor a domestic MRO pillar or simply to retain more value on parts it already supplies will determine the commercial weight of the certification.