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Leading Edge Aviation Services is an FAA-certified Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (“MRO”) company based in Costa Mesa, CA.〔(Business Week: Leading Edge Aviation )〕 Leading Edge has painted aircraft for airlines such as United, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Air Canada, Virgin America, US Airways, UPS, and The Blue Angels, as well as for the 1997 movie Air Force One.〔(Aviation Today, April 1, 2009: "Can Victorville Become a Maintenance and Mod Mecca?" )〕 The company is the largest independent painter of commercial and military aircraft in the United States, with facilities in California, Mississippi, Texas, Florida and South Carolina.〔(Orange County Business Journal, Apr 11, 2012: "Costa Mesa Aircraft Painter Gets Private Equity Investment" )〕 == History == Leading Edge was founded by Mike Manclark in 1989 as an aircraft detailing business based in John Wayne International Airport in Orange County, California.〔(Business Week: Leading Edge Aviation )〕 The company expanded through the 1990s, with Manclark becoming a private jet detailer for celebrities such as Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra. After a contract with McDonnell Douglas for a KC110 heavy-check maintenance clean, the company began to work on large aircraft, first stripping paint for maintenance purposes, then contracting paint jobs. The company's first high-profile job was to design United Airlines' new brand image, to be released at the Super Bowl.〔(American Executive, July 2010: "Leading Edge Aviation Services: Always Say Yes" )〕 The company gained contracts with major airlines such as Delta and Continental, as well as for special projects such as the Arizona Diamondbacks-themed Boeing 757 for America West Airlines,〔(Leading Edge: History )〕 historical restorations, and Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign plane.〔("Leading Edge Rolls out Presidential Treatment with Mitt Romney Campaign Plane" )〕 Other notable milestones: In 2008, The company repainted a World War II era Douglas A-26 Invader, now on display at the Orange County John Wayne Airport.〔(High Desert Daily Press, Jul 23, 2008: "WWII bomber gets a facelift at SCLA" )〕 In 2009, restored a Blue Angels McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, now on display at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.〔(AviationPros.com, Jul 13, 2009: "Leading Edge and Boeing Bring 'Blue Angel' to San Diego Air & Space Museum" )〕 In 2010, was contracted to repaint 631 planes in the United and Continental Airlines merger, expanding the company's Amarillo, Texas location.〔(ABC News Amarillo, Nov 11, 2010: "1st Boeing SC Dreamliner flies to Texas to be painted" )〕 In 2012, received AS9100 certification.〔("Leading Edge to Receive AS9100 Certification" )〕 The same year, the company painted the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, for Air India, and were contracted to paint all 787s built in Charleston, NC.〔(The Post and Courier, May 30, 2012: "1st Boeing SC Dreamliner flies to Texas to be painted" )〕 Vance Street Capital LLC made a private equity investment in Leading Edge in 2012.〔(Orange County Business Journal, Apr 11, 2012: "Costa Mesa Aircraft Painter Gets Private Equity Investment" )〕 Leading Edge began repainting American Airlines' fleet of aircraft when the company changed its "AA" logo to a stylized American flag in 2013.〔(Star-Telegram Jan 18, 2013: "American Airlines shows off new look for new era" )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Leading Edge Aviation Services」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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