New life for the former United Airlines maintenance base at Indianapolis International Airport will come this month as Illinois-based AAR Corp. begins maintenance work there, initially employing 200.

That's a tiny number compared with the 1,200 laid off when a bankruptcy-embroiled United closed the base in 2003.

But AAR is negotiating four airline maintenance contracts. If it wins them all, it would require a work force of 600, said Mark McDonald, AAR's group vice president. AAR has predicted its Indianapolis employment could go as high as 800 by 2009.

Another firm, Indianapolis Diversified Machining Inc., started by former United employees, intends to hire 50 workers at the base to repair parts for AAR.