Demand for Pratt & Whitney GTF engines continues to drive teardowns of relatively young aircraft, with parts company AerFin combining with private investment firm Turning Rock Partners to acquire three Airbus A220s.
The aircraft will remain in operation for an “interim period,” stated AerFin, after which the company will disassemble the airframes, and the engines will transition to long-term lease.
Last year Turning Rock and AerFin agreed to a similar deal to buy and teardown three A320neo airframes.
Worth noting is that Orix Aviation served as transaction adviser and technical inspector on that deal, strengthening a relationship that has blossomed into Orix buying UK-headquartered AerFin in August.
Orix said that AerFin would broaden its capabilities across the aircraft lifecycle, from leasing and asset management through end-of-life part-out and aftermarket solutions. However, Orix did not serve as technical inspector of the recent A220 deal, with that role filled by Shannon Technical Services.
Commenting on the recent aircraft purchase, AerFin CEO Simon Goodson said, “As the first independent provider to bring A220 used serviceable material to market, we’re helping to create new sources of supply for operators and lessors, improving availability and providing customers with greater flexibility.”
Last year Delta Material Services and lessor Azorra partnered to perform the first A220 teardown, an ex-EgyptAir unit.
Later that year at MRO Europe 2025, Goodson described early teardowns as a “smart, proactive strategy” that helps operators reduce both maintenance costs and their exposure to OEM pricing structures and lead times.
“Owners are responding decisively to a supply chain bottleneck by unlocking residual value from assets that, although still viable for continued operation, offer richer potential and less risk when strategically dismantled,” Goodson said at the time.
The European Commission had not provided a comment at the time of publication.
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