Gallery: What’s New In North America’s Aftermarket

Lufthansa Technik Component Services in February began an expansion to its facility at Tulsa International Airport. The expansion, scheduled to be complete by the end of 2025, will add 25,000 ft.², 90 new workstations, an updated avionics workshop and renovated hangars. The company says the expansion will enhance its capacity, drive workforce expansion and enable it to introduce new capabilities, including the repair of integrated drive generators.

At the beginning of this year, AAR agreed to divest its landing gear overhaul business and its wheels and brake business unit to GA Telesis. The acquired businesses will be integrated into GA Telesis’ MRO Services Division and branded as GA Telesis Landing Gear Services.  GA Telesis says the acquisition strengthens its landing gear capabilities and broadens its repair portfolio, including the addition of high-velocity oxy-fuel coating capabilities to support component longevity and durability. The deal was expected to close by the end of the first quarter but has not yet done so.

WestJet signed a $3 billion, $15-year contract with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) Feb. 13 for CFM International Leap 1B maintenance. Under the deal, LHT will build an engine shop and test cell at Calgary International Airport that is set to open in 2027. It will be the first Leap 1B test cell in Canada and one of just a few in North America, according to LHT CEO Soeren Stark. LHT will provide a range of services at the facility, including quick-turn shop visits and on-wing services, while full Leap 1B overhauls will continue to happen at its Hamburg, Germany headquarters or at its XEOS joint venture with GE Aerospace in Wroclaw, Poland.

Porter Airlines announced April 2 it would lease a 20,000 ft.² hangar at Halifax Stanfield International Airport to expand its maintenance operations. The facility will provide dedicated maintenance capacity for the airline’s Embraer E195-E2 and De Havilland Dash 8-400 fleets. Porter says the new facility will also create local job opportunities for roles such as aircraft maintenance engineers and material handlers.

Willis Lease Finance Corporation and Global Engine Maintenance announced an agreement March 19 to create a joint venture, Willis Global Engine Testing, to build an engine test cell facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. The facility will initially service CFM International CFM56-5B and -7B engines, with plans to service newer generation engine types in the future. The companies plan to break ground on the site in late 2025.

FEAM Aero signed new partnerships in the first quarter of 2025 aimed at boosting military veteran talent and breaking into the advanced air mobility (AAM) segment. In January, the company partnered with UrbanLink Air Mobility to provide maintenance expertise and help the electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft operator reduce downtime. In March, FEAM partnered with Aerotek to provide scholarships that will help service members with aviation experience transition their skills to civil aviation.

American Airlines announced a new partnership Jan. 14 with George T. Baker Aviation Technical College, part of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Under the partnership, students will have engagement opportunities with American’s Technical Operations team at its Miami hub and on campus, and students with top class placements will receive guaranteed interviews for open positions upon graduation and receipt of their FAA airframe and powerplant certificate.

ST Engineering announced plans March 6 to consolidate its U.S. MRO operations to its sites in Pensacola, Florida, and San Antonio, Texas. The consolidation will transfer aircraft heavy maintenance, modifications and engineering services work carried out at VT Mobile Aerospace Engineering in Mobile, Alabama, to the other two sites in hopes of streamlining operations. 

On March 27, AAR and FTAI Aviation extended their Serviceable Engine Products agreement for CFM International CFM56 used serviceable material (USM) through 2030. Under the agreement, first signed in 2020, AAR manages teardown, repair, marketing and sales of spare parts from FTAI’s CFM56 engine pool. USM inventory is available from FTAI’s Module Factory, a dedicated maintenance center focused on modular repair and refurbishment of CFM56-5Bs and -7Bs.

At the Aviation Technician Education Council’s (ATEC) Annual Conference in mid-March, the council announced legislative priorities to fund MRO training initiatives, simplify the transition for military veterans to civil aviation MRO careers, reduce barriers to airframe and powerplant testing, and get aviation maintenance programs classified as a STEM field of study to improve funding and international student opportunities. However, ATEC committee chairs and some conference attendees told Aviation Week Network that Department of Government Efficiency cuts to the FAA and the Trump administration’s anti-DEI executive orders are creating barriers to achieving some of these goals.

United Airlines began installations of Starlink internet on its regional aircraft in March. The airline plans to outfit around 40 aircraft per month through December to reach its target of more than 300 installations by the end of the year. United plans to add Starlink to its full fleet and expects to perform the first installation on a mainline aircraft by the end of the year.

HAECO Global Engine Support opened a new 290,000 ft.² facility in Dallas Feb. 1. The facility features 36 maintenance bays for repair work, including for AOG situations, larger repairs that require splitting engines into large components so they can be moved and internal engine component repairs. The facility is expected to generate more than 100 new aviation repair jobs in Dallas. 

Engine leasing, asset management, aircraft and engine trading provider BeauTech Power Systems formed an aero-engine leasing joint venture with Japanese conglomerate JALUX in mid-March. The 50-50 joint venture, BVJ Engine Holdings, is set to invest $150 million in Airbus A320 engines, including IAE V2500-A5s and Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs. The companies plan to offer short- and long-term engine leases to help clients minimize aircraft downtime.

MRO industry staffing solutions and repair provider Launch Technical Workforce Solutions received a private equity investment in early February. Launch says the majority investment by Capitol Meridian Partners will support its growth plans, including adding capabilities and staff, as well as help it develop its eLaunchNow digital platform that connects technicians with open contract positions.

Aftermarket parts distributor Seattle Aviation Solutions told Aviation Week Network in early March that it is considering international expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. The company is looking at adding a new warehouse in the region by mid-2026.

Mexican ULCC Viva unveiled plans in early February to build an MRO workshop at Queretaro International Airport. Viva plans to begin construction of the facility later this year and start operations there in early 2027. According to the carrier, the facility, which will feature four hangars, will enable it to have more guaranteed maintenance slots, reducing repair and service times.