MRO Industry Rolling Daily Updates (December 2024)

December 20, 2024

Swiss Adopts 8tree dentCHECK

Swiss International Air Lines has adopted 8tree’s dentCHECK service for enhanced damage mapping. The airline says the technology’s ability to automatically generate detailed reports brings efficiencies to its maintenance workflow.

Ground Maintenance Technics Selects Centrik 5 Platform

Icelandic MRO and AOG services provider Ground Maintenance Technics has chosen TrustFlight’s Centrik 5 software to achieve European Union Aviation Safety Agency Part 145 safety management system compliance and streamline its operations.

December 19, 2024

Aeroplex Expands Bucharest Maintenance Operations

Aeroplex announced it will start operating two maintenance lines at its Bucharest base this month. It plans to increase to three maintenance lines there by the end of 2025. To aid its expansion, Aeroplex says it is focused on attracting back skilled Romanian labor currently working abroad.

TAAG Angola Picks LHT For Component Support

TAAG Angola Airlines has signed a 12-year Total Component Support contract with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) for its new Boeing 787 fleet. In addition to providing component MRO for the airline, LHT will support it with an Aircraft Production Inspection program that covers the new 787s and Airbus A220s.

December 18, 2024

GATES Gets FAA Approval For New Capabilities

GA Telesis Engine Services (GATES) has received FAA approval to add limited airframe capabilities to its operations specifications and to perform borescope inspections and engine changes on all Boeing 767 aircraft. It says the new services will enhance operational efficiencies and reduce turnaround times for customers.

TAT Technologies Lands APU Agreement With Cargo Carrier

TAT Technologies has signed a five-year agreement with an unnamed North American cargo carrier to provide repair and overhaul services for auxiliary power units on its Boeing 757s and 767s. The contract is valued at approximately $17 million.

December 17, 2024

LHT Partners With Microsoft On AI For MRO

Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has partnered with Microsoft to utilize its Azure AI Services large language models to drive development of artificial intelligence (AI) for maintenance processes. LHT says the collaboration will include more than 50 AI use cases based on Microsoft’s AI and cloud software products, such as the optimization of layover planning. It expects AI for this use case to reduce ground time by 5-10%.

Safran Plans New Brussels Engine Module Shop

Safran Aircraft Engines has signed an agreement with the Brussels Airport Company to construct a new building at the Safran Aircraft Engine Services Brussels maintenance shop. The 118,000 ft.² facility will be dedicated to maintenance of engine modules. It is expected to be operational by mid-2027 and create 220 new jobs.

December 16, 2024

Air India Adds Airbus A350 Services Agreement

Air India has selected Airbus’ Flight Hour Services-Component support for its growing fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft. The maintenance agreement coincides with the flag carrier ordering an additional 10 A350s, adding to the 40 placed for the widebody aircraft in 2023. Air India commenced A350 operations in January 2024.

GA Telesis JV Gains FAA Approval For Capability Growth

GA Telesis Engine Services SPAH, a joint venture between GA Telesis and Air Transport Services Group, has received FAA approval to add limited airframe capabilities and borescope inspections and engine changes on both CF6- and PW4000-powered 767s to its operations specifications.

December 13, 2024

Avia Solutions Group Launches Manila Services Center

Avia Solutions Group (ASG) is launching its first global services center in Manila, the Philippines, with operations planned to start in January 2025. The center will primarily focus on supporting technical and flight operations of ASG airlines and MROs, offering functions such as flight operations support, maintenance planning and technical documentation management.

Qantas Line Maintenance Engineers Plan Strike

Nearly 500 Qantas line maintenance engineers are planning a work stoppage on Friday, Dec. 13 in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide over a wage dispute-related stalemate. The Qantas Engineers’ Alliance plans to expand industrial action if the airline will not negotiate on its initial offer.

December 12, 2024

Philippine Airlines Taps Epcor For More APU Maintenance

Philippine Airlines has signed a long-term agreement with AFI KLM E&M subsidiary Epcor covering maintenance of APU131-9A auxiliary power units (APU) for its Airbus A320 fleet. Epcor already holds two additional APU contracts with the airline, covering GTCP331-350 APUs for the Airbus A330 and A340, and GTCP500 APUs for the Boeing 777.

3TOP Acquires Airbus Narrowbody For Part-Out

UK-based 3TOP Aviation Services has acquired an Airbus A318-100 aircraft along with its associated engines for teardown. The aircraft, previously operated by Romanian carrier Tarom, has been ferried to the Spain-based facility of part-out specialist Ecube, where it will be dismantled and harvested for material.

December 11, 2024

Iberia Maintenance Adds A321XLR Wheels And Brakes Capabilities

Iberia Maintenance has added maintenance capabilities for Airbus A321XLR wheels and brakes following Iberia’s incorporation of the aircraft type into its fleet in November. The company says its components workshop in La Munoza, Madrid is one of only a few global workshops certified to maintain A321XLR wheels and brakes.

Flydubai Gets Maintenance Training Certification

Dubai-based carrier flydubai has received CAR 147 approved maintenance training organization certification from the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority. Flydubai says the training certification will help it grow its maintenance and engineering workforce to support its expanding fleet. The airline also plans to open its first purpose-built maintenance facility in Dubai South by 2026.

December 10, 2024

PNG Air Gets Maintenance Certification

PNG Air announced that it has received a maintenance organization certificate from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea, valid for three years. The airline operates a mixed fleet of ATR 72-600s and De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100s, as well as a Dash 8 freighter.

Setna iO Gets Increased Credit Facility

Setna iO has a new credit facility that has increased its borrowing capacity to $350 million, which it says will support its growth at its Chicago-area headquarters and Setnix locations in Arizona and the UK.

December 9, 2024

Boeing, Arajet Complete Maintenance Training Course

Boeing and Arajet recently held a training course at the airline’s facilities in Santo Domingo, Dominic Republic covering Boeing 737 MAX line maintenance, engineering and quality as part of a series of training programs for young technicians and aeronautical engineers. The course is the second training Boeing instructors have given at Arajet’s facilities.

Lufthansa Technik Aero Alzey, RAS Start Regional MRO Partnership

Lufthansa Technik Aero Alzey has announced a strategic collaboration with Rheinland Air Service (RAS) under which it provide engine maintenance services to RAS and its customers. The companies say the collaboration will enhance RAS’s technical capabilities, notably for operators of regional aircraft such as Embraer E-Jets and De Havilland Canada Dash 8s.

December 6, 2024

StandardAero Gets Indian PW100 Maintenance Approval

StandardAero’s Pratt & Whitney Canada authorized PW100 designated overhaul facility in Gonesse, France has received maintenance organization approval from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, enabling it to support the engine’s operators in India.

C&L Aerospace Plans Business Jet Teardowns

C&L Aerospace has entered a long-term strategic agreement to disassemble end-of-life business jet aircraft. It will initially disassemble 13 Cessna Citation aircraft acquired through a bulk purchase through the remainder of 2024, with plans to add more aircraft types in the future.

December 5, 2024

Transport Canada Approves TAM’s Saab 340 Cargo Conversion

Taby Air Maintenance (TAM) has received approval from Transport Canada for its Saab 340 cargo conversion supplemental type certificate (STC). TAM already holds approvals for the conversion from the FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency and it has converted approximately 40 aircraft so far under the STC.

ADE Plans New Facilities In 2025

Asia Digital Engineering CEO Mahesh Kumar announced the company is planning to launch a new workshop in Nilai, Malaysia in early 2025 with capabilities such as composite and component repair. It is also working to launch an aircraft engineering training center in 2025 to support its workforce growth.

December 4, 2024

Jetstar Taps SriLankan Engineering For Line Maintenance

SriLankan Engineering has signed a long-term line maintenance agreement with Singaporean low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia. It will provide line maintenance services from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Norwegian Air Shuttle Extends LHT Base Maintenance Deal

Low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle has extended its base maintenance agreement with Lufthansa Technik (LHT) for an additional five years. The agreement covers overhaul of the airline’s fleet of more than 80 Boeing 737NG and 737 MAX aircraft from LHT’s Budapest facility, and includes a total of 120 scheduled maintenance checks.

December 3, 2024

CommuteAir E170 Support

CommuteAir expanded its service contract with Embraer to include its E-Jet fleet. The new Exchange Plus Program will provide the operator inventory management and repair services for its E170 aircraft. CommuteAir also contracts Embraer for ERJ145 parts support.

CAMEX Airlines 767 Ops

Air Transport Services Group delivered a Boeing 767-300 converted freighter to Tbilisi-based CAMEX Airlines. The airline plans to take delivery of a second 767 in 2025. This aircraft brings ATSG’s externally leased aircraft fleet to 90.

December 2, 2024

SAS Digitizes Fleet Records With ROAM Software

Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) has signed a 10-year contract with GAMIT to digitalize its fleet’s technical records using ROAM (Records Online Asset Management) software. SAS says the software will give it full control over airworthiness documentation, make it easier to find documents, and allow the airline to be more proactive in returning aircraft.

CommuteAir Signs Embraer E170 Service Agreement

CommuteAir has signed an agreement with Embraer for its Exchange Plus Program, which gives it access to tailored inventory management and repair services from the aircraft manufacturer’s global supply chain. CommuteAir’s VP of Technical Operations, Lon Ziegler, says the deal will provide it with a ready supply of parts to support its Embraer E170 charter operations.