This new Component Support agreement covers Citilink’s Airbus A320 fleet. This cooperation will allow Citilink to benefit from Turkish Technic’s component support and solution services including component pooling, repair, overhaul, modification, home base kits and logistics services. 

Turkish Technic has been providing component support and solution services to Citilink for many years. Turkish Technic also added landing gear overhaul services to the list of services it provides for operator, solidifying the long-standing partnership further.

Mikail Akbulut, CEO of Turkish Technic, said: ‘‘This agreement is a testament to Citilink's trust in our expertise and capabilities. We are excited to consolidate our long-standing partnership with our comprehensive component support services for their Airbus A320 fleet. We are confident in our ability to continue providing reliable and high-quality component services for the operator. We thank Citilink for trusting us as their solution partner over the years and look forward to many more successful years together.” 

Dewa Rai, President and CEO of Citilink, added: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Turkish Technic, a leading MRO provider. Their expertise and extensive support network will enable us to benefit from comprehensive component support services for our Airbus A320 fleet. This collaboration underscores Citilink's unwavering commitment to delivering the highest safety and performance standards, ensuring a seamless, comfortable, and hassle-free air travel experience for our valued passengers."

Mansoor Janahi, managing director and Group CEO of Sanad, said: “As the only independent MRO service centre for Rolls Royce’s Trent 700 engine platform in the world, we are proud to welcome Air Mauritius as our newest partner. This collaboration epitomises our commitment to not only expanding our global presence but also supporting the global aviation supply chain ecosystem from our home-base in Abu Dhabi.”

Charles Cartier, chief executive officer of Air Mauritius, added: "Air Mauritius, the national carrier of the Republic of Mauritius and the leading airline of the Indian Ocean, is further consolidating its network. Our steadfast commitment is to uphold the highest standards of safety, reliability, and operational efficiency for our Airbus A330 fleet across our international routes spanning the Indian Ocean region, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, whilst enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. We are delighted to announce this exclusive three-year partnership with Sanad for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services for our Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.”

The strategic agreement marks a significant milestone in expanding ATR’s presence in Africa and the Middle East, enabling enhanced support to local operators and fostering market growth.

The cooperation would cover the development of Ethiopian MRO’s maintenance capabilities for ATR aircraft types and the establishment of a local spares’ stock to reduce response time for ATR operators in the region. It would also explore collaborative ways to train new ATR pilots with the Ethiopian pilot academy.

With its extensive aircraft maintenance and repair capability, an international network for seamless spare parts delivery, multiple hubs across the continent, and an aviation training university, Ethiopian MRO is a key player in the aftermarket and the ideal local partner to cater to the needs of the 36 airlines operating 131 ATR aircraft across Africa and the Middle East.

Ato Mesfin Tasew Bekele, Ethiopian Airlines Group’s chief executive officer, said: “This partnership aligns with Ethiopian Airlines Group’s vision to become a leading aviation reference for the African continent and the Middle East. We aim to share our expertise and benefit the entire African and Middle Eastern aviation community. This collaboration reinforces Ethiopia’s positioning as a key hub, and the fact that an established OEM such as ATR approaches us to leverage our capabilities for their fleet and operators is a testament to the recognition we have earned."

Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, ATR’s chief executive officer, said: “Ethiopian MRO’s significant investments over the past years to expand their facilities combined with their dedication to developing their capabilities, present a timely opportunity for ATR to provide better support to our African and Middle Eastern operators. We are confident this cooperation will help boost regional aviation locally and unlock further potential for growth for ATR. Our operators will benefit from an improved quality of service, lower maintenance costs, reduced downtimes and lower emissions through the support of an experienced partner close to their needs.”

This includes with researching hydrogen fuel system technology and continuing to prove hydrogen could be a zero-carbon aviation fuel of the future.

TCS will provide engineering skills and support to Rolls-Royce as it addresses three key challenges in the journey to enabling hydrogen for use in aviation: fuel combustion, fuel delivery and fuel systems integration with an engine. All elements must be confirmed to operate safely.

Alan Newby, Director, Research and Technology, Rolls-Royce, said, “We welcome TCS to our hydrogen research programme and their engineering skills will play a valuable role in addressing our technology goals. We’ve already made great progress and having TCS with us gives us additional capability as we move forward on our journey to enable the energy transition for the aviation sector.”

This expanded partnership was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow where TCS also showcased its technological prowess in the aviation industry. The partnership builds on a long-standing relationship between Rolls-Royce and the Tata Group, including engines and a strong supply chain commitment. TCS has also been working with Rolls-Royce since 2010 in the areas of design, manufacturing engineering, control systems and software, after-market services as well as IT services. Having supported Rolls-Royce in major civil and business aviation programs, TCS has also supported its end-to-end product development lifecycle.

Anupam Singhal, President - Manufacturing, TCS, said: “The partnership between TCS and Rolls-Royce is an exciting one that represents a powerful alliance in the quest for sustainable aviation solutions. We are aligned with Rolls-Royce’s ambition for a greener future. This partnership is the perfect opportunity to put our technological strengths and passion for the environment to use for advancing innovation and fostering an eco-friendlier aerospace sector.”

The company’s 2024 Pilot and Technician Outlook (PTO) shows the industry will require nearly 2.4 million new professionals to support the growing commercial fleet and meet the long-term increase in air travel.

According to the latest PTO, commercial carriers will need the following new personnel through 2043 to sustain the global commercial fleet:

674,000 pilots

716,000 maintenance technicians

980,000 cabin crew members.

“Driven by aviation traffic trending above pre-pandemic levels, personnel attrition and commercial fleet growth, the demand for aviation personnel continues to rise,” said Chris Broom, vice president, commercial training solutions, Boeing Global Services.

“We are focused on being a reliable and innovative partner in the lifecycle of aviation training. Our offerings are rooted in competency-based training and assessment programmes to help ensure high quality aviation training starting in flight schools and in commercial operations while helping enhance aviation safety through immersive and virtual training solutions.”

Gama Aviation Engineering will now provide line maintenance of Honeywell TFE731 business jet engines and auxiliary power units, or APUs, at its Bournemouth facility in the United Kingdom. This enhances Gama’s service capabilities and enables those seeking maintenance at Bournemouth to remain in compliance with Honeywell’s Maintenance Service Plan.

“Our collaboration with Gama Aviation Engineering strengthens our service network and ensures that operators have more access to authorised maintenance. This agreement underscores our commitment to providing reliable and efficient maintenance support for aircraft operators in the region,” said Anthony Florian, president for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. 

“‘We are pleased to have broadened our services on the Honeywell TFE and APU platforms. This is a significant milestone that will enhance our ability to provide comprehensive services, top-tier mechanical expertise and support to our customers,” says Paul Kinch, managing director of maintenance, repair and overhaul services at Gama Aviation Engineering.

This gives Ethiopian the full testing capability of Leap-1B engine, an exclusive powerplant for Boeing's new-generation 737 MAX single-aisle jet.

Ethiopian Airlines Group chief executive officer, Mesfin Tasew said: “We feel proud for achieving full testing capability for the CFM Leap-1B engine at our modern MRO facility in Addis Ababa. The addition of this state-of-the-art facility will enable us to finalize the development of Performance Restoration Shop Visit (PRSV1) repair capability on the engine, which is expected to be ready very soon. We extend our appreciation to SAE, GE and the other partners who contributed to this success.”

The newly launched Leap-1B testing facility positions Ethiopian Airlines as the 5th facility globally outside the Safran Aero Engines (SAE) and the General Electric (GE)

network, and the first in the Middle East and Africa for possessing such advanced capability. Ethiopian Airlines has planned to complete Phase 2- Performance Restoration Shop Visit (PRSV1) project by the end of September 2024 which will also enable the airline to offer Leap-1B PRSV solutions for customers in the region and beyond.

The students graduated after completing their Aircraft Maintenance On-the-Job Experience (OJE) Programme.

Etihad Engineering’s collaboration with VCATI is part of the company’s long-standing commitment to develop and nurture the next generation of aviation professionals by imparting valuable hands-on industry experience to young students at its state-of-the-art aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Abu Dhabi.

The OJE programme is managed by Etihad Engineering Technical Training, the onsite training facility of the company which trains more than 10,000 aviation professionals through more than 600 courses every year.

“The aviation sector is booming and the demand for highly skilled and well-trained professionals is higher than ever in our MRO business,” says Adrian Guirey, senior manager of Etihad Engineering Technical Training.

“Our Aircraft Maintenance On the Job Experience (OJE) Programme with VCATI enables us to usher in the next generation of aviation professionals who will become qualified and highly competent aircraft engineers filling the talent gap in the industry,” he adds.

The OJE programme with VCATI was launched in December 2022 with the induction of the first batch of aviation students, and more batches have arrived at the facility since the first induction.

The multi-year agreement encompasses services for a total of 27 aircraft. With this first contract, both companies are laying the foundations for long-term cooperation.

The now concluded agreement includes the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft components and provides Air India access to Lufthansa Technik's global component pool and logistics services. The close partnership between the two companies will enable the airline to maximise efficiency in its technical operations and ensures the best possible availability of the spare parts it needs.

S.K. Dash, chief technical officer at Air India, said: "The partnership with the well-experienced Lufthansa Technik for the component support of our entire Boeing 777 fleet of 27 aircraft is a significant milestone in our collaborative journey. Lufthansa Technik demonstrated professional ad-hoc support for our Boeing 777 fleet and we are delighted to strengthen this relationship further by way of this long-term agreement."

Dennis Kohr, senior vice president corporate sales Asia Pacific at Lufthansa Technik, added: "We would like to thank Air India for their trust and for awarding Lufthansa Technik to provide comprehensive Total Component Support. As the airline continues on its growth path in the next years, we look forward to supporting them  with our services and eagerly anticipate expanding our new partnership further."

Activities include the production of A350 fuselage sections in Kinston, North Carolina, U.S., and St. Nazaire, France; of the A220’s wings and mid-fuselage in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Casablanca, Morocco; as well as of the A220 pylons in Wichita, Kansas, U.S.

Airbus aims to ensure stability of supply for its commercial aircraft programmes through a more sustainable way forward, both operationally and financially, for the various Airbus work packages that Spirit AeroSystems is responsible for today.

The transaction would cover the acquisition of these activities. Airbus will be compensated by payment of $559 million from Spirit AeroSystems, for a nominal consideration of $1.00, subject to adjustments including based on the final transaction perimeter.