MRO News in Brief 02 November 2026

Safran strengthens its presence in APAC with Malaysia facility: Safran Landing Systems has inaugurated the expansion of its manufacturing and heat sink refurbishment facility in Sendayan, along with a new carbon brake Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) center in Nilai. These complementary investments will help meet the growing needs of about 100 airline operators in Asia-Pacific, supporting fleets of Airbus (A320, A321, A350), Boeing (737, 777, 787) and ATR aircraft. The €134 million expansion of the Sendayan facility adds 7,000 square meters of advanced manufacturing space, including a new textile line, carbonization furnaces and state-of-the-art machining equipment. The site, which currently employs 160 people, will double its carbon brake disc production capacity by 2028. The new 1,000 square meter MRO center in Nilai represents an investment of €2 million. It is strategically located close to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and 20 kilometers from Sendayan, which supplies it with new and refurbished carbon brake discs. “Malaysia plays a strategic role in Safran Landing Systems’ global industrial footprint. Our investments in Sendayan and Nilai, combined with our local MRO partner network, reflect our commitment to supporting Asia Pacific’s long-term aviation growth by providing faster end-to-end wheels & brakes services, closer to our customers. They also demonstrate our dedication to developing local talent and reducing our environmental footprint” François Bastin, Safran Landing Systems CEO Liebherr to overhaul KLM Cityhopper’s Embraer 175-E1 landing gear:  Liebherr-Aerospace and KLM Cityhopper have signed an agreement covering the overhaul of the main and nose landing gear systems on the airline’s Embraer 175-E1 aircraft fleet. The campaign is scheduled to begin in November 2027. All overhaul work will be carried out in-house at Liebherr-Aerospace’s facility in Lindenberg. The company brings experience as both the landing gear systems’ original equipment manufacturer and a specialist in maintenance, repair and overhaul. Thom Grobben, VP Technical Services and Fleet Development at KLM Cityhopper said: “This agreement strengthens our long-term partnership established through the E190 landing gear overhaul program. We value Liebherr’s expertise and look forward to their continued support in delivering this critical service for our maintenance operations.”  Christian Franz, Director Customer Service at Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH added: “We are very happy and grateful to perform the overhaul for KLM Cityhopper, which marks a significant step forward in our partnership and highlights the strong mutual trust between our companies.” Satair and Sabena technics sign Integrated Material Services agreement: Satair and Sabena technics announced the signature of a long-term Integrated Material Services (IMS) agreement. Expanding on Satair’s established global IMS footprint across Asia-Pacific and China, this milestone contract marks the first time an independent European MRO has adopted the program, elevating the companies’ long-standing transactional relationship into a multi-year operational collaboration. Under the agreement, Satair fully manages the planning, availability, and obsolescence of consumable and expendable parts across Sabena technics’ Airbus maintenance activities. The program combines dedicated on-site stock (OSS) at Sabena technics’ facilities with global pool access under a flexible “pay-after-use” model, eliminating capital tie-up and inventory holding risks. A dedicated Satair team will be embedded on-site to integrate directly with local maintenance and procurement teams. The contract expands Satair’s global IMS footprint to 28 airline and MRO customers operating across all Airbus aircraft platforms. Air France-KLM and Airbus sign JV for A350 component support: Air France-KLM and Airbus have established Alpha Component Solutions, a 50/50 joint venture dedicated to A350 component support. The new entity will manage a worldwide shared-access pool, providing aircraft component assets, maintenance services, supply chain management and repairs. The joint venture combines the component support expertise of Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) with the capabilities of Airbus’ Flight Hours Services (FHS). Together, these capabilities will address the growing long-term component maintenance requirements of the global Airbus A350 fleet. The joint venture already contractually supports more than 500 aircraft, with a worldwide footprint ready to support new and existing operators. Operations are scheduled to commence later this year. Alpha Component Solutions brings together component pooling, maintenance and supply chain capabilities within an integrated support offering. By combining the operational expertise of AFI KLM E&M with Airbus’ global support capabilities, the joint venture aims to improve component availability, support maintenance efficiency and provide solutions tailored to the evolving needs of A350 operators worldwide. Jettime selects Fokker Services Group for Boeing 737NG component support: Fokker Services Group (“FSG”), and Jettime have signed an ABACUS component support agreement for Jettime’s Boeing 737NG fleet. Under the agreement, FSG will provide Jettime with forward exchange services for a broad range of Boeing 737NG components. By making replacement components available when needed, the program is designed to reduce aircraft downtime and support Jettime in maintaining high aircraft availability. Components removed from service will be repaired through FSG’s in-house component shops, combining technical expertise, extensive repair capabilities and stringent quality standards. The agreement also includes lease services for selected components. These components will be held in stock at Jettime’s location, giving its maintenance teams immediate access to key items and helping prevent operational delays. Together, the forward exchange, in-house repair and on-site stock services provide Jettime with a flexible support solution tailored to its operational requirements. Nomad Technics wraps major checks on Challenger 604 and Global 5000: Nomad Technics has successfully completed two significant heavy maintenance events on Bombardier business jets at its Basel facility. The projects included a 7,800 Landings Inspection on a Bombardier Challenger 604 and a 120-Month Inspection on a Bombardier Global 5000. The Challenger 604 inspection involved an extensive structural and systems review in accordance with the manufacturer’s maintenance requirements. The work package included detailed inspections of primary aircraft structures, landing gear, flight control systems, as well as the accomplishment of various scheduled maintenance tasks and rectification of findings identified during the inspection process. On the Bombardier Global 5000, Nomad Technics carried out the comprehensive 120-Month Inspection, one of the most significant scheduled maintenance events in the aircraft’s maintenance program. The work involved in-depth inspections of the airframe, systems and components, along with the completion of additional maintenance activities to ensure the aircraft continues to meet the highest standards of safety, reliability and operational performance. Safran signs MoU with Singapore EDB for AI centre: Safran.AI announced plans to establish its first international subsidiary in Singapore. The announcement comes as Safran and EDB sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen Singapore’s role as a strategic hub for Safran in Southeast Asia and lay the foundation for long-term cooperation. The creation of Safran.AI Singapore is the first concrete outcome of this partnership, with further major initiatives expected in the coming years. The new Safran.AI Singapore subsidiary will focus on three key areas. It will develop AI solutions for industry through a Centre of Excellence initially focusing on the automation of digital inspection to support Singapore’s MRO 4.0 ambitions for Safran, its partners and customers. It will also advance research and innovation by leveraging Singapore’s talent pool and academic ecosystem while serving Safran.AI’s customers across ASEAN. The new entity is expected to grow to around 50 employees over the next five years. Hiring will commence in the first quarter of 2027 with positions including data scientists and AI engineers. Airbus and AJW Group expand partnership: AJW Group has signed a long-term repair agreement with Airbus covering Airbus avionics and radome products. The agreement marks a significant milestone in the continued development of the partnership between the two organisations and will see Airbus become AJW’s privileged partner for the maintenance and repair of these critical components across AJW’s global network. By combining Airbus’ OEM expertise, quality standards, and specialised product knowledge with AJW’s global aftermarket support capabilities, the partnership will provide customers with high-quality repair solutions designed to support operational availability and keep aircraft flying.  The agreement complements AJW’s existing in-house MRO capabilities at AJW Technique, further broadening the range of repair support available to customers across its global network. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]