Storm Aviation expands GO Team into global AOG recovery hub

Storm Aviation, the UK-based MRO and part of FL Technics Group, has taken on a new role as the central coordination hub for Aircraft on Ground (AOG) recovery across the group. The move expands the reach of its established GO Team, giving operators a single point of contact for rapid response technical recovery. Backed by the global network of the FL Technics Group, which has over 100 line maintenance stations worldwide and seven base maintenance hangars, including in Lithuania, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Indonesia and the Dominican Republic, as well as stock of spare parts in Dubai, Singapore and Vilnius. This model provides broader geographical coverage, including the Americas, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and beyond. It also offers faster response times and simplified coordination wherever an incident occurs. With operations spanning different regions, recovery teams can be deployed closer to the aircraft, helping reduce response times while keeping coordination centralised through Storm Aviation’s GO Team. Storm Aviation has been supporting time-critical aircraft recoveries for 30 years, bringing extensive operational experience to its new role. The move significantly expands the scope of support available to operators. It combines Storm Aviation’s rapid response expertise with the wide capabilities of FL Technics Group, providing broad geographical coverage, streamlined coordination, and access to additional technical resources. “Storm Aviation’s GO Team acts as the lead coordinator for AOG recovery across the group,” said Saulius Bajarunas, COO of FL Technics Group. “Our role is to put the best capability of the `group – our engineers, tooling, approvals and global footprint – behind every recovery the GO Team coordinates. For airlines, ACMI providers, lessors, and other aircraft operators, that means broader geographical coverage, faster access to technical resources, and simpler coordination when time is critical.” AOG events require operators to return a grounded aircraft to service as quickly as possible, often involving the coordination of engineers, specialised tooling, spare parts, and maintenance approvals across multiple locations. Under the new model, a single request to Storm Aviation’s GO Team initiates the entire recovery process. The team assesses the situation, mobilises the required resources, coordinates tooling and parts logistics, and manages the recovery through to return to service. Operators no longer need to make multiple calls, send queries to different units or source separate partners across regions. “Coordinating AOG recovery for the entire FL Technics Group is the next step in our story,” said Thomas Buckley, CEO of Storm Aviation. “Operators no longer have to chase multiple contacts across time zones. They have a single point of contact through our GO Team, and behind that team stands the entire capability of the FL Technics Group. Wherever your airline needs technical recovery assistance, we can mobilise faster and with greater certainty.” Pratt & Whitney advances engine inspections with AI-powered tech Pratt & Whitney is expanding its engine inspection capabilities with AI-assisted borescope software through the acquisition and integration of Amsterdam-based Aiir Innovations. This technology enables a step change in how inspections are performed, enhancing consistency and efficiency across global maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations for commercial, civil and military engines. “Broadening the integration of AI-assisted inspection capability strengthens our ability to detect issues earlier, improve turnaround times, increase time on wing and reduce operational disruption for our customers,” said Rob Griffiths, senior vice president, Commercial Engines Operations at Pratt & Whitney. “It will fundamentally reshape how engines and components are inspected, maintained and supported throughout their lifecycle, as we increase its application across Pratt & Whitney.” The software assists inspectors by applying artificial intelligence to borescope video to deliver faster, more repeatable assessments. It has already been rolled out to commercial customers and MRO providers, significantly reducing inspection times. Pratt & Whitney has applied the technology on the V2500 engine and recently completed pilots on the GTF and F135 engines, with plans to expand its use across the company. By adapting to inspector feedback to enhance classification performance over time, the technology becomes smarter, more accurate and increasingly aligned with real-world expertise. It also enables configurable reporting capabilities, allowing processes that once required substantial time to be completed in minutes with greater quality, consistency, traceability and accuracy. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]