Category: Commercial

Iberia Maintenance and its Engine Training Center are starting the new year by launching a new Gas Turbine Engine Maintenance Specialization Program together with the Madrid regional education authorities and the Integrated Vocational Training Center Profesor Raúl Vázquez.

This is a pioneering initiative in Spain designed to address the fast-growing need for aviation engine mechanics. The sector is expanding rapidly: the global fleet of commercial aircraft is expected to grow by 30% in the next ten years, surpassing 36,000 aircraft in service.

This growth will add tens of thousands of engines operating continuously under strict maintenance, inspection, and overhaul requirements to ensure maximum safety. That makes the role of the engine mechanic essential, and highlights the need to train more professionals who can support this growth. It is a high-value specialization at the forefront of modern technologies with excellent career prospects.

The program is open to graduates of mid-level vocational training in Vehicle Electromechanics, Machinery Electromechanics, Railway Rolling Stock Maintenance, and Aircraft Structures and Systems Installation who want to specialize in aircraft engine maintenance.

The paid, scholarship-supported program runs from February 3 to June 18, 2026, totaling 500 hours: 260 hours of theory and 240 hours of practical training. The theoretical classes will take place in the afternoons at CIFP Profesor Raúl Vázquez in Madrid.

The practical sessions will also be held in the afternoons at Iberia Maintenance’s facilities in La Muñoza, in its advanced Engine Training Center, which houses two real turbine engines dedicated exclusively to training.

Enrollment

Enrollment is open from January 12 to January 16 and must be completed in person at the CIFP Profesor Raúl Vázquez office. Applicants must request an appointment through the school’s website, where detailed program and enrollment information is also available.

Iberia believes that meeting the growing need for engine mechanics requires collaboration across all sectors. For that reason, the company promotes initiatives that support vocational training, hands-on experience in real work environments, and access to stable, high-quality employment. At Iberia Maintenance, 80% of employees are certified aircraft maintenance technicians, underscoring the essential role they play and the importance of attracting young talent to ensure generational continuity.

Through this program, and in partnership with CIFP Profesor Raúl Vázquez, Iberia Maintenance strengthens its commitment to training and employability, helping to expand the pool of qualified professionals in a field that is critical to the future of aviation.

Iberia Maintenance’s Engine Business

Iberia Maintenance is one of Europe’s leading aviation engine maintenance providers, specializing in narrow-body aircraft turbofan engines, specifically the PW1100, CFM56, and V2500 models.

At its La Muñoza technical center, Iberia operates a 25,000 m² engine workshop and a 90,000-lb-thrust engine test stand. The company services and certifies an average of 200 engines per year. More than 700 professionals provide support to nearly 30 customers, including airlines and manufacturers. In 2025, Iberia’s Engine Workshop marked its 50th year of serving both Iberia and external clients.

CIFP Profesor Raúl Vázquez

Located in Madrid and backed by 20 years of teaching experience, CIFP Profesor Raúl Vázquez is a nationally recognized Center of Excellence in the aeronautical sector. It offers several vocational programs in the Transportation and Vehicle Maintenance field and was a pioneer in dual (classroom + workplace) training models. These programs prepare students for advanced tasks in engine maintenance, avionics, and integrated aircraft systems—skills that are highly valued in the aerospace industry.

The school has a teaching staff of about 54 instructors and around 1,000 students. It collaborates with more than 150 companies—most notably Iberia—where students complete internships, significantly improving their employment opportunities after graduation.

Registration is now open for the annual Surface Roughness, Texture, and Tribology short course, Livonia, Michigan, May 13–14, 2026. The two-day class offers a unique opportunity to learn the fundamentals of surface roughness and tribology and how they relate to friction, wear, noise, sealing, and appearance, in manufacturing and product development.

“We’ve developed this class to help people use surface roughness analysis in their workplaces,” said Don Cohen, PhD, who presents the course. “The two-day format lets us dive deep into surface roughness basics and to also address our attendees’ specific applications.” 

This class will feature two guest presenters: Laurie Winkless, physicist and science journalist, and Mark Malburg, president of Digital Metrology Solutions. Bruker will also be providing live demonstrations of 3D optical profilers.

The two-day course topics include:

• Measuring surface texture
• Filtering texture data into roughness and waviness
• Analysis techniques and tools
• Surface texture parameters
• Specifying surface texture 
• Applying texture analysis to wear, vibration, and other functions
• Coating adhesion and appearance
• Noise and vibration
• Dry friction and rolling friction
• Fundamentals of lubrication
• Surface metrology strategy.

“We’ve been refining and expanding this class for 20 years,” said Dr. Cohen. “It’s the most thorough and affordable opportunity we know to learn the fundamentals of surface texture and tribology, and to apply them for use in the workplace.”

Class details and registration are available at michmet.com/classes. Registration requests can also be made by emailing info@michmet.com.

A video introduction to this class is available at https://youtu.be/kQM23BbTHfk

AxioAero Group, a newly formed aerospace and aviation-focused holding company, announced the acquisition of Airway Aerospace, a Florida-based FAA, EASA, and CAA UK-certified repair station. Airway represents AxioAero’s second acquisition, joining Aviation Concepts, acquired in January 2024. The acquisition marks AxioAero Group’s commitment to building a portfolio of agile, customer-centric businesses serving critical segments of the aerospace aftermarket.

Airway, founded in 2013, provides maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services focused on accessories, airframe, and powerplant repairs across commercial, cargo, and defense aviation markets. With FAA, EASA, and CAA UK repair station certifications, RS-DER repair authority, and Owner-Produced Parts capabilities, the Company offers in-demand component repairs specializing in hydraulics, pneumatics, fuel systems, flight controls, thrust reversers, nacelles, and fixed-wing structures. The Company serves a diverse range of aircraft platforms including narrow-body (Boeing 737, Airbus A320 family), wide-body (Boeing 747/767, Airbus A300/A330), and Boeing 707 military variants. Operating from its two facilities in Doral, Florida, Airway has built long-standing customer relationships by offering fast, adaptable solutions and technical experience.

Airway will continue to operate under its own name and current leadership. The acquisition by AxioAero supports Airway’s ongoing growth while ensuring the Company retains its core identity, culture, and small-business agility.

“For more than a decade, we’ve taken pride in building Airway into a trusted repair partner known for reliability, responsiveness, and a commitment to quality,” said Joe Ferrer, owner of Airway. “Our success is driven by the dedication of our team and the strong relationships we’ve built with customers over the years. We view AxioAero Group as the ideal partner to support our continued growth while maintaining the standards and values that define Airway.”

Matt Haugk, CEO of AxioAero Group, said, “The acquisition of Airway Aerospace marks an important step in AxioAero’s strategy to build a differentiated platform in the aerospace aftermarket. Airway’s strong technical expertise, reputation for quality, and customer-focused approach align perfectly with our vision of building a differentiated aerospace platform. Together, we will continue to expand capabilities and deliver value to customers worldwide.”

CIRCOR International, Inc., a KKR portfolio company and a global manufacturer of flow control products for industrial and aerospace markets, has acquired essentially all the operating assets related to the herringbone gear pump product line of Flowserve Corporation.  The transaction includes the GAX, GR, & Gearex Series pump lines, which will be fully integrated into CIRCOR’s IMO product portfolio following a transition period.  There will be no disruption to existing or future customer orders.

This acquisition fills targeted product portfolio gaps within CIRCOR’s Pumps Americas offering, enhancing its ability to serve established end-markets such as chemical processing, power generation, and general industry. Engineered for durability and performance, the herringbone gear pump line offers key features such as stainless steel construction and intermittent dry-running capability. It is also designed to handle high-viscosity fluids, elevated temperatures, and critical service applications.

“We’re excited to bring this proven product line into the CIRCOR family,” said Tony Najjar, president and CEO of CIRCOR International. “These pumps align well with our strategic priorities in Pumps Americas by enhancing our offering for high-viscosity and specialty applications. Our Columbia, Kentucky facility is well-positioned to absorb this production delivering greater commercial focus and operational efficiency for our customers.”

Production of the acquired product line is expected to transition to CIRCOR’s Columbia, Ken. plant in the coming months. During this period, Flowserve will continue to support manufacturing and order fulfillment under a transition services agreement.

Turkish Technic has expanded its collaboration with Pakistan-based private airline, AirSial, through a component pool services agreement for the airline’s Airbus A320ceo fleet. Building on the successful partnership that has been in place since 2020, the new agreement extends cooperation for an additional five years while broadening the scope of services provided. 

Under this new agreement, Turkish Technic will continue to provide extensive component support and pooling solutions for AirSial’s entire fleet by leveraging its large inventory of components and spare parts, dedicated workshops, and warehouses all around the globe.  This expanded scope of services will enhance AirSial’s operational continuity and fleet availability while reinforcing the mutual trust and strong operational partnership between the two companies. 

‘‘Our renewed partnership with AirSial is a meaningful step which underlines shared ambition that drives our partnership forward,” said Mikail Akbulut, CEO and board member of Turkish Technic. “With our world-class team of technicians and engineers, we remain committed to providing comprehensive services to our customers worldwide. We look forward to exploring new opportunities with AirSial that will take this collaboration to even greater heights in the years to come.”

Regarding the continuation of the partnership, chairman of AirSial, Fazal Jilani, said: “We are pleased to extend and expand our successful partnership with Turkish Technic, a relationship built on a foundation of exceptional reliability and technical excellence since 2020. This comprehensive component pool agreement for our entire A320 fleet is a strategic cornerstone for our growth, ensuring maximum operational efficiency and fleet availability as we continue to expand our network. Turkish Technic’s global support infrastructure and proven expertise give us tremendous confidence to scale our operations seamlessly. We look forward to reaching new horizons together, supported by this strengthened collaboration.”

APOC Aviation, a trading and leasing specialist for narrowbody aircraft parts, engines and landing gear, has just acquired a CF34-10E engine for teardown with all used serviceable material (USM) available for sale or exchange opportunities. Most recently operated by Kenya Airways the engine asset will be dismantled in Europe with parts located at APOC’s warehouse close to Schiphol.  

According to Bruce Ansell, technical manager – engines division at APOC, this engine expands APOC’s engine material base.  “We currently have two V2500-A5 recently torn down, the CF34 will extend our market into this popular engine variant.  We are actively looking for further opportunities for CFM teardown engines to meet customer demand from airlines and traders.”

“This engine extends our market capabilities, and we perceive growing demand for high quality USM in 2026., added Ansell.

The GE CF34-10E engine powers the Embraer E190/E195 regional jets and the larger Embraer Lineage 1000 business jet, offering around 20,000 pounds of thrust for these popular aircraft. It’s known for reliability and fuel efficiency, making it a mainstay in regional aviation for dependable performance on shorter routes.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) updated its analysis of aerospace supply chain bottlenecks noting that aircraft availability remains one of the most significant constraints on industry
growth in its just released global outlook.While deliveries of new aircraft began to pick up in late 2025 and production is expected to accelerate in 2026, demand is forecast to outstrip the availability of aircraft and engines. The normalization of the structural mismatch between airline requirements and production capacity is unlikely before 2031-2034 due to irreversible losses on deliveries over the past five years and a record-high order backlog.Notable points on the current situation include

• Delivery shortfalls now total at least 5,300 aircraft.The order backlog has surpassed 17,000 aircraft, a number equal to almost 60% of the active fleet. Historically, this ratio was steady at around 30-40%. This backlog is equivalent to nearly 12 years of the current production capacity.The average fleet age has risen to 15.1 years (12.8 years for aircraft in the passenger fleet, 19.6 years for cargo aircraft, and 14.5 years for the wide-body fleet).Aircraft in storage (for all reasons) exceed 5,000 aircraft, one of the highest levels in history despite the severe shortage of new aircraft

“Airlines are feeling the impact of the aerospace supply chain challenges across their business. Higher leasing costs, reduced scheduling flexibility, delayed sustainability gains, and increased reliance on suboptimal aircraft types are the most obvious challenges. Airlines are missing opportunities to strengthen their top-line, improve their environmental performance, and serve customers. Meanwhile,
travelers are seeing higher costs from the resulting tighter demand/supply conditions. No effort should be spared to accelerate solutions before the impact becomes even more acute,” said Willie Walsh,
IATA’s Director General.As production bottlenecks continue, new challenges and impacts are being revealed:

• Delivery delays are compounded by several factors, including:
  
  • Airframe production is outpacing engine production (which is constrained due to issues with existing engines). This is resulting in newly completed airframes being parked until engines are available.Longer timelines for new aircraft certification (from 12-24 months to four or even five years) are delaying entry into production/service, particularly impacting long-haul fleet renewal.Tariffs on metals and electronics resulting from US-China trade tensions have worsened some supply bottlenecks and raised some maintenance costs. A shortage of skilled labor, especially in engine and component manufacturing, is constraining production ramp-up plans.The fragility of the aerospace supply chain network (often reliant on a limited number of suppliers for critical parts) can become an acute constraint amid economic uncertainty, changing tariff regimes, and tight labor markets. As a result, even small disruptions can be
    difficult to resolve and balloon to significant production delays.

• • Fuel efficiency improvements are slowing as the fleet ages. Historically, fuel efficiency improved by 2.0% per year, but this slowed to 0.3% in 2025 and is projected at 1.0% for 2026.

• The situation for the air cargo fleet risks evolving:
  
  • Converted aircraft from passenger operations are in short supply as airlines keep them in use for passenger operations longer.New-build wide bodies face production delays.Older cargo aircraft which have been kept flying longer to compensate for slower fleet renewal will eventually reach hard limits on their useful life.
  
  

A recent study by IATA and Oliver Wymann estimated that the cost to the airline industry of supply chain bottlenecks will be more than $11 billion in 2025, driven by four main factors:

• Excess fuel costs ($4.2 billion): Airlines are operating older, less fuel-efficient aircraft because new aircraft deliveries are delayed, leading to higher fuel costs.

• Additional maintenance costs ($3.1 billion): The global fleet is aging, and older aircraft require more frequent and expensive maintenance.

• Increased engine leasing costs ($2.6 billion): Airlines need to lease more engines since engines spend longer on the ground during maintenance. Aircraft lease rates have also risen by 20–30% since 2019.

• Surplus inventory holding costs ($1.4 billion): Airlines are stocking more spare parts to mitigate unpredictable supply chain disruptions, increasing inventory costs.

To help expedite solutions, the study pointed to several considerations:

• Open up aftermarket best practices by supporting Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) to be less dependent on OEM-driven commercial licensing models, as well as facilitating access
  to alternative sourcing for materials and services.

• Enhance supply chain visibility by creating clearer visibility across all supplier levels to spot risks early, reduce bottlenecks and inefficiencies, and use better data and tools to make
  the whole chain more resilient and reliable.

• Use data more extensively in leveraging predictive maintenance insights, pooling spare parts, and creating shared maintenance data platforms to optimize inventory and reduce downtime.

• Expand repair and parts capacity to accelerate repair approvals, support alternative parts and Used Serviceable Material (USM) solutions, and adopt advanced manufacturing to ease
  bottlenecks.