Category: PRs

Sonic, a leading provider of professional-grade tool solutions and equipment, today announced the winners of the first round of its Impact Scholarship Program. The initiative recognizes exceptional automotive, aviation, and manufacturing technician students who embody the company’s PACE values of Passion, Accountability, Collaboration and Experience.

Five students have been selected from the group of scholarship applicants from across the United States, each receiving a comprehensive set of premium hand tools curated specifically for their trade to support their educational journey and future technician careers. The four aviation student winners each receive the Sonic 263-pc Intermediate Aviation Toolset, within the Next S9 Toolbox. The automotive student winner receives the Sonic 255-pc Basic Automotive Toolset, within the Next S12 XD Toolbox. 

Summer 2025 Scholarship Winners:

Aviation Students:

• Sydney Pursifull – School of Missionary Aviation Technology in Ionia, Mich., from Rockford, Mich. 
• Joseph Reid – Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) in Hagerstown, Md., from Martinsburg, W.Va.
• Aaron Insua – National Aviation Academy in Clearwater, Fla., from Riverview, Fla.  
• Kevin Farris – Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) in Duluth, Ga., from Monroe, Ga. 

Automotive Student:

• Creed Crocket – Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Irving, Tx., from Denton, Tx. 

“These five exceptional students represent the future of skilled technicians. Each winner demonstrated not only academic excellence but also a commitment to the PACE values of passion, accountability, collaboration, and experience, that drive success in their chosen fields,” said Colby McConnell, CEO, Sonic USA. “By providing them with professional-grade tools, we’re investing in their ability to focus on learning and skill development rather than the financial burden of acquiring essential equipment. I can’t wait to see how these students use Sonic tools to help propel their careers forward.”

Addressing Critical Industry Needs

The scholarship program directly responds to the growing technician shortage across the automotive, aviation, and manufacturing industries. Sonic recognizes that skilled technicians are essential to keeping critical infrastructure and transportation systems operational, making significant impacts in their respective communities and industries.

Each scholarship package includes tools specifically vetted by technical instructors and industry leaders, ensuring recipients receive equipment that will serve them throughout their educational programs and into their professional careers.

More Scholarships Awarded in the Fall

Sonic will award five additional scholarships in November 2025, completing the inaugural year of the program. Students interested in applying for the November scholarship round must submit proof of enrollment, an instructor recommendation letter, a 500-word essay on exemplifying PACE values and making an impact, and a brief video describing how Sonic tools will advance their respective career goals.

For more information about the Sonic Impact Scholarship, visit http://www.sonictoolsusa.com/scholarship/.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued an urgent safety recommendation Wednesday, June 18, 2025 to address the possibility of smoke entering the cockpit or cabin of airplanes equipped with CFM International LEAP-1B engines and issued additional recommendations to evaluate the potential for the same issue with LEAP-1A and -1C engines.

CFM LEAP engines are used on variants of Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max narrow-body passenger jets.

The NTSB found that the engine load reduction device, or LRD, a safety feature designed to reduce the severity of vibrations transmitted from a damaged engine to the airframe, can result in damage to the engine oil system. Such a condition can allow smoke from hot oil to enter the ventilation system and ultimately the cockpit or passenger cabin.

The recommendations stem from the NTSB’s investigation into a December 2023 incident in which smoke entered the airplane after a bird was ingested into the left engine of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8 shortly after departing New Orleans, Louisiana. The flight deck filled with what the crew described as “acrid white smoke” so thick that the captain had difficulty seeing the instrument panel. The crew donned masks, were able to clear the smoke, and landed the airplane back in New Orleans. None of the crew or passengers were injured.

A similar engine damage event occurred in March 2023 on another Southwest flight when vapor fog filled the passenger cabin after birds were ingested into the right engine shortly after departing Havana, Cuba. The flight crew declared an emergency and returned to the departure airport without further incident.

Concerned that flight crews operating these airplanes may not be fully aware of the potential hazard of an LRD smoke-related event along with the appropriate mitigation actions, the NTSB issued an urgent safety recommendation to the Federal Aviation Administration asking the agency to ensure that operators inform flight crews of airplanes equipped with the affected engines. Boeing has revised flight manuals for pilots detailing the steps to take to prevent smoke from entering the cockpit or cabin following an LRD activation.

In safety recommendations issued to the FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the NTSB asked the aviation regulators to determine if other variants of the CFM LEAP engine are also susceptible to smoke in the cabin or cockpit when an LRD activates.

The NTSB also asked the FAA and EASA to require all operators of the affected engines to incorporate software modifications developed by CFM and Boeing.

The 11-page aviation investigation report is available online​. 

FDH Aero (FDH), an independent supply chain solutions partner for the aerospace and defense industry, announced recently the company is advancing its global growth and investing long-term in infrastructure and local expertise with expansions across Europe, East Asia, and South Asia. These expansions are fueled by significant contract wins and by establishing long-term partnerships in growth regions. The company says the result for their customers will include better inventory visibility, faster fulfillment and stronger technical support, all tailored to regional demand.

In the EMEA region, FDH Aero’s Center of Excellence in Bremen, Germany, is expanding its relationship with Airbus to supply a broader range of critical components and is strengthening its role in supporting the manufacture of new aircraft to meet global demand. Already an authorized solutions partner for Airbus’s helicopters, defense and space, FDH Aero is creating additional efficiencies and value to help increase manufacturing of commercial aircraft in the region.

Additionally, FDH Aero is expanding its Singapore facility to better serve customers and support growth across Southeast Asia. The company has also established a new sales office in Bengaluru (Bangalore), India, strengthening local inventory and support for FDH Electronics and FDH Hardware as they meet the needs of the country’s fast-growing aerospace manufacturing sector.

“These investments reflect FDH Aero’s commitment to growing alongside our customers around the world,” said Matt Lacki, president of FDH Hardware. “We’re excited to deepen our presence in key markets like Germany, Singapore and India, where we’ve combined great people, deep product knowledge, and operational strength. That’s what gives us the ability to solve problems fast—and solve them locally—ensuring on-time delivery.”

GKN Aerospace has completed and delivered the first high voltage Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) for the Clean Aviation SWITCH project. The system, developed at GKN Aerospace’s site in Papendrecht, the Netherlands, is designed for megawatt-class hybrid electric propulsion and will undergo system integration testing later this year at Collins Aerospace’s advanced electric power systems lab, The Grid, in Rockford, Illinois. Following this, it will support future hybrid-electric Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine demonstrator testing at EME Aero in Poland.

The SWITCH project is a major international collaboration focused on developing advanced aircraft propulsion technologies for enabling improved efficiency and performance in future short and medium range aircraft. Led by a consortium including MTU Aero Engines AG, RTX businesses Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, Airbus, and GKN Aerospace, SWITCH is supported by the European Union through the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking.

GKN Aerospace is responsible for the design, assembly, testing and delivery of the high voltage AC wire harnesses – a critical component in enabling safe, efficient power distribution in hybrid-electric aircraft.

“The delivery of GKN’s high voltage electric wiring system to RTX is a critical next step toward demonstrating the effectiveness of hybrid-electric propulsion technology for future aircraft platforms,” said Kristin Smith, vice president, Electric Power Systems at Collins Aerospace. “As part of the SWITCH project, Collins’ powertrain system will begin testing later this year at The Grid lab before assembly and test of two Collins megawatt-class power motor generators within a full-scale Pratt & Whitney GTF demonstrator engine.”   

John Pritchard, President of Civil Airframe at GKN Aerospace said: “Delivering these first harnesses is a proud milestone for our team in Papendrecht and for GKN Aerospace. The collaboration with our consortium partners is incredibly valuable and brings deep technical insight to this groundbreaking work. Together, we’re shaping the future of flight.”

Hybrid electric aircraft are central to the aviation industry’s ambition to achieve more sustainable aviation. However, as power levels scale from hundreds of kilowatts to multiple megawatts, new high voltage distribution systems are essential. With decades of experience in EWIS technologies for both commercial and military platforms, GKN Aerospace is contributing to building the electrical backbone of future flight. 

Professional Aircraft Accessories, a Greenwich AeroGroup company, announced today a five-year General Terms Agreement with Liebherr-Aerospace Saline Inc. Under the agreement, Professional Aircraft Accessories will provide comprehensive landing gear component repair and overhaul (CR&O) services for Embraer 170/175 aircraft. The agreement grants Professional Aircraft Accessories full access to documentation, revision services, and technical engineering support for the Embraer 170/175 landing gear. The company has been offering similar support for Embraer 130/135/140/145 models since 2013.

“We’ve been a market leader in regional aircraft CR&O for more than 25 years,” said Keith Johnson, vice president and general manager for Professional Aircraft Accessories. “We’re proud to collaborate with Liebherr to deliver essential services to Embraer regional aircraft operators.” Beyond landing gear capabilities, the company also specializes in the repair and overhaul of hydraulic, electrical and other aircraft components.

TAT Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: TATT) (TASE: TATT) (“TAT” or the “Company”), a leading provider of products and services to the commercial and military aerospace and ground defense industries, announced today the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 4,150,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $26.00 per ordinary share. 1,625,000 ordinary shares are being sold by TAT and 2,525,000 ordinary shares are being sold by FIMI Opportunity V, L.P. and FIMI Israel Opportunity Five, Limited Partnership (the “Selling Shareholders”).

TAT and the Selling Shareholders have granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional 242,298 and 380,202 ordinary shares, respectively, at the public offering price less the underwriting discount and commissions. The offering is expected to close on or about June 3, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. The total gross proceeds of the offering to TAT, before underwriting discount and commissions and estimated offering expenses, are expected to be $42.3 million, excluding any exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional ordinary shares from TAT.

TAT will not receive any proceeds from the sale of ordinary shares by the Selling Shareholders. TAT intends to use the net proceeds that it will receive from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital and capital expenditures. Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and Truist Securities, Inc. are acting as joint book- running managers of this offering. The Benchmark Company, LLC and Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC are acting as passive book-running managers. A registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-286699) relating to the ordinary shares to be sold in the proposed offering has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and was declared effective on April 25, 2025. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A copy of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.