Boeing has entered into a definitive agreement to sell portions of its Digital Aviation Solutions business, including its Jeppesen, ForeFlight, AerData and OzRunways assets, to Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm. This all-cash transaction is valued at $10.55 billion.
Boeing will retain core digital capabilities that harness both aircraft and fleet-specific data to provide commercial and defense customers with fleet maintenance, diagnostics and repair services. This digital expertise will continue to provide predictive and prognostic maintenance insights.
“This transaction is an important component of our strategy to focus on core businesses, supplement the balance sheet and prioritize the investment grade credit rating,” said Kelly Ortberg, Boeing president and chief executive officer.
“This enables all parts of the digital portfolio to focus on their strengths,” said Chris Raymond, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Global Services. “Our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs is unwavering as we move forward with our core products and services to support their fleets.”
“We are proud to be investing in such an important technology platform in the broader aerospace and defense industry,” said Holden Spaht, a managing partner at Thoma Bravo. “With a heritage dating back to the 1930s, Jeppesen has been at the forefront of technological innovation for nearly a century. We are excited to build on this track record and power its next phase of growth.”
“The business has been through an impressive growth transformation in recent years and has strong momentum,” said Scott Crabill, a Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo. “Thoma Bravo has a long track record of backing leading technology companies in partnership with existing management. We look forward to supporting the company’s standalone growth objectives through strategic investments, operational best practices and a shared commitment to innovation and long-term value creation.”
Approximately 3,900 employees around the globe work in Boeing’s Digital Aviation Solutions organization, which includes elements of the business remaining within Boeing and those included in the sale. Boeing is working with Thoma Bravo to help ensure as seamless of a transition as possible for employees while continuing to meet the needs of customers in accordance with all obligations.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025 and is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
Lufthansa Technik posted its best first-quarter result in the company’s history with an Adjusted EBIT of 161 million euros (same period last year: 108 million euros, up 49.5 percent). After the first three months, revenue was two billion euros and therefore 18.4 percent higher than in the same period last year. In the previous year, the strikes in Germany in particular had a significant negative impact on the earnings for the first quarter.
“We are delighted that the first quarter of 2025 went so well,” says Soeren Stark, CEO of Lufthansa Technik. “At the same time, achieving our ambitious targets is not a foregone conclusion. For example, we are currently studying and preparing for the possible effects of increased customs duties. However, it is still too early to provide details.” Overall, the ongoing difficulties with material supplies across the industry and disproportionately high cost increases continue to pose challenges. Despite these conditions, Lufthansa Technik is aiming for a positive revenue and earnings performance for the full year against the backdrop of continued strong demand for maintenance and repair services.
The Adjusted EBIT margin, i.e. the ratio of earnings to revenue, was 8.0 percent in the first quarter (previous year: 6.3 percent, also due to the strikes) and is therefore still below Lufthansa Technik’s target of 10 percent. On a positive note, Lufthansa Technik remains a sought-after partner for customers worldwide. After the company signed more than 900 contracts last year, thereby acquiring new business worth nearly eight billion euros, a further 176 contracts were signed in the first quarter of this year. In February, for example, the company announced a multi-billion euro contract with the Canadian airline WestJet for the maintenance of CFM LEAP-1B aircraft engines and the establishment of the new Lufthansa Technik Canada site in Calgary.
The recruitment of employees has already begun there as well as at the new Lufthansa Technik Portugal location in Santa Maria da Feira near Porto. Lufthansa Technik currently has 22,135 employees worldwide. Effective May 1, the company will be managed by a four-member Executive Board team. On Monday, the Supervisory Board appointed Dr. Christian Leifeld as Chief Financial Officer and Dr. Janna Schumacher as Chief Human Resources Officer of Lufthansa Technik. Soeren Stark has been Chief Executive Officer since July 2022, while Harald Gloy took over his role as Chief Operations Officer at the same time.
Airbus has entered into a definitive agreement with Spirit AeroSystems for the acquisition of industrial assets dedicated to its commercial aircraft programs.
As part of this agreement, Airbus will take ownership of the following Spirit AeroSystems assets:
the site of Kinston, North Carolina, U.S. (A350 fuselage sections);
the site of St. Nazaire, France (A350 fuselage sections);
the site of Casablanca, Morocco (A321 and A220 components);
the production of A220 pylons in Wichita, Kansas, U.S.;
the production of A220 wings in Belfast, Northern Ireland; and
the production of the A220 mid-fuselage in Belfast, Northern Ireland, unless Spirit AeroSystems identifies a suitable buyer for the part of the site where these activities are located.
Airbus will also acquire the production of wing components for A320 and A350 in Prestwick, Scotland.
Spirit AeroSystems intends to sell the site of Subang, Malaysia to a third-party owner.
The compensation amount has been adjusted to reflect this revised transaction perimeter, in line with the provisions of the binding term sheet agreement announced on 1 July 2024. Airbus will be compensated by payment of $439 million from Spirit AeroSystems, subject to certain adjustments at closing.
The conditions and financial impact of this agreement are in line with the EBIT Adjusted and Free Cash Flow before Customer Financing preliminary estimates included in Airbus’ 2025 guidance, as issued on 20 February 2025.
With this operation, Airbus aims to ensure stability of supply for its commercial aircraft programs through a more sustainable way forward, both operationally and financially, for key Airbus work packages.
Closing of the transaction and the official transfer of operations is planned in the third quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory and other customary approvals.
Airbus has also entered into a memorandum of agreement with Spirit AeroSystems, under which Airbus has agreed to, among other things, provide Spirit AeroSystems non-interest bearing lines of credit in an aggregate amount of $200 million, which will be used by Spirit AeroSystems to support Airbus programs.
CPaT Global, a provider of distance learning for the airline and aviation industry, announced they have been awarded a new contract with Aviation Partnership Philippines Corporation. CPaT will be providing Aplus MRO with a variety of their products including training for the following fleets, Airbus A320, Airbus A330, ATR 72-500, ATR 72-600, Boeing B737 Classic, Boeing B737 NG, Boeing B737 MAX, Boeing B787, and the Embraer E190.
In addition to a large variety of fleets, CPaT will be providing Aplus with their full library of Aviation Specialty Courses (General Subjects) and CPaT Invent which will empower them to create and modify content specific to their training needs.
“CPaT is proud to partner with Aviation Partnership Philippines Corporation to support their comprehensive training needs,” said Capt. Greg Darrow, vice president of sales. “By providing our extensive fleet training courses, Aviation Specialty Courses, and CPaT Invent, we are equipping Aplus with the tools to enhance their training programs and maintain the highest standards in aviation maintenance. This partnership underscores our commitment to delivering flexible and innovative training solutions that meet the evolving demands of the MRO industry.”
Aplus added, “CPaT has achieved its goal and vision, providing state-of-the-art design training solutions.”
Airbus welcomed Collins Aerospace, a leader in integrated and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defence industry, as a new member of the Digital Alliance for Aviation. Collins joins the existing Digital Alliance members including Airbus, Delta TechOps, GE Aerospace and Liebherr.
The Digital Alliance focuses on the joint development of digital solutions for airline operations powered by the Airbus Skywise platform, which supports structured data management for maintenance and repair operations.
Collins Aerospace brings additional expertise for predictive maintenance solutions for a wide range of components and aircraft types, covering areas such as avionics, aircraft interiors, enhanced communication and navigation systems and innovative solutions for flight landing systems and gears. More specifically, Collins complements the predictive value proposition of the Digital Alliance by providing significant analytics for Airbus and non-Airbus fleets. This includes air conditioning supplemental cooling, electrical power distribution centre, hydraulic power or engine bleed air supply.
“Within the Digital Alliance, it is all about joining forces with key industry players, providing their strong expertise in system and component design and repair to best serve our customers. Our aim is to provide reliable predictive maintenance solutions to ensure stable and cost-effective operations,” said Claude Houver, VP Innovation and Digital Solution at Airbus. “In this fifth year of the Digital Alliance, and welcoming the fifth member, Collins Aerospace, we look forward to working on reinforcing our existing product portfolio. We are also assessing expanding our services for non-Airbus aircraft for customers with mixed fleets to further accelerate the deployment of predictive maintenance in the industry, starting with health-monitoring solutions.”
QOCO Systems, announced Trax as the latest addition to connect to QOCO’s solutions, utilized by Rolls-Royce for its engine services. The Rolls-Royce and QOCO partnership began in 2018 when Rolls-Royce chose QOCO to accelerate its global digitalization initiative.
QOCO’s deep industry expertise, capability to deliver robust data exchange solutions for airlines, and the state-of-the-art proven solutions made it a prime candidate to become Rolls-Royce’s strategic partner. Rolls-Royce’s customers share data with the OEM so that the best possible service outcomes can be provided.
With the addition of Trax, QOCO is now delivering data for operators on all the major maintenance systems in the industry, including AMOS, IFS solutions, SAP and Ultramain operators.
To support the operators and Rolls-Royce, QOCO and Trax are collaborating to implement interfaces with Trax eMRO that align with Rolls-Royce’s data requirements.
“QOCO’s mission is to increase efficiency in the aircraft maintenance operations through digitalization, and that is why we collaborate with software providers, offering them ways to provide value to their end customers”, said QOCO CEO, Matti Nevala.
This integration will enable Trax to offer its customers advanced data exchange capabilities, enhancing transparency and planning around engine overhauls—ultimately reducing turnaround times significantly.
“QOCO has been impressed by the collaborative approach of the Trax team, enabling us to quickly onboard the Trax eMRO onto the QOCO data exchange solution”, says VP of Customer Success, Henrik Ollus.
Southwest Airlines – Team Herb once again proved to be the team to beat, besting over 80 teams across 27 events to capture the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance for the second year in a row last week at The Competition Presented by Snap-on in Atlanta.
“Hard work pays off,” said Chad Rhyne, coach of Southwest Airlines – Team Herb. “I have the same team with me as we did last year. We work well as a group, we challenge each other. The old saying is iron sharpens iron; that’s the secret of our success.”
The crowning of Southwest Airlines – Team Herb, named after its founder Herb Kelleher, and one of two teams from Southwest in the field, capped off two days of excitement at The Competition, an aviation maintenance skills event held at the MRO Americas convention last week in Atlanta. As winners of the O’Brien Award, Rhyne and his team including Blake Fulton, David Swisher, Matt Lehner, Chase Lehner, Kevin Shaw and Chris Grover, have the honor of taking the five-foot tall traveling trophy with them back to their headquarters at Love Field in Dallas for the year. The trophy features a bust of Charles E. Taylor, an aviation pioneer who built and maintained the first aircraft engine used by the Wright Brothers. Sponsorship of the Award is part of Snap-on’s continued commitment to The Competition and aviation maintenance technicians around the world.
“Teams like Southwest Airlines – Team Herb represent the best in the industry and continue to inspire those around them to be even better,” said Bill Willetts, Vice President of Snap-on Industrial and Aerospace Maintenance Council board member. “We hope they are enjoying their well-earned victory and ready to defend their title once again at next year’s event in Orlando. We are sure the playing field will be even more competitive than ever.”
Southwest Airlines was not the only champion to repeat. The talented students from Tarrant County College bested more than 40 other academic teams to win the School category as the top aviation school at The Competition.
“Especially after watching the bulk of the awards ceremony, I was really surprised (that we won),” said Mike Vitek, coach of Tarrant County College, a skilled trades school located in Fort Worth, Texas. “We did well in several of the events, we did not do so well in some of the events. But when they announced second place, I thought we might have this, and we did. We are very proud and happy for our students.”
The Competition Presented by Snap-on, and hosted by the Aerospace Maintenance Council (www.amccompetition.com), gives teams of licensed AMTs, AMEs, international military personnel and qualified aviation maintenance students the chance to test their aviation maintenance skills against their peers. The competition included 27 challenges in areas such as avionics; safety wiring; fiber optics/flight control rigging; hydraulics; jet engine troubleshooting; workplace safety SMS; and other tasks. Teams had 15 minutes to accurately complete each task; teams that finished their tasks up to safety standards in less than the allotted time received higher scores with points deducted for any errors.
“The energy at The Competition is always electric. Everywhere you look, technicians are performing at their best and demonstrating their incredible knowledge, skills and integrity,” said Ken MacTiernan, Chairman of The Competition. “That excitement carries over into awards too. Everyone applauds every winner, even if they themselves did not place. The camaraderie of the aviation industry is really on full display.”
Major Category Winners
William O’Brien Award
· Southwest Airlines – Team Herb
MRO/OEM Category
· 1st place: United Airlines – Base
· 2nd place: Southwest Airlines – Team Colleen
· 3rd place: FedEx Express – Team Indy
School Category
· 1st place: Tarrant County College
· 2nd place: Lewis University
· 3rd place: Tulsa Tech – Adult Students
Military Category
· 1st place: United States Army – 128th Aviation Brigade – Team Chinook
· 2nd place: United States Army – 128th Aviation Brigade – Team Blackhawk
· 3rd place: Royal Canadian Air Force – 12 Air Maintenance Squadron
Commercial Category
· 1st place: Southwest Airlines – Team Herb
· 2nd place: Alaska Airlines – Team Seattle
· 3rd place: United Airlines – Line
General Aviation Category
· 1st place: Aircraft Engineers International
· 2nd place: Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association
· 3rd place: Victory Lane Aviation
Peer Team Award
· Centennial College
Dream Team Award
· Embry-Riddle University – Team 1
Professionalism Award
· SFC Curtis Parker – US Army – Team Blackhawk
Professionalism Award (student)
· Hugo Hernandez – West Los Angeles College
United’s John Goglia Competing with Professionalism Awards:
· 1st place: Aviation Institute of Maintenance – Atlanta
· 2nd place: Indian Hills Community College
In addition to the William F. “Bill” O’Brien Award for Excellence in Aircraft Maintenance, Snap-on provided all the tools and equipment used by the participants during The Competition and donated tools and equipment prizes to top finishers. More than 50 other companies, educational institutions, community organizers and countless individual volunteers contributed time, resources, prizes, product and airline miles to make The Competition a success. Other top-tier sponsors include American Airlines, Pratt & Whitney, United Airlines and Teamsters.
Click here to see a video of Southwest Airlines Team Herb winning the O’Brien award:
Gulfstream Aerospace announced the all-new Gulfstream G800, the world’s longest-range business aircraft, has earned type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) along with certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and has done so with even greater performance capabilities than originally anticipated.
The certifications confirm enhanced performance for the aircraft, including a range of 8,200 nautical miles/15,186 kilometers at the long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.85, an increase of 200 nm/370 km over original projections. The G800 also can travel 7,000 nm/12,964 km at its high-speed cruise of Mach 0.90 or an unprecedented 8,000 nm/14,816 km at Mach 0.87. The aircraft’s maximum operating speed has increased to Mach 0.935 from Mach 0.925.
In addition, the G800 was certified with a balanced field length takeoff distance of 5,812 feet/1,771 meters and a landing distance of 3,105 ft/946 m (standard ISA day, sea level), both shorter than initially announced, giving customers access to more airports.
“With the certification of the G800, Gulfstream has again exceeded expectations thanks to the expertise and rigor of our flight test, certification and manufacturing teams,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. “The G800 marks the latest evolution of business aviation as we continue to build the next-generation fleet and bring industry-leading performance and efficiency to the market. With the capability enhancements we have achieved, Gulfstream customers will greatly benefit from the increased flexibility and range the G800 offers.”
Gulfstream says the G800 features “unparalleled cabin comfort, including the industry’s lowest cabin altitude of 2,840 ft/866 m when flying at 41,000 ft/12,497 m — shared with the Gulfstream G700 — 100% fresh air, a plasma ionization air purification system and 16 Gulfstream Panoramic Oval Windows. The whisper-quiet interior can be configured with up to four living areas or three living areas and a dedicated crew compartment.”
The ultralong range, high-speed performance and enhanced fuel-efficiency of the G800 can be attributed to the combination of Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines and the Gulfstream-designed aerodynamic wing and winglet.
“The Gulfstream team never ceases to test the boundaries of what is possible while ensuring the highest standards of safety, quality and customer commitment we are known for,” said Burns. “We have been preparing for this accomplishment and are poised for a seamless G800 entry into service as U.S. and European customer deliveries begin.”
Ronatec a provider of chemicals, equipment, and services for the metal finishing industry since 1979, announced a significant expansion of its manufacturing operations in response to the increasing demand for automated finishing solutions.
In recent years, the industry has experienced a substantial shift toward automation. According to Ronatec President James Wetherald, several years ago, only about one in 20 plating lines installed by the company featured automation with hoist systems and data logging. Today, that number has surged to nearly 70%, reflecting customers’ growing preference for fully integrated, high-tech solutions.
To accommodate this surge in demand, Ronatec has acquired a new 10,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Lake Elsinore, California, near its existing operations in Oceanside. The company also plans to expand into an adjacent 5,000-square-foot unit, effectively doubling its production capacity. This strategic expansion allows Ronatec to increase production capacity while maintaining its current fabrication facility for welding, repairs, and waste treatment system development.
In 2024, Ronatec’s installation division completed approximately 30 plating line installations, ranging from small two to three tank systems to large-scale projects, including a 60-tank line and a 48-tank line in Florida. This growth underscores Ronatec’s commitment to delivering comprehensive, turnkey solutions that integrate design, equipment, and chemical expertise. By serving as a single-source provider, Ronatec eliminates the need for multiple contractors, ensuring seamless project execution and ongoing support.
The expansion also enhances Ronatec’s in-house testing laboratory, enabling the company to vet automation systems prior to shipment and develop specialized equipment for plating, anodizing, waste treatment, and other specialty industries.
As labor shortages and rising costs continue to impact the industry, Ronatec remains dedicated to providing innovative automation solutions that enhance efficiency and meet the evolving needs of its clients.
Surface finishing solutions provider Ronatec announced the launch of Paladin Electroless Nickel, a breakthrough in plating technology designed to deliver unmatched stability, bath life, and deposit performance. Paladin is setting a new standard for corrosion resistance with a 10 to 15 times improvement.
Paladin’s advanced formulation offers superior bath longevity, consistent plating quality, and exceptional resistance to corrosion and wear, making it the ideal solution for industries ranging from aerospace and automotive to electronics and heavy manufacturing.
“At Ronatec, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of plating technology to meet the expectations of the markeplace,” said Jim Wetherald – president of Ronatec. “Paladin was developed to deliver the unmatched salt spray protection unlike anything before it.”
Surface Finishing Innovation:
– Salt Spray protection up to 8,000 hours – As plated hardness equivalent to mid-phos baths – Maintains high phos char: non-magnetic, amorphous coating, passes nitric acid test – One component make up, self pH adjusting, high speed deposition rate – Enhanced wear resistance, superior to traditional HPEN – Tested & Proven Results – testing performed at a NADCAP accredited materials testing lab
With its innovative technology, Paladin is poised to become the go-to solution for manufacturers looking to updgrade their plating process.
Paladin Electroless Nickel is available now. For more information, visit Ronatec.us or contact Ronatec’s sales team at 760- 453-7367.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
