MRO News

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Canada awards Telesat up to $1.9B Arctic satcom deal as U.S. funds orbital target tracking; Bombardier weighs GlobalEye site

Telesat secured its largest-ever Canadian defense contract, valued at roughly $1.63 billion to $1.9 billion, requiring 69 additional Lightspeed satellites for Arctic communications. Separately, the U.S. Space Force awarded $615 million for space-based airborne-target tracking, while Bombardier evaluates a Canadian GlobalEye modification facility.

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Elevate Jet to relocate MRO operations from Utah to Florida and add Texas base

Elevate Jet is moving all of its maintenance, repair and overhaul operations from Salt Lake City to Florida and plans to establish a second base in Texas. The private aviation company cited access to a deeper workforce, favorable tax policies and a business-friendly regulatory environment for the expansion.

Runway Girl

ORIX Aviation to acquire aircraft aftermarket specialist AerFin

ORIX Aviation has agreed to acquire AerFin, a specialist in buying, selling, leasing and repairing aircraft, engines and parts. The transaction expands ORIX’s presence in the aviation aftermarket and brings AerFin’s trading, leasing and repair activities under the Japanese financial group’s aviation platform.

Reuters

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GKN Aerospace factory shutdown tightens aircraft-window supply, prompting replacement restrictions

A chemical incident that halted production at a GKN Aerospace plant south of Los Angeles has intensified a global shortage of cockpit and cabin windows. Boeing, airlines and maintenance providers are limiting replacements to essential cases as lead times lengthen and prices rise across multiple aircraft programs.

Bloomberg

High activity

ORIX Aviation to acquire AerFin for approximately $640 million, expanding from aircraft leasing into aftermarket services

ORIX Aviation has agreed to acquire UK-based AerFin from its current private equity owners in a transaction valued at approximately $640 million, expected to close by year-end. The deal adds aircraft, engine and component trading, leasing, repair and end-of-life services to ORIX’s asset-management platform.

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Thai Airways to sign 50-year lease for 336,000-square-meter Utapao MRO site in August 2026

Thai Airways International plans to sign a 50-year lease on Aug. 4, 2026, for a 210-rai, or 336,000-square-meter, site at Thailand’s Utapao airport. The lease will take effect Sept. 1, establishing the contractual basis for the airline’s planned MRO presence at the facility.

Aviation Source

High activity

Air India expands Canada network and 787 cabin upgrades as United plans premium Houston deployment

Air India is introducing its new Boeing 787-9 cabin on Delhi–Toronto flights, adding Mumbai–Toronto service and 4,400 monthly Canada seats while accelerating 787-8 retrofits through Shanghai MRO. Separately, United will deploy its 222-seat “Elevated” 787-9 on Houston long-haul routes from October 2026.

AINonline

FAA Closes Comments on Proposed GE CF34 Turbine Corrosion Inspections

The FAA has closed its comment period on a proposed airworthiness directive addressing corrosion in affected GE CF34 engine turbines. If adopted, the directive would require operators to conduct additional inspections, potentially adding maintenance requirements for fleets powered by the turbofan.