MRO Americas: RH Aero Systems signs new training agreement with Safran Aircraft Engine Services Brussels

Nav Durga Aviation Expands Fleet Nav Durga Aviation has commenced executive jet operations following the addition of a Citation Excel, ch-aviation research shows. The 20.9-year-old aircraft, VT-CSP (msn 560-5368), is configured for up to eight passengers. It was previously the sole jet operated by AirCar Airline (Mumbai International), which is no longer listed as holding an active non-scheduled operator's permit (NSOP). This Citation Excel joins an eight-seat Cessna (single turboprop) 208B on Nav Durga Aviation's NSOP. The company's website also features a King Air C90A, configured for up to six passengers, although it is not currently listed on the permit. Nav Durga Aviation is the aviation division of Nav Durga Group, an Indian conglomerate primarily focused on the steel industry, with diversified interests across multiple sectors.

Boeing to Resume Deliveries to China The CEO of Boeing has announced that the company will resume deliveries to China this month. During his speech at the Bernstein Annual Strategic Decisions Conference on May 29, 2025, Kelly Ortberg highlighted the significant impact that the risk of Chinese carriers not accepting deliveries could have had on the company over the medium and long term. He confirmed, "China has now indicated - the airlines have indicated - they're going to take deliveries. The first deliveries will be next month [June]. We're yet to accomplish that task, but they're planning and telling us they're going to take delivery." Impact of Tariffs and Production Adjustments In April, the Chinese government instructed its carriers to halt accepting Boeing aircraft following the imposition of a 125% tariff on US-manufactured goods. This directive led to some aircraft, which had been ferried into China pending delivery, being returned to the United States for remarketing. As per ch-aviation Commercial Aviation Aircraft Data, eleven Chinese airlines and two Chinese lessors currently have a combined total of 126 aircraft on order with Boeing. Resolving Production Challenges Ortberg also discussed the resolution of long-standing production issues with the B737, B787, and B777 programs. Boeing is nearing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-imposed monthly production limit of thirty-eight B737 MAX aircraft and is planning to increase this to 42, pending an FAA review. He stated, "We've talked with the FAA extensively to make sure we're aligned on what are the criteria that we need to demonstrate to move to the next rate." Progress in Aircraft Certification Boeing anticipates the certification processes for the B737-7 and B737-10 to be completed by year's end. Ortberg mentioned that the company is currently finalizing the inlet anti-icing design. Additionally, the US FAA has approved an increase in the monthly production of B787s from five to seven following a successful review. Ortberg expressed optimism about increasing production further: "We can get to that ten," but he noted that expanding beyond that would require additional investment in their facilities. Ongoing Developments and Future Expectations "The B777X is getting through the certification process, and then we'll be ramping that up," Ortberg continued. "We would expect to have continued ramp-up in all those programmes here over the next several years to support the market demand." He also shared updates on the B777X flight tests: "We have four [B777X] flight test aircraft now, all in flight tests. The flight tests are progressing, and progressing well. We don't have any major technical issues coming out of the flight test programme. I'm hopeful that we'll get through the certification flight tests by the end of the year." Ortberg concluded with an emphasis on Boeing's strong position despite challenges: "We have a very, very strong backlog. Our challenge is ramping up production and delivering on that backlog and making sure that we have slots available for the customers who want the aircraft."

TransNusa Expands Flights on Denpasar-Perth Route TransNusa (8B, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) is doubling the number of weekly flights on the Denpasar-Perth International city pair in a bid to capture business from passengers looking to avoid a low-cost carrier experience. In a June 2 statement, TransNusa said the daily frequencies would increase to 11x weekly on July 2 and 14x weekly from July 18. The airline began its Perth services in March, its first foray outside Southeast Asia. It operates a 174-passenger single-cabin A320-200 on the sector. Full-Service Transition CEO Bernard Francis said TransNusa would continue to operate as a full-service airline (albeit only with an economy class offering) on international routes and, following approval from Indonesia's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, will soon transition from a budget carrier to a full-service carrier on domestic routes as well. “The move to enhance our customer comfort is part of our plan to grow TransNusa as a secure and caring brand in line with our premium service carrier status," he said. Expanding Fleet and Destinations In addition to six Indonesian airports, TransNusa also operates scheduled services to Singapore Changi, Kuala Lumpur International, and Guangzhou. It has a fleet of four A320-200s, two A321-200s, and three C909s.

Astral Aviation's New Cargo Route Astral Aviation (8V, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) has begun a B767-300ER(BDSF) service between Hong Kong International and Brisbane International on behalf of start-up AUS Air Cargo, with 5Y-SVR (msn 24146) operating the first roundtrip flight over May 27 and 28, 2025. "We are excited to expand our operations with this new route, offering enhanced cargo capacity and flexibility for our partners," Astral Aviation CEO Sanjeev Gadhia said on LinkedIn. Astral Aviation is an established cargo airline that also operates a B737-400(F) and a B767-200(SF). It conducts scheduled flights to 13 airports across Africa, plus Dubai World Central and Hong Kong. The Brisbane flights are an extension of the existing Hong Kong services. AUS Air Cargo Expansion Perth-based AUS Air Cargo is headed by Satvir Kalsi, who is also Astral Aviation's commercial director in the United Arab Emirates. He says the Brisbane flights are an opportunity to shift high-value perishable products into North Asia quickly and that there are plans to begin operating flights from Sydney Kingsford Smith, Melbourne Airport, and Perth International using wet-leased Astral aircraft. Although STAT Times reported that the start-up holds an Air Operator's Certificate in Australia, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority records do not confirm this.

Addressing Global Aviation Leaders Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Delhi, highlighted India’s evolving role in the global aviation sector. Modi emphasized that India is not just an aviation market but is poised to be a leader in the aviation value chain. India's Aviation Sector Reforms Modi credited significant reforms in recent years as key growth drivers for India's aviation industry. He stressed on India's commitment to becoming a global manufacturing hub and encouraged major aviation companies to not only "make in India" but also "design in India". Highlighting the new Indian Aircraft Act, Modi noted that it brings the nation's aviation laws in line with global best practices, offering a streamlined regulatory framework and simplified tax structure, which present significant investment opportunities for international aviation companies. Focus on MRO and Aircraft Leasing The Prime Minister identified maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) as a sunrise sector, with India pushing to establish a $4-billion MRO hub by 2030. From having 96 MRO facilities in 2014, India has increased this number to 154. Modi pointed out that policies such as 100 percent FDI under the automatic route, GST reduction, and tax rationalization have injected new momentum into this sector. Furthermore, Modi discussed recent legislative changes and incentives for global aircraft leasing companies, which have enhanced India's attractiveness as a destination for aircraft leasing. India's Growing Aviation Market India, being the world's third-largest and fastest-growing major aviation market, sees substantial engagement from global aviation manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing, which source components and services worth billions of dollars. Modi expressed that the Indian aviation industry is at a significant takeoff point and predicted its growth will transcend geographical boundaries, promoting sustainability, green mobility, and equitable global access. Three Pillars of India's Aviation Strategy Modi outlined three pillars driving India's aviation sector forward: 1. **A vast market:** With the Indian aviation market expanding rapidly. 2. **A strong demographic and talent pool:** In areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and clean energy. 3. **An open and supportive policy ecosystem:** Which facilitates growth and innovation. He noted that with these strengths, India is set to elevate its aviation sector to unprecedented heights. Modi also highlighted the double-digit growth of Indian airlines, with passenger numbers expected to rise from 24 crore to 50 crore annually by 2030, and air cargo volume projected to surge to 10 million tonnes by the end of the decade from around 3.5 million tonnes currently. Vision for Space-Aviation Convergence In his concluding remarks, Modi spoke about India emerging as a leader in the convergence of space and aviation sectors. He touched upon the ambitions for commercialization of space flights and their future integration into civil aviation. While acknowledging that these developments will take time to materialize, Modi's vision underscores the broad and dynamic scope of India's aviation strategy.

Tim Cook's Impact as Apple CEO When Tim Cook took over as Apple CEO from Steve Jobs nearly 12 years ago, some thought the company was already at its peak. Under Cook, however, Apple’s market cap has surged by more than 700% to nearly $3 trillion. Its iPhone business has continued to be a juggernaut, fueled by new features and pricing strategies under his watch. And Apple has built up a robust services business, including paid music, TV and gaming products, giving the company a steady revenue stream not beholden to the cyclical nature of hardware sales. The Innovation Drought But missing from Cook’s tenure at Apple has been the kind of massive, exciting product innovation seen during the Jobs years that could change how people interact with technology. Until now. Introducing the Vision Pro Last week, Apple introduced the Vision Pro, a mixed reality headset that the company says will usher in a new era of “spatial computing.” The headset blends both virtual reality and augmented reality, a technology that overlays virtual images on live video of the real world. It’s Apple’s biggest, and riskiest, product launch in years. Cook has for years extolled the promise of augmented reality, touting its potential to help people communicate and collaborate with each other. At its event last week, Cook called the headset a “revolutionary product” and “the first product you look through, not at.” Cook's Legacy and Challenges Ahead But Cook is also better known as an operations mastermind than a product visionary. The two biggest product launches under Cook prior to the Vision Pro were the Apple Watch in 2015 and AirPods the following year. Those products proved to be successful moneymakers, but they didn’t exactly create a new paradigm for the company or the industry in the way the iPhone did under Jobs. The Vision Pro, which goes on sale early next year, could end up being the product that defines Cook’s legacy, whether it fails or succeeds. And its success is anything but guaranteed. Virtual and augmented reality remains a nascent market with little mainstream consumer adoption. Apple plans to charge a hefty $3,499 for its headset, which currently has limited apps and experiences, and requires users to stay tethered to a battery pack the size of an iPhone. And that’s saying nothing of the challenges of convincing users to regularly wear a computer on their faces. “The world of the headset is a real challenge … it’s proven to be a challenge to create a mass market for that,” said Margaret O’Mara, tech historian and professor at the University of Washington. “The iPhone came about after many years of companies, Apple and others, trying to create a kind of supercomputer in your pocket, there was a long history of attempts. And it came on the market when a lot of people already had some sort of cellphone.” Tim Cook, formerly Apple's chief operating officer, took over as CEO shortly before Steve Jobs died in 2011. More than a decade later, Cook has overseen Apple's growth well beyond the iPhone into the world's most valuable company.

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DTX Group Launches as Independent Entity DTX Group, a Dubai-based provider of MRO services to the commercial aerospace sector, has launched following its chairman Hussein Lookmanjee’s divestment from Drayton Aerospace. Formerly the international arm of Drayton Aerospace, DTX Group is now an independent entity under the sole ownership of Lookmanjee. Over the past six years, Lookmanjee and his team have developed a global footprint in line with broader brisk aftermarket growth that was only temporarily halted by the pandemic. DTX’s parts trading business operates in the U.S.; it has two MRO facilities in Brazil and plans to launch a new facility in the Middle East by the third quarter of 2025. The company expects to post more than $100 million in revenue for the 2025 calendar year. Currently, DTX Group’s core MRO capabilities include the ability to provide nose to tail support on narrowbody aircraft, while it has widebody capabilities in base maintenance, landing gears and some components, Lookmanjee tells *Aviation Week*. In addition, the company plans to expand into parts manufacturer approval (PMA) manufacturing and aircraft teardowns—it projects it will do seven of the latter this year. A PMA designation from the FAA demonstrates that a company is authorized to manufacture aircraft components that meet industry standards. Compared to OEM components, PMA parts are usually 20% to 80% cheaper. With DTX being spun off from Drayton Aerospace, the Chinese private equity investor Lion Capital will take over Drayton’s China business. “This strategy helps satisfy the vision of the Chinese shareholders while giving DTX the ability to focus on the international market,” Lookmanjee tells *Aviation Week*. “One of the lessons learned from our emerging markets strategy is that you need to find the right balance between localization and standardization. China, given its size, culture and complexity, requires a stronger localized approach than most other markets.” Regarding DTX’s growing business in the Middle East and South America, Lookmanjee says that the two regions “present interesting opportunities” for diversification of maintenance sourcing, which is important for addressing supply chain risks. He notes that the Middle East and South America are comparable to China in terms of labor costs and in some cases provide advantages in terms of logistics and access to skilled labor. “Lastly, we feel that the regional markets in both areas [the Middle East and South America] are underserved and there is a need to increase support for regional operators in both regions,” he says. Looking ahead, DTX has an active M&A pipeline that includes a U.S. PMA manufacturer as well as MRO firms in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. It is also considering investing in an airline in Africa. DTX expects the PMA acquisition to be finalized in the next 60 days.

Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast Welcome to the Vertical MRO Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Magazine. In this two-part series, Jon Gray and Jack Schonely, hosts of the Hangar Z Podcast, sit down with Richard Weiser from the Glendale Burbank Police Air Support Unit. Weiser is a highly skilled helicopter maintenance professional with over 25 years of experience in maintaining and supporting helicopter operations. With more than 18 years dedicated to law enforcement aviation, Weiser has demonstrated exceptional expertise in ensuring aircraft airworthiness, modifying helicopters to meet departmental needs, and managing maintenance schedules. Currently serving as the director of maintenance for the Glendale Burbank Police Department Air Support Unit, he has maintained a fleet of MD500N helicopters for over 15 years. Weiser’s background also includes military helicopter maintenance service in the United States Marine Corps. He holds an active A&P mechanic certificate and an IA inspector authorization. Known for his reliability, technical skill, and dedication, Weiser is a proven asset in aviation maintenance and law enforcement support. Special thanks to our sponsors, Metro Aviation Inc. and Airbus.

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