Dubai-based MRO provider DTX Group plans to establish a new landing gear overhaul facility in India to support regional, narrowbody and widebody aircraft. The purpose-built 150,000 ft.2 facility will be one of the largest of its kind in India.

Calling India a “key market” for DTX, Chairman Hussein Lookmanjee said in a statement that the investment reflects the company’s confidence in India’s aviation sector and its dedication to building long-term partnerships there.

DTX, which was launched as an independent company earlier this year through Lookmanjee’s divestment from Drayton Aerospace, has been providing landing gear and other maintenance services to the Indian market for around 15 years. The company told Aviation Week Network it was looking for M&A opportunities in Southeast Asia.

With a dedicated facility in India, DTX expects to cut turnaround times and costs for Indian operators while reducing domestic airlines’ dependence on outsourced MRO. Localized options are increasingly attractive to global airlines that face pressure to manage maintenance costs, supply chain delays and fleet availability. Beyond India, the facility is expected to become a regional hub, serving operators across South Asia, the Middle East and potentially Africa.

Beyond adding technical capacity for landing gear maintenance, the facility will further DTX’s environmental, social and governance commitments. The company says it will feature energy-efficient operations, waste reduction and processes designed to extend component life cycles.

DTX has not disclosed where in India it expects to build the facility.

In addition to its headquarters in Dubai, DTX operates its parts trading business from the U.S. and has MRO facilities in Brazil. It plans to launch a new facility in the Middle East by the end of the third quarter and is evaluating investment options in Eastern Europe and Africa.

The landing gear market has seen considerable growth in the last year. In September 2024, Asia Digital Engineering and Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia announced a joint venture to invest in a landing gear facility that would serve the Southeast Asian market. In January, GA Telesis acquired AAR’s landing gear repair business. During the Jefferies Aftermarket and MRO Summit in June, Revima President and CEO Olivier Legrand said the landing gear and auxiliary power unit repair specialist wants to add repair shops in the U.S. and the Middle East. Setna iO acquired a majority stake in Landing Gear Technologies on Aug. 28.

A plan to move Airbus A320 aircraft between Lufthansa Group carriers Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) and Edelweiss Air, the leisure carrier sister of Swiss, is set to begin in the coming months.

A swap of five Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan (GTF)-powered A320neos from Austrian to Edelweiss Air will allow the Zurich-based carrier to phase out three of its oldest A320ceos.

As Austrian is on the path for CFM Leap-powered A320neo-family aircraft, three of those five GTF-powered A320neos will replace the oldest A320s in the Edelweiss fleet, which have been in service for 26 years. Two A320neos will be for growth.

In October, a former Swiss A320ceo will join the Edelweiss Air fleet, as well as the airline’s very first A320neo in April 2026, which is also a former Swiss aircraft.

“The reason for the transfer [of the A320neo from Swiss to Edelweiss Air] is to optimize aircraft deployment between the two sister companies at Zurich,” an Edelweiss Air spokesperson told Aviation Week Sept. 11. “Swiss currently operates exclusively A320neos and A321neos with [Pratt] engines, which is why harmonizing operations with Edelweiss for the joint maintenance site in Zurich makes sense.”

Edelweiss’ fleet portfolio is regularly evaluated from an operational, financial, and strategic perspective. “based on this, Edelweiss currently does not plan to add an A321/A321neo to its fleet,” the spokesperson says.

Fleet planning envisages converting the short-haul fleet to A320neos in the long term. “The exact timeline depends on, among other things, on aircraft availability and is therefore not yet finalized,” he says.

By 2028, Edelweiss Air’s short-haul fleet will operate a total of 18 A320/A320neo family aircraft.

In its long-haul segment, Edelweiss Air has two A350-900s in its fleet besides five A340-300s. Edelweiss launched its A350-900 operations on April 1. By the end of this year, two-thirds of its long-haul routes will be served by A350s.

“We are very pleased with the results achieved so far with the A350. The A350 has met our expectations in terms of operational stability, fuel and emissions savings, and guest feedback,” the spokesperson says.  

This summer, Las Vegas (LAS), Vancouver (YVR), and several short-haul destinations were served by the A350 for crew training.

“With the upcoming winter schedule and two additional A350s, 14 of 19 long-haul destinations will be served with the new fleet type starting in January 2026,” the spokesperson says. “The third A350 will enter service on the Edelweiss route network starting Sept. 30, and the fourth A350 starting Dec. 15.”

The remaining two of a total of six ordered A350s will join the fleet at the end of 2026 and begin operations with an already converted cabin in early 2027.

“After the cabin refurbishments of all A350s are complete, the long-haul fleet will then consist solely of A350s, which will then fly to all of our long-haul holiday destinations,” the spokesperson says.

Cameroon’s national airline Camair-Co has taken delivery of a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, wet leased from Czech carrier Smartwings, as it works to stabilize and expand its network.

The aircraft will be deployed on domestic routes connecting Douala, Yaounde and Garoua, as well as several regional destinations including Bangui (Central African Republic), Brazzaville (Republic of Congo), Cotonou (Benin), Libreville (Gabon), and N’Djamena (Chad).

The flag carrier, which has a mixed fleet, has struggled to maintain stable operations. A Camair-Co official says the aircraft “will solve the connectivity problem we face in the sub-region.”

According to a recent report by the Development Bank of Central African States (BDEAC), Camair-Co is aiming to expand its fleet from eight aircraft to 18 by 2028, a plan supported by a $168.6 million investment approved by the bank.

Camair-Co’s decision to bolster its fleet through wet-leasing is a response to the ongoing grounding of several of its own aircraft. The Aviation Week Network Fleet Discovery database shows Camair-Co’s in-service fleet contains a single leased 737-800, two Bombardier/MHI RJ Aviation CRJ900s (with a third stored), a single Embraer ERJ145, two De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400s and three Xi’an MA60 turboprops.

Boeing’s 777-9 certification program is falling behind, CEO Kelly Ortberg said, suggesting the issues could be significant enough to warrant a formal change to its current first-delivery timeline.

“We still don’t have authorization from the FAA for a good portion of the certification program,” Ortberg said at the Morgan Stanley Laguna conference Sept. 11. “So, we’re working through that right now with the FAA, but we were clearly behind our plan in getting the certification done.”

Boeing’s notional timeline has both FAA approval and first deliveries coming in 2026. Ortberg did not change this, but said senior leadership are evaluating the issue to determine potential ramifications.

“I’ve asked [CFO] Jay Malave ... to spend some time as we come through this quarter, really looking at this schedule slip and understanding what the implications are and our go-forward plan,” he said.

Ortberg emphasized that the latest delays are not linked to technical issues. “Both the airplane and the [GE Aerospace GE9X] engine are really performing quite well,” he said.

He alluded to an increasingly deliberate FAA approach to aircraft approval as the major obstacle.

“We can go fly, but we can’t actually get the certification credit until we get” type inspection authorization (TIA)—formal FAA testing clearance—for the required tests, Ortberg said.

The FAA broke the 777-9 TIA into phases, which give Boeing approval to conduct required tests in specific batches. Before approving each TIA phase and allowing its pilots on the aircraft, the FAA must be convinced that the design conforms to the applicable regulations.

The FAA declined to comment on the 777-9 certification program's status.

"The FAA does not comment on certification projects," the agency said in a statement. "Safety will dictate the timeline."

Phased TIAs are not new. What has changed is the FAA’s level of scrutiny.

Some of the new process is linked to requirements, such as new limits in delegating certification work to industry, in 2020 legislation that reformed FAA certification. It also reflects the post-737 MAX crisis environment in which the agency is simply asking more, and sometimes more complex, questions before allowing applicants to progress to a certification program’s next step.

The changes came with Boeing in the midst of its 777-9 certification program as well as efforts to earn approval for the last two 737 MAX variants, the 737-7 and 737-10. All three programs have been hit with multiple delays—some technical, and some linked to new certification protocol—and are years behind as a result.

The 737s are currently on track for 2026 approvals, provided that a required redesign of the engine anti-ice system earns FAA approval.

“At the last earnings call [in July], we slipped the completion of the certification from the end of the year into next year,” Ortberg said. “The good news is we’ve made really good progress on the design of the engine anti-ice since that time. I feel pretty good that we’re nailing that design.”

“We’re in the process right now of working with the FAA on the certification of that design, what tasks need to be done,” he added. “We’re still planning on getting that cert done next year, getting aircraft delivered next year.”

Going forward, Ortberg sees room for improvement without compromising safety.

“The certification process [is] way too slow,” Ortberg said. “We’ve got to work with the FAA in swinging the pendulum back and making that a process that’ll work. I can’t imagine that we can do a new airplane without having that process refined.”

This story has been updated to include the FAA's response.

WN 1394 was a scheduled commercial flight operated by the world's largest low-cost carrier, Dallas-based Southwest, between Burbank International Airport (BUR) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). The flight was operated by a Boeing 737-700 aircraft.

Diverted To LAX

Flightradar24

Performing WN 1394, the Boeing 737-700 was scheduled to depart from Burbank at 07:20 on the morning of Thursday, September 11; however, it was marginally delayed with eventual pushback at 07:35. The service was expected to arrive in the Arizona capital, Phoenix, at 09:00. After departing from Burbank runway 15L, the aircraft was attempting to ascend to its cruising altitude, but reported an eingine failure to the left hand CFM56 engine.

Crew immediately responded to the concern, working through related checklists to problem-solve the issue, with initial plans to return to Hollywood Burbank Airport for further inspection. However, due to concerns, the pilots eventually decided it would be necessary to divert to one of the country's busiest and largest airports, Los Angeles International (LAX), to make use of the airport's westerly, inbound runway 24L, with a length of 10,885 feet (3,317 meters), some 34 minutes after initial takeoff. A Southwest spokesperson shared the following statement with Simple Flying in relation to the incident:

Southwest Airlines Flight 1394 diverted safely to Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday after experiencing an apparent engine failure while departing from Hollywood Burbank Airport. Following the uneventful landing, the aircraft taxied to a gate at LAX, where we accommodated our Customers on the next flight to Phoenix. We appreciate the professionalism of our Pilots and Flight Attendants in safely handling the situation. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.

Operated By N465WN

Shutterstock

The aircraft at the centre of the drama was Southwest airplane N465WN, serial number 33829. According to ch-aviation, this Boeing 737-700 took its first flight for Boeing on June 1, 2004, before being delivered to the Dallas-based airline later that month, on June 14, 2004. The airline has remained active in its wider operations ever since.

At 21.3 years of age, the airplane has been flying for two decades, and is configured in the low-cost-carriers, standard all-economy class layout, catering for 143 paying passengers. It is powered by two CFMI CFM56-7B24 engines. Southwest, the world's largest operator of Boeing 737, and specifically the 737-700 aircraft, has 334 of the 737-700 in its fleet, which was the launch customer of the type. Below is a snapshot of the airline's current fleet as per ch-aviation:

Southwest plans to utilize the Boeing 737 MAX 7 as the replacement aircraft for the 737-700, with the MAX expected to start flying for the airline by some point next year. This will lead to an eventual full replacement of the -700 by 2031. The MAX 8 will also replace the 737-800 fleet.

Southwest Operations At Burbank

Wikimedia Commons

Southwest remains the largest carrier at Burbank, operating more than half of all flights at the Los Angeles airport. Between June 2024 and May 2025, the airline offered more than 3.6 million seats, representing a market share of 55%. The second closest carrier is Alaska Airlines, with just 9% of operations (624,000 seats). Southwest's busiest routes from BUR include Las Vegas, Oakland, and Phoenix.

A new year-round service from Burbank will take flight for Santa Rosa from April 7, part of Southwest's expansion at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS), with other flights to commence from California's wine country to Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego, all starting next April.

tember 29, 2025), Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, Nashville, Oakland, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City International Airport, San Jose and St. Louis. Seasonal services are added to Portland, Oregon, during the North American summer.

Year-round, Southwest operates to 17 domestic destinations from BUR, including Albuquerque, Austin, Boise, Chicago–Midway, Dallas–Love, Denver, Houston–Hobby, Kansas City (which will end on September 29, 2025), Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, Nashville, Oakland, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City International Airport, San Jose and St. Louis. Seasonal services are added to Portland, Oregon, during the North American summer.

A fundamental reset of OEM-supplier relationships and commercial terms will be required to reach higher production rates. A “Supplier New Deal” is needed, built on fairness, collaboration and mutual investment. What are the elements of a new social contract between OEMs and suppliers?

First, reduce supplier payment terms. As I argued in my Up Front column titled “Suppliers Aren’t Banks” about two years ago (AW&ST April 10-23, 2023, p. 10), standard U.S. commercial aerospace payment terms have increased to 120 days from 30 days over the past 15 years, leading to a disastrous increase in the cash-to-cash cycle and diminished working capital. OEMs have treated suppliers like banks to boost free cash flow and equity prices. Payment terms are better in Europe, but many subtier suppliers are struggling to repay government loans issued during the COVID-19 crisis while they grapple with funding production rate increases.

Second, guarantee schedule stability. Suppliers have been whipsawed by the late-2010s ramp-up, the Boeing 737 MAX production shutdown, the COVID-19 crisis and now erratic OEM production rates and 737/777 certification delays. As a result, most suppliers distrust OEM forecasts and are loath to order long-lead items or invest capital. Many rely on their own assumptions about realistic build rates, which undermines a well-functioning ecosystem. Forward-thinking OEMs can “walk the talk” by implementing take-or-pay contracts to guarantee supplier revenue.

Third, widen supplier delivery windows. OEMs have considerably tightened on-time delivery windows while increasing penalties and cost assertions. A decade ago, for example, Boeing’s window was 15 days (+10 early, -5 late), which it reduced to five days (+3 early, -2 late) in 2017 and then three days (+3 early, 0 late) in 2020. This places an unfair burden on suppliers that are contending with their own bottlenecks and labor shortages. In some cases, OEMs lack systems to manage reorder lead times, avoid short-flow orders and accurately track delivery performance.

Fourth, adjust pricing models and share cost risks. Suppliers face unrelenting price increases, especially in engineered components, special processes, forgings, castings and extrusions. Another rising cost is U.S. tariffs—aluminum and steel tariffs are already in place, and country-specific measures seem to shift daily. Someone will have to “eat” the tariffs, and smaller companies with fewer political connections often bear the burden. OEMs should revisit unfavorable long-term contracts and consider revising termination clauses.

“I used to see new competitors enter the market every month, but when margins got forced so low, it’s no wonder nobody invested in this industry,” one aerostructures executive says. “Why spend tons of money on expensive equipment and process controls when the market yields 6-7% operating profit? Pricing must increase if the ecosystem is going to get healthy.”

Finally, OEMs should embrace humility. They should admit past mistakes and rebuild relations and trust with their supply base. It is time to turn the page on such damaging policies as Boeing’s Partnering for Success and Airbus’ SCOPe+. This shift would require cultural and organizational changes that promote critical thinking and encourage solution-oriented approaches beyond existing policy constraints. Adapting to this new paradigm would mean upskilling supply chain and procurement teams across all levels and restoring technical support capabilities that have been depleted in recent years. In the words of former Airbus Americas CEO Barry Eccleston: “We need to get real about the supply chain.”

There are signs of hope that major OEMs are changing. Suppliers indicate that Boeing is becoming more collaborative under CEO Kelly Ortberg, who was once on the receiving end of Boeing’s tactics as the leader of Collins Aerospace. And GE Aerospace is conducting intensive supplier listening sessions as it reconsiders its supplier strategy in the Larry Culp era.

Without a Supplier New Deal, the promise of an aerospace super cycle is at risk. The current game of supply chain whack-a-mole will persist, and supplier attrition—or defection to other industries—will continue.

Will OEMs rise to the challenge and lead the reform?

Founded in 2000, NAC 2000 has traditionally focused on aircraft, passenger and cargo handling services at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka and other locations in Zambia.

However, the growing demand for in-country technical services and a supportive government stance on aviation investment prompted the company to diversify.

“The aviation sector in Zambia is growing rapidly,” Bagenda says. “The government has invested heavily in airport infrastructure, and we now have four international airports. This growth created a gap for dependable maintenance services, which we’ve stepped in to fill.”

The AMO certification process followed the ICAO-compliant five-phase model, involving a pre-application meeting, submission and evaluation of technical manuals, and a live demonstration of capabilities. According to Bagenda, the process was rigorous but navigable due to thorough internal preparation and strong support from the regulator.

“The [ZCAA] was very helpful and guided us all the way through,” he says. “We had the right expertise on board, and while the process took longer than anticipated, we didn’t face any major roadblocks.”
NAC 2000 has started small but strategically, hiring three licensed engineers to spearhead the line maintenance operation. The company is currently finalizing service agreements with airline customers and expects to scale up staffing and capabilities in line with demand.

In a market characterized by high operational costs and scarce local technical talent, NAC 2000’s long-term vision includes partnering with institutions such as the Zambia Air Services Training Institute (ZASTI) to develop homegrown skills.

“There was a time when ZASTI produced many skilled engineers, but that tapered off,” Bagenda says. “Now they’ve revamped their programs, and we’re working closely with them and the Ministry of Education to build a sustainable talent pipeline. Our goal is to eventually reduce reliance on expatriates.”

Bagenda acknowledges the significant investment required to launch the AMO—from specialized tooling to certification costs—but believes the long-term returns will be well worth it.

“This kind of business is very capital intensive. But we’re confident,” he says. “We’re offering international standards at highly competitive rates, backed by qualified personnel and modern equipment.”

Looking ahead, NAC 2000 plans to expand into heavier maintenance capabilities, including C checks and base maintenance services, in a bid to become a full-fledged MRO hub for Zambia and the region.

“This is just the first step,” Bagenda says. “Our aim is to grow into a comprehensive maintenance provider, just like what you see in Kenya or South Africa. The industry is growing, and we intend to grow with it.”

Sunseeker was conceived roughly seven years ago when Allegiant purchased property on Florida’s gulf coast. The resort was originally scheduled to open in 2020, but its debut was delayed by three years due to the pandemic and supply chain disruptions.

Allegiant’s quarterly reports for 2024 show the 785-room resort never had an occupancy rate higher than 54%, and the lowest was 31% in the third quarter. The property did sustain damage and disruptions in operations from two 2024 hurricanes—Helene in September and Milton in October. Average daily room rates were $330 in the first quarter, $260 in the second quarter, $204 in the third quarter and $238 in the fourth quarter. Occupancy rates improved to 70% in the first quarter of this year with an average daily rate of $284.  Sunseeker pre-tax losses also narrowed in the first quarter to $7.7 million compared with $13.9 million the year prior.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant in late July 2024 opted to engage in a strategic review of Sunseeker with Prospect Hotel Advisors and in May of this year said the process for a potential or partial sale was on track for completion by summer 2025.

“While a sale had been anticipated by many investors, there was significant uncertainty about the ability to complete it by the summer given the current macro uncertainty as well as the structure, whole or part, and price,” Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth wrote in a research report.

Syth said the purchase announcement “is generally in-line to better than expectations, albeit the sale price [is] likely below more bullish investor assumptions of $250 million. importantly, it removes a sentiment/earnings overhang.” The selling price is also less than the $720 million Allegiant spent in developing Sunseeker.

“Blackstone’s extensive hospitality holdings and their execution capabilities make them the ideal counterparty for this transaction and also to help realize the full potential of Sunseeker Resort,” Allegiant CEO Greg Anderson said. “Furthermore, it supports Allegiant’s strategy centered around the airline, and we plan to use the proceeds from the sale to repay debt and strengthen our balance sheet.” The companies expect to close the transaction in the third quarter.  

The engines will power the Taiwanese carrier’s fleet of 14 Boeing 777X aircraft. Ordered in March, China Airlines will take 10 777-9 passenger aircraft, and four 777-8 Freighters. 

Source: Boeing

China Airlines has ordered both the passenger and freighter variants of Boeing’s 777X

The SkyTeam carrier is an existing operator of other GE Aerospace engines, including the GE90 on its 777-300ERs and CF6-80C2s on its 747-400 Freighters.

GE Aerospace commercial engines and services president Russell Stokes adds: “We will continue to work closely with China Airlines to support the GE9X’s entry into service and smooth operation of their 777X fleet.”