This article is based on an official press release from Garmin.

Garmin Expands Aviation Footprint with New Mesa Gateway Airports Facility

Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) has announced the acquisition of a significant hangar and office complex at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (KIWA) in Mesa, Arizona. The move, confirmed on February 10, 2026, represents a strategic expansion of the company’s flight testing and aircraft Certification capabilities.

According to the company’s official statement, the new facility will serve as a dedicated hub for its flight test organizations. By securing this infrastructure, Garmin aims to support the rigorous testing required for airworthiness approvals of its growing portfolio of avionics systems. The expansion complements the company’s existing flight operations in Kansas and Oregon while leveraging its long-standing engineering presence in the Greater Phoenix area.

Facility Specifications and Capabilities

The newly acquired complex encompasses approximately 75,000 square feet of space, consisting of two adjacent hangars and attached office facilities. Garmin states that the location is designed to accommodate roughly 75 associates, including flight test pilots, certification engineers, and technical support staff.

Phil Straub, Garmin’s Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Aviation, highlighted the importance of the expansion in the press release:

“This new facility at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport provides us with the dedicated capacity needed to conduct year-round flight testing and certification activities, ensuring we can continue to deliver innovative avionics solutions to the market.”

The facility will focus primarily on the testing of complex systems, such as the recently launched G5000 PRIME integrated flight deck and Autoland technologies. The infrastructure at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, specifically its three parallel runways, two of which exceed 10,000 feet, allows Garmin to test a wide variety of aircraft, ranging from light piston planes to large business jets.

Strategic Rationale and Regional Impact

Garmin’s decision to expand in Mesa is driven by both environmental and logistical factors. The region’s generally clear weather allows for consistent flight schedules with minimal disruption, a critical advantage over locations subject to harsher winter conditions. Furthermore, the new hangar is situated near Garmin’s existing engineering hubs in Chandler and Scottsdale, fostering closer collaboration between flight test engineers and the software and hardware teams developing the technology.

AirPro News Analysis

This acquisition underscores a broader trend identified by industry observers, often described as the “Apple of Aviation” strategy. As noted by outlets such as The Air Current, Garmin is increasingly moving toward a fully integrated ecosystem that combines hardware, software, and services.

We observe that as Garmin introduces more dynamic services, such as the recently launched SmartCharts, and highly integrated flight decks, the burden of certification increases. Owning a dedicated facility in a weather-stable region allows the company to accelerate the certification hours required by the FAA, reducing bottlenecks in bringing these complex integrated products to market. This infrastructure investment signals long-term confidence in the business aviation sector, aligning with the company’s reported aviation revenue growth of 14-18% in late 2025.

Mesa’s Growing Aerospace Cluster

The acquisition places Garmin among a high-profile list of tenants at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The location has become a magnet for aerospace and industrial expansion, recently attracting major players such as Gulfstream Aerospace and Virgin Galactic.

According to local economic data, the airport is evolving into a premier hub for the industry. Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman has publicly promoted the city as an “international magnet for business,” citing the arrival of advanced Manufacturing and logistics firms. Garmin’s investment reinforces this status, adding high-skill roles to the local economy and strengthening the region’s aerospace ecosystem.

Sources: PR Newswire (Garmin Press Release), The Air Current, Garmin Investor Relations

This article is based on an official press release from AkzoNobel.

AkzoNobel Launches Single-Coat Aerobase Solution to Streamline MRO Operations

AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings has officially introduced a new single-coat Aerobase basecoat solution aimed at the global Maintenance, Repair, and Operations (MRO) market. According to a company press release issued on February 9, 2026, the new formulation is designed to replace traditional two-coat application processes, offering significant improvements in operational efficiency and sustainability.

The announcement, which coincides with the product’s showcase at MRO Middle East 2026 in Dubai, highlights a major shift in aerospace painting protocols. By enabling a validated single-coat system, AkzoNobel claims the product reduces application time and complexity while delivering a consistent finish across mixed fleets. The system is currently certified for immediate use worldwide.

Technical Innovation: The “Cross-Coat” Application

The core of this development lies in the formulation’s enhanced physical properties. AkzoNobel reports that the new Aerobase solution offers a 40% increase in sag resistance compared to the original system. This improvement allows painters to apply a thicker wet film in a single “cross-coat” pass without the risk of the paint running or sagging on vertical fuselage surfaces.

Traditionally, achieving full opacity and a smooth finish required two separate basecoat applications, often with a flash-off period in between. The new system eliminates the need for the second coat while maintaining the required hiding power and surface quality. AkzoNobel states that this reduction in process steps is achieved without compromising the durability or appearance of the final finish.

Sustainability and Weight Reduction

Beyond operational speed, the single-coat system addresses critical sustainability metrics for airlines. Data provided by AkzoNobel indicates that the new process results in a significantly thinner paint layer.

Field Testing Results

Field tests conducted in 2025 on a single-aisle aircraft demonstrated a 36% reduction in total film thickness compared to the previous two-coat system. In the aviation sector, where every kilogram counts, this reduction translates directly to lower aircraft operating weight.

According to the press release, this weight saving contributes to reduced fuel burn and associated CO2 emissions over the lifespan of the aircraft. The company emphasizes that these environmental benefits are achieved alongside improved finish consistency.

Operational Impact for MROs

The development of the single-coat Aerobase was driven by the specific needs of MRO facilities, which face constant pressure to increase throughput and reduce turnaround times. Aurore Bournazel, Segment Manager OEM, MRO & Airlines at AkzoNobel, highlighted the practical focus of the innovation in a statement.

“MROs are under constant pressure to improve efficiency without compromising quality. This latest Aerobase development enables a validated single-coat process that simplifies application, improves consistency and delivers measurable performance benefits.”

Aurore Bournazel, AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings

AirPro News Analysis

The shift toward single-coat systems represents a logical evolution in aerospace coatings, particularly as the industry grapples with supply chain constraints and labor shortages. By removing an entire application pass, MROs can theoretically release aircraft back to operators faster. Furthermore, while sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) often dominate the “Net Zero” conversation, weight reduction remains one of the most immediate and cost-effective methods for airlines to lower emissions. A 36% reduction in basecoat thickness, applied across a global fleet, represents a tangible efficiency gain that requires no change in engine technology or fuel infrastructure.

Availability and Future Rollout

AkzoNobel has confirmed that the enhanced Aerobase single-coat solution is available immediately in the most commonly used aerospace white colors. The product is certified for the MRO mixed fleet market, with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) testing and approval scheduled to follow.

To support the rollout, the company is conducting additional applications with two MRO partners on both single-aisle and wide-body aircraft. These trials are intended to generate robust real-world performance data regarding efficiency and finish quality. The product is planned for a broader global rollout throughout 2026.

Attendees of MRO Middle East 2026 can view the solution at the AkzoNobel booth (1620).

Sources

• AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings

This article is based on an official press release from Embraer.

Embraer Deepens Industrial Footprint in India with Strategic Supply Chain and Manufacturing Agreements

Embraer has announced a significant expansion of its industrial presence in India, marking a strategic shift from aircraft sales to deep-rooted manufacturing partnerships. In early February 2026, the Brazilian aerospace giant confirmed it is advancing its supply chain development within the country, solidifying agreements that align with the Indian government’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India) initiative.

According to the company’s official statement, these developments include a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Adani Defence & Aerospace and continued cooperation with Mahindra for defense programs. The initiatives aim to establish a comprehensive “regional transport aircraft ecosystem” in India, covering everything from final assembly lines (FAL) to local supplier integration.

This move positions Embraer to better compete in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets by leveraging local engineering talent and meeting New Delhi’s requirements for technology transfer and domestic production.

Building a Civil Aviation Ecosystem with Adani

A central pillar of Embraer’s strategy involves its new partnership with Adani Defence & Aerospace. The companies signed an MoU in early 2026 with the objective of creating a robust infrastructure for regional transport aircraft. Embraer stated that this collaboration is designed to support the Indian government’s UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, which seeks to enhance connectivity between Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

Key elements of the Adani partnership include:

• Final Assembly Line (FAL): Plans to establish India’s first assembly line dedicated to commercial passenger aircraft.
• Supply Chain Integration: Developing local suppliers for critical components such as aerostructures, machining, composites, and software.
• Support Infrastructure: The creation of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities and pilot training centers to ensure long-term operational sustainability.

By localizing these capabilities, Embraer aims to offer a more competitive value proposition for Indian carriers looking to expand their regional fleets with efficient jet aircraft.

Defense Ambitions: The C-390 Millennium

On the defense front, Embraer is reinforcing its collaboration with Mahindra Defence Systems. The two companies have reaffirmed their Strategic Cooperation Agreement (SCA) to offer the C-390 Millennium for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) program.

The IAF is currently seeking to replace its aging fleet of Antonov An-32s, with a procurement requirement estimated between 40 and 80 aircraft. Embraer has committed to setting up a manufacturing line in India if the C-390 is selected, effectively making the country a regional hub for the military transport platform.

Supply Chain Delegation

To support these ambitious manufacturing goals, a delegation of senior Embraer executives, led by Roberto Chaves, Executive VP of Global Procurement & Supply Chain, visited India in early February 2026. The delegation’s mission was to evaluate and onboard Indian suppliers capable of meeting Embraer’s global quality standards.

According to the press release, the company is specifically looking for partners in:

• Aerostructures and metal forming
• Machining and casting
• Composites and wiring harnesses
• Hardware and software development

“India is a key partner in shaping the future of aerospace, and we are dedicated to building sustainable cooperation that supports both the domestic industrial base and global initiatives.”

, Roberto Chaves, Executive VP of Global Procurement & Supply Chain, Embraer

AirPro News Analysis

We view this development as a critical pivot in Embraer’s global strategy. Historically, Western OEMs have viewed India primarily as a sales market. However, the “Make in India” policy has forced a change in tactics, requiring manufacturers to invest in local industrial capacity to win lucrative government contracts.

By partnering with two of India’s largest conglomerates, Adani and Mahindra, Embraer is effectively hedging its bets across civil and defense sectors. The Adani deal targets the booming commercial regional travel market, while the Mahindra alliance addresses the strategic defense needs of the IAF. This dual approach distinguishes Embraer from competitors who may focus heavily on just one sector.

Furthermore, diversifying the supply chain into India reduces Embraer’s reliance on traditional markets and allows it to tap into a cost-effective, high-skilled engineering workforce. This is essential as the company ramps up production to meet global demand for its E2 jets and C-390 military transports.

Current Market Footprint

Embraer already maintains a significant presence in the region. According to industry data cited in reports surrounding the announcement, approximately 44 to 50 Embraer aircraft are currently operating in India. This fleet spans commercial aviation (such as Star Air’s E175 fleet), executive jets, and defense assets.

Notably, the Indian Air-Forces operates three Netra AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft, which are built upon Embraer’s ERJ145 platform. The success of the Netra program provides a strong precedent for future defense collaborations between Embraer and Indian defense agencies.

Sources

Sources: Embraer Press Release