FL Technics has secured a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 145 Repair Station Certificate for its newly established maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, clearing the way for the site to service US-registered aircraft beginning with launch customer JetBlue Airways (B6).

The certification, announced in a company press release on June 17, 2026, marks the official commencement of operations at FL Technics’ first independent MRO hub in the Americas. The approval follows a local certification granted earlier in June 2026 by the Instituto Dominicano De Aviación Civil (IDAC), which established the regulatory foundation for the facility to operate within the host country.

Punta Cana facility specifications and launch operations

The Punta Cana site spans 20,000 square meters and currently operates with five active maintenance bays. The company plans to expand the facility to a maximum capacity of 20 bays in the future. The MRO center is designed to service narrowbody aircraft, specifically the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families.

JetBlue Airways was announced as the launch customer for base maintenance at the site on April 9, 2026, according to reporting by Aviation Week. The facility itself is a joint investment between FL Technics and local conglomerate Grupo Puntacana, strategically positioned to capture maintenance demand from both US and regional carriers operating in the Caribbean and broader Americas.

“Securing the FAA certificate enables us to serve airlines and leasing companies, with JetBlue as our first client,” stated Zilvinas Lapinskas, CEO of FL Technics Group. “We are proud to see our joint investment with Grupo Puntacana progress and look ahead to building strong partnerships throughout the world.”

Workforce development and corporate footprint

FL Technics, a subsidiary of Avia Solutions Group, is utilizing experienced professionals from its international network to launch the Punta Cana operations. The company intends to train a local workforce to support the facility’s long-term growth. Avia Solutions Group currently operates a global fleet of 136 aircraft, providing a built-in baseline of operational experience for its MRO subsidiaries.

Mejico Angeles Lithgow, CEO of FL Technics Dominican Republic, outlined the staffing strategy in the press release. He noted that the company intends to build regional expertise rather than relying permanently on imported labor.

“Our goal for the coming years is to continue developing the local team and, eventually, hand over full responsibility for operating the facility to skilled professionals from the community,” Lithgow said.

AirPro News analysis

We view the establishment of an FAA-certified MRO hub in the Dominican Republic as a strategic capitalization on the nearshoring trend in commercial aviation maintenance. US carriers are increasingly seeking heavy maintenance options that offer lower labor costs than domestic facilities but avoid the logistical complexities and ferry flight expenses associated with sending narrowbody aircraft to Asia or Europe. By securing both IDAC and FAA Part 145 approvals, FL Technics positions the Punta Cana site as a highly accessible alternative for North American operators, particularly those with existing Caribbean route networks like JetBlue.

Sources: FL Technics

A four-way joint venture led by Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited (HAECO) will invest US$360 million to construct a major aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) complex at Vietnam’s Van Don International Airport. The agreement, announced on June 16, 2026, partners HAECO with Sun Group Corporation, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) to capture a share of Vietnam’s rapidly expanding aviation maintenance market.

According to press releases issued by the partner companies, the facility is targeted to commence operations in late 2028, subject to regulatory approvals. The project addresses a structural supply-demand gap in Vietnam, where domestic maintenance capacity has lagged behind airline fleet growth. This deficit has historically forced Vietnamese operators to rely heavily on established regional MRO centers in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Facility specifications and capacity

The planned MRO complex will cover approximately 170,000 square meters, or 20 hectares, making it one of the largest aircraft maintenance facilities in Vietnam. The initial hangar design accommodates simultaneous maintenance for four widebody and two narrowbody aircraft.

HAECO expects the project to create over 1,000 high-skilled jobs in Quang Ninh Province. To prepare for the late 2028 opening, the company has already begun recruiting Vietnamese technicians, who are currently undergoing training at HAECO facilities in Xiamen, China.

The facility design incorporates baseline sustainability measures from the outset. Planned infrastructure includes smart building systems for power monitoring, LED lighting, electrified ground support equipment, and advanced wastewater management systems.

Strategic partnerships and market projections

Each of the four joint venture partners brings specific operational capabilities to the Van Don project. HAECO will provide advanced maintenance technologies and oversight, while JAL contributes airline operational and maintenance expertise. Toyota Tsusho will manage the global supply-chain logistics required for heavy maintenance operations.

Sun Group Corporation, the Vietnamese conglomerate partner, will oversee foundational construction and infrastructure development. Sun Group owns both Van Don International Airport and Phu Quoc International Airport, and recently expanded its aviation footprint by launching Sun Phu Quoc Airways.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) projects the country’s MRO market will reach a value of US$7.4 billion by 2030. This joint venture positions the partners to capture domestic demand while potentially attracting regional operators seeking alternatives to capacity-constrained facilities elsewhere in Southeast Asia.

HAECO network expansion

For HAECO, the Vietnam facility represents a significant expansion of its Asia-Pacific footprint. Once the Van Don complex and a separate new facility in Xiamen are completed, HAECO’s total network capacity will reach 31 widebody and 10 narrowbody hangar bays. The company projects this infrastructure will allow it to deliver 10 million annual base maintenance man-hours network-wide.

“This joint venture marks an important milestone in HAECO’s growth strategy in Asia and for the development of aviation maintenance capability in Vietnam. HAECO is grateful for the strong support of the local government and authorities in Vietnam for enabling this investment, and for the partnership, trust and shared commitment of Sun Group, Toyota Tsusho and Japan Airlines,” said Richard Sell, Chief Executive Officer of HAECO Group.

AirPro News analysis

We view this US$360 million investment as a clear indicator that the center of gravity for Southeast Asian heavy maintenance is beginning to shift. Historically, Singapore and Malaysia have dominated the regional MRO landscape due to established supply chains and skilled labor pools. However, Vietnam’s aggressive infrastructure development, combined with lower baseline operating costs and a rapidly expanding domestic fleet, makes it a logical site for new mega-facilities.

The inclusion of Toyota Tsusho is particularly notable. Supply chain bottlenecks and parts availability remain the primary constraints on global MRO turnaround times. By integrating a dedicated logistics and supply chain partner into the joint venture from day one, the consortium is directly addressing the industry’s most persistent operational vulnerability.

Sources: HAECO Group

On June 15, 2026, GE Aerospace marked the 20th anniversary of its Fleet Support Shanghai center, highlighting the facility’s evolution from a regional technical hub into a critical node for global engine monitoring and Aircraft on Ground (AOG) triage.

In a company announcement detailing the milestone, GE Aerospace noted that the Shanghai facility operates in a 12-hour rotation with the manufacturer’s Cincinnati Fleet Support Center. This dual-hub structure ensures continuous technical support and spare parts coordination for operators of GE Aerospace and CFM International engines worldwide.

Two decades of operational expansion

The Shanghai center opened in 2006 with an initial staff of nine people. The facility was originally established to provide localized technical support, remote monitoring, and spare parts coordination for the rapidly expanding Chinese aviation market.

Shaojun Zhu, the founding head of Fleet Support Shanghai, stated that the localized approach proved highly effective for the manufacturer.

“What makes me proud is that the model proved so effective that it not only strengthened support for customers in China, but also helped shape the broader Fleet Support approach globally,” Zhu said.

Today, the team consists of 19 members. Alex Li, Senior Engineering Section Manager of Fleet Management, described the hub as a vital bridge connecting airline customers directly to GE Aerospace and CFM International engineering resources to resolve operational disruptions.

Artificial intelligence integration for AOG response

As the global fleet of supported engines expanded, the center faced a 10 percent annual growth rate in support inquiries. To manage the increasing volume, GE Aerospace launched a proprietary artificial intelligence platform called Mailbox.AI in September 2025.

Developed as an offshoot of the manufacturer’s FLIGHT DECK lean operating model, the cloud-based AI system automatically classifies inbound communications. According to the company, the model correctly identifies and routes 95 percent of emails, significantly reducing triage times for critical AOG situations.

Ivy Zheng, TechOps Continuous Improvement Lead at GE Aerospace, highlighted a recent case where the Shanghai team utilized the integrated system to locate an out-of-stock engine spare part. The team coordinated directly with the Cincinnati warehouse to expedite an allocation from the active production line, allowing the customer airline to maintain its scheduled flight operations.

AirPro News analysis

We note that the integration of AI into customer support workflows represents a necessary shift for major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). As global engine fleets grow and supply-chain constraints persist, the ability to rapidly triage AOG requests and locate spare parts across international warehouses is critical. The 95 percent routing accuracy of Mailbox.AI suggests that GE Aerospace is successfully leveraging automation to protect airline dispatch reliability without proportionally increasing support headcount.

Sources: GE Aerospace