Japan Airlines Builds Automated Landing Gear MRO Facility

Japan Airlines (JAL) has established a new real estate holding subsidiary and commenced construction on a consolidated landing gear maintenance facility at the Haneda Airport Maintenance District in Tokyo.

The new subsidiary, Landing gear Innovation Factory Co., Ltd. (LIF), was officially formed on June 8, 2026, following the start of factory construction on May 19, 2026. According to a company press release, the facility is scheduled for completion by the end of December 2027 and will introduce automated systems previously unseen in Japan.

Consolidating maintenance operations

JAL has performed landing gear maintenance on large Commercial-Aircraft for 50 years. The new Haneda facility will centralize operations that are currently distributed across multiple locations, creating a core base to meet global maintenance demand.

Large-scale landing gear overhauls require the complete removal of the gear from the airframe and occur approximately every 10 years. The Airlines described the components as the “legs” of the aircraft, noting their critical role in supporting the airframe during takeoff, landing, and taxiing.

Technological upgrades and environmental focus

The upcoming factory will incorporate labor-saving technologies and Automation equipment. JAL stated these systems will be the first of their kind implemented in Japan, aimed at improving overall productivity and modernizing the maintenance workflow.

Beyond operational efficiency, the facility is designed to reduce Environmental-Impact and facilitate the transfer of technical skills to a new generation of aviation maintenance technicians.

AirPro News analysis

We view JAL’s Investments in a dedicated, automated landing gear facility as a strategic move to capture a larger share of the heavy MRO market in the Asia-Pacific region. By spinning off the real estate holding into a dedicated subsidiary, JAL may be positioning its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) operations for greater financial flexibility. The emphasis on automation also reflects broader industry efforts to mitigate skilled labor shortages in aviation maintenance.

Sources: Japan Airlines