Safran Landing Systems Expands Global MRO Network

Safran Landing Systems is expanding its global MRO network across three continents to support Boeing 787, Airbus A350, and Airbus A330 landing gear, aiming to alleviate severe industry-wide capacity bottlenecks.

In a press release issued June 10, 2026, the company detailed the scale-up of its facilities in Molsheim, France; Singapore; and Querétaro, Mexico. The expansion arrives as the aviation maintenance sector faces a projected capacity crisis, with industry reports indicating landing gear overhaul lead times have stretched to between six and 12 months.

Scaling operations across three continents

The push to increase capacity follows the 2025 launch of simultaneous overhaul campaigns for the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 programs. To support this volume, Safran completed a 6,000-square-meter (64,583-square-foot) expansion at its Querétaro site last year. The Mexican facility now employs approximately 375 personnel, a significant increase from the 80 employees present when the site opened in 2010.

For the Boeing 787 program, Safran confirmed that all three strategic MRO sites are now fully operational. The facilities have already processed and delivered their first overhauled landing gear sets to operators, including Avianca and Hainan Airlines.

Airbus A350 and A330 program milestones

The Airbus A350 fleet is currently approaching its first major heavy maintenance cycles, dictated by a 12-year Time Between Overhaul (TBO) limit for its landing gear. Safran reported that its Molsheim facility recently finalized its first sampling campaign for the aircraft type. This process involves the complete disassembly and thorough inspection of a landing gear set prior to its 12-year TBO limit to validate the maximum service life of the components.

Beyond the newest generation of widebody aircraft, Safran is also expanding support for the established Airbus A330 family. The company expects its Singapore, Molsheim, and Querétaro sites to be fully operational for the A330 program, including the A330 Enhanced and A330neo variants, by 2027.

AirPro News analysis

We view Safran’s aggressive capacity expansion as a necessary response to a looming bottleneck in the global supply chain. The aviation maintenance industry is currently navigating a landing gear overhaul capacity crisis projected to last through 2028. Thousands of next-generation widebody aircraft delivered over the past decade are now entering phases of their operational lifecycle that require extensive landing gear inspections and overhauls.

The current six to 12-month lead times are driven by a combination of high demand and a shortage of specialized tooling, certified technicians, and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) approved processes. By localizing support across three continents, Safran is positioning itself to capture this surge in widebody heavy maintenance demand while helping operators avoid extended aircraft-on-ground (AOG) scenarios.

Sources: Safran Group