GetJet Airlines and Airhub Aviation have appointed 2026 Dakar Rally Truck category winner Vaidotas Žala as their brand ambassador to help recruit technical talent for the companies’ expanding maintenance operations in Lithuania.

In a press release issued on July 20, 2026, the GetJet Group subsidiaries outlined the long-term partnership. The initiative aims to draw parallels between elite motorsport and commercial aviation maintenance, specifically targeting automotive professionals to fill approximately 200 new Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) positions at bases in Vilnius and Šiauliai.

Bridging motorsport and aviation maintenance

The collaboration highlights shared operational values between rally racing and aircraft maintenance. Both sectors require strict adherence to safety protocols, rapid problem-solving, and precise mechanical execution. By aligning with a three-time Lithuanian Rally Champion, GetJet Group intends to raise the profile of aviation maintenance careers among mechanics and engineers outside the aerospace industry.

As part of the agreement, the aviation companies will provide support for Žala as he prepares to compete in the 2027 Dakar Rally.

“Vaidotas is preparing for one of the world’s toughest endurance challenges – the Dakar Rally. The technology and environments are different, but the principles remain the same: success depends on preparation, precision and the ability to respond quickly when conditions change. We are proud to support Vaidotas on this journey and look forward to being part of his future Dakar journey,” said Inga Duglas, CEO of GetJet Airlines.

MRO expansion and workforce recruitment

Earlier in 2026, GetJet Group announced a significant expansion of its MRO capabilities in Lithuania. The company is actively recruiting for roles including aircraft maintenance engineers, technicians, supply chain managers, and logistics specialists to support its growing fleet and third-party maintenance services.

The operator noted that several of its current technical employees successfully transitioned into aviation from the automotive sector. The ambassador program with Žala is designed to accelerate this cross-industry recruitment pipeline to meet the staffing demands of the new Vilnius and Šiauliai facilities.

AirPro News analysis

We view this cross-industry recruitment strategy as a practical response to the persistent shortage of qualified aviation maintenance personnel. With GetJet Group securing US$31 million in external financing from Volofin Capital Management Ltd in April 2026 to fund aircraft renewal and asset management expansion, capital is available to grow the business. Executing that growth requires a robust technical workforce. Targeting high-performance automotive technicians provides access to a labor pool already accustomed to strict tolerances and complex mechanical systems, potentially reducing the training burden required to transition them into certified aviation roles.

Sources: GetJet Group

Liebherr-Aerospace Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) broke ground on a new manufacturing facility in Shanghai on July 31, 2026, aimed at localizing landing gear component production for the C919 passenger jet.

Announced in a company press release, the new plant will be located in the Large Aircraft Industrial Park within Shanghai’s Lingang New Area, which occupies the northern section of the Phase III Pilot Free Trade Zone. The facility is designed to produce high-strength structural steel components and apply advanced surface treatments for aircraft landing gear systems, directly supporting COMAC’s expanding production requirements.

Facility specifications and supply chain integration

The new manufacturing site will encompass a gross floor area of 16,000 square meters. Architectural plans detail a single-story steel-structured plant featuring a 30-meter span and a building height of 18.30 meters.

By establishing an integrated regional support hub adjacent to COMAC’s assembly lines, Liebherr intends to mitigate international supply chain risks. The localized production strategy is expected to reduce long-distance logistics costs and improve response efficiency for the C919 program, providing on-site support directly to the manufacturers.

Expanding the C919 footprint

The groundbreaking aligns with COMAC’s broader efforts to scale up its commercial aircraft operations and develop specialized variants. On July 30, 2026, the Chinese manufacturer completed the maiden flight of the C919-600, a high-altitude derivative engineered specifically for operations on the Tibetan Plateau and other elevated regions.

As COMAC expands the operational envelope and production rate of the C919 family, the demand for localized, on-site supplier support increases. Liebherr’s investment in the Shanghai facility builds upon the company’s existing footprint in China and reinforces its role as a primary supplier for the domestic aerospace sector.

AirPro News analysis

We view Liebherr’s physical expansion in Shanghai as a clear indicator of the maturation of the C919 supply chain. While the C919 relies heavily on Western systems, localizing the manufacturing and surface treatment of heavy structural components like landing gear parts serves a dual purpose. It insulates COMAC from potential logistical disruptions while allowing Liebherr to secure its position on a program that is rapidly gaining domestic market share. The timing of this groundbreaking, coming just one day after the C919-600 maiden flight, underscores the momentum behind China’s commercial aviation ambitions and the willingness of European aerospace suppliers to embed themselves deeply within that ecosystem.

Sources: Liebherr

By applying a proprietary lean operating model to its shop floor, GE Aerospace’s Avio Aero plant in Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy, cut component lead times and inventory costs by 42 percent across its most critical production lines.

The company announced the operational metrics on July 30, 2026, alongside news that the facility received the 2026 Altitude Award for Site Breakthrough. The Pomigliano site manufactures approximately 3,000 individual components for commercial and military engines, supporting high-demand programs such as the GE9X, the Eurojet EJ200, and the LEAP engine produced by CFM International, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines.

Mapping and eliminating production waste

The facility’s transition to lean management formally began in 2018, five years after GE Aerospace acquired Avio Aero. The initiative accelerated in 2022 under the direction of Site Leader Roberto Bertaina. Upon his arrival, Bertaina and his team mapped the existing production journey for stator vanes, discovering a highly circuitous routing path that Bertaina described as a “spaghetti diagram.”

To resolve these inefficiencies, the team targeted the programs where they could drive the most immediate impact. They identified redundant processes, such as performing four separate grinding operations on certain parts, and reduced them to two sequenced, linear steps.

“We had parts moving round the shop to different machines, and different parts coming to the same machine. That generated waste in terms of waiting, because the same machine operator was prioritizing one workflow over another,” Bertaina stated in the company release.

Measurable gains in engine component manufacturing

The application of GE Aerospace’s FLIGHT DECK lean operating model yielded substantial improvements on 12 key ramp-up production lines. In addition to the 42 percent reduction in both lead time and inventory costs, the targeted lines saw a 20 percent increase in labor productivity. These metrics directly improved the facility’s ability to meet takt time, ensuring component output aligns with customer demand.

The shop floor now features 15 control centers equipped with screens and audio systems to facilitate real-time collaboration. According to the company, the Pomigliano team currently manages approximately 60 active problem-solving efforts to continuously refine safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

Bertaina noted that the facility is on track to double its conversion speed compared with 2022 baselines, which previously suffered from several weeks of delinquency on certain lines.

AirPro News analysis

The operational turnaround at the Pomigliano facility highlights a broader industry imperative. As aerospace original equipment manufacturers push to increase production rates, supply chain bottlenecks at the component level remain a primary constraint. By embedding lean principles directly onto the shop floor, GE Aerospace is addressing these constraints at the source. We view the formalization of the FLIGHT DECK model not just as an internal efficiency exercise, but as a necessary strategy to stabilize the supply base for high-volume programs like the CFM LEAP. When tier-level suppliers and subsidiary plants can predictably meet takt time, the entire final assembly line benefits from reduced disruption.

Sources: GE Aerospace