Vallair and Aircraft Academy join forces with UIMM Indre to celebrate the growth of training in the department
On 2 July, the Union of Metallurgy Industries and Trades (UIMM) Indre held its ceremony for the Joint Metallurgy Qualification Certificate (CQPM) at Aircraft Academy, the aeronautical training centre of the Vallair group, based in the Châteauroux-Déols airport zone.
That same day, at the Annual General Meeting of the Indre metallurgy chamber, UIMM Indre and Aeronautical City President, Pierrick James, invited Grégoire Lebigot, President of the Vallair group and a member since 2025, to join the UIMM Indre board of directors in order to strengthen the Training, Skills & Employment project for industry under the Berry-Indre 2030 initiative.
Aircraft Academy, a training provider of international standing, rooted in the Indre
Aircraft Academy, developed by the Vallair group, is an aeronautical training centre built to meet the growing demand for qualified aircraft maintenance technicians.
It is one of the only two training organisations in Europe, alongside Lufthansa, to operate its own dedicated training aircraft, an Airbus A321. This gives the Academy a decisive advantage in meeting the level of standards required by aircraft maintenance.
The aircraft enables the training centre to deliver structured on-the-job training (SOJT) across the Airbus A320 family, a capability that will soon extend to the A330neo. This follows Vallair Industry’s recent certification for the maintenance of the A330neo at its Châteauroux site.
Training aircraft mechanics: a global challenge, a local response
The need for aircraft maintenance skills is vast and worldwide. The industry is currently short of 300,000 aircraft mechanics, and 700,000 technicians will need to be trained over the next decade.
To help close that gap, Aircraft Academy has designed a new programme launching in September 2026: a Bachelor-level course in Certified Aircraft Maintenance, an intensive full-time programme spanning three and a half years.
The programme positions Châteauroux as an international training hub with local benefits, since much of the practical training will take place at the Châteauroux site, bringing activity, jobs and visibility to the region.
“Training aircraft maintenance technicians is a global challenge, and meeting that demand is exactly why Aircraft Academy designs and delivers its programmes. I am very pleased to join the UIMM Indre board of directors, where I hope to help shape and strengthen the region’s training offer in line with the needs of local businesses,” says Grégoire Lebigot, President of the Vallair group.
About Vallair Industry
Vallair Industry, the industrial branch of Vallair Group, is an aircraft maintenance company specialising in the storage, maintenance (MRO), conversion and dismantling of aircraft and engines.
A contributor to France’s reindustrialisation, the company draws on an international client base that contributes positively to the national trade balance.
All activities of Vallair Industry are based in France at the Châteauroux and Montpellier sites.
Its facilities, among the most high-performing in Europe, include 15,000 m² of maintenance hangars for wide-body and medium-haul aircraft, 10,000 m² of aircraft dismantling hangars, and more than 40 aircraft parking spaces.
Vallair is a founding member of AFRA (the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association) and a member of GIFAS, Aerospace Valley and Aérocentre.
The group has been established in Châteauroux for more than 20 years, generating substantial economic benefits for the region. Vallair Industry employs 120 people locally and has injected €42 million into the local economy since 2022, when its new hangar opened. In the space of a year, activity at the Châteauroux site rose from 75,000 to 200,000 working hours.
About UIMM Indre
Founded in 1936 by the metallurgy companies of the Indre, UIMM Indre — the Union of Metallurgy Industries and Trades of the Indre — exists to defend and represent businesses in the region’s metallurgy sector.
To read the Press Release in French, click here.
Vallair et Aircraft Academy s’investissent aux côtés de l’UIMM Indre pour saluer le développement de la formation dans le département
Le 2 juillet, l’Union des Industries et Métiers de la Métallurgie (UIMM) Indre a remis ses diplômes de Certificat de Qualification Paritaire de la Métallurgie (CQPM) dans les locaux d’Aircraft Academy, le centre de formation aéronautique du groupe Vallair situé sur la zone aéroportuaire de Châteauroux- Déols.
Le même jour, lors de l’Assemblée Générale Ordinaire de la chambre territoriale de la métallurgie de l’Indre, le Président de l’UIMM Indre et Président de l’association de la cité Aéronautique, Pierrick James sollicitait Grégoire Lebigot, Président du groupe Vallair, adhérent depuis 2025, en lui demandant de rejoindre le conseil d’administration de l’UIMM Indre pour renforcer le projet Formation Compétences & Emplois de l’industrie en Berry – Indre 2030.
Aircraft Academy, un acteur de formation de rang international ancré dans l’Indre
Aircraft Academy développé par le groupe Vallair, est un centre de formation aéronautique qui vise à répondre aux besoins de formation des techniciens de maintenance aéronautique.
Aircraft Academy est l’un des deux seuls organismes de formation en Europe, avec Lufthansa, à disposer de son propre avion dédié à la formation, un Airbus A321. Cet avion constitue un avantage déterminant pour atteindre le niveau d’exigence requis par la maintenance aéronautique.
Il permet au centre de formation de dispenser une formation encadrée en situation de travail (SOJT) sur les avions de la famille AIRBUS A320, qu’il étendra prochainement à l’A330neo en lien direct avec la récente certification de Vallair Industry pour la maintenance de ce type d’avion sur le site de Châteauroux.
La formation de mécaniciens avion : un enjeu mondial, une réponse locale
La formation aux métiers de la maintenance aéronautique répond à un besoin mondial considérable. Il manque aujourd’hui 300 000 mécaniciens avions dans le monde, et 700 000 techniciens devront être formés au cours des dix prochaines années.
Pour répondre à ce besoin au niveau mondial, Aircraft Academy a conçu un nouveau programme et lance pour la rentrée 2026 le Programme Bachelor de Mécanicien certifié en maintenance aéronautique d’une durée de 3,5 ans, en formation intensive à temps complet.
Cette formation positionne Châteauroux comme un pôle de formation international avec des retombées locales, puisqu’une grande partie des formations pratiques sera effectuée sur le site de Châteauroux, générant activité, emploi et rayonnement pour le territoire.
« La formation de techniciens de maintenance aéronautique est un enjeu mondial. C’est précisément pour répondre à cette demande qu’Aircraft Academy conçoit et met en place des formations aéronautiques. Je suis très heureux de rejoindre le conseil d’administration de l’UIMM Indre où je souhaite contribuer à structurer et à renforcer l’offre de formation dans le département, en lien avec les besoins des entreprises du territoire. » déclare Grégoire Lebigot, Président du groupe Vallair.
À propos de Vallair Industry
Vallair Industry est une entreprise de maintenance aéronautique. Ses activités s’articulent autour des métiers de stockage, de maintenance (MRO), de conversion et de démantèlement d’avions et de réacteurs.
Vallair Industry est un acteur de la réindustrialisation du pays et, grâce à sa clientèle internationale, contribue positivement à la balance commerciale française.
Toutes les activités de Vallair Industry, la branche industrielle du groupe Vallair, sont implantées en France sur les sites de Châteauroux et de Montpellier.
Ses installations, parmi les plus performantes d’Europe, comprennent 15 000 m2 de hangars de maintenance d’appareils gros-porteurs et moyen-courriers, 10 000 m2 de hangars de démantèlement d’avions et plus de 40 parkings avions.
Vallair est un fondateur de l’AFRA (Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association), membre du GIFAS, d’Aerospace Valley et d’Aérocentre.
Vallair est implanté depuis plus de 20 ans à Châteauroux.
Cette implantation génère d’importantes retombées économiques pour la région. Vallair Industry emploie 120 personnes à Châteauroux, ce qui a généré 42 M € dans l’économie locale depuis 2022 et l’ouverture du nouveau hangar. Cela aussi a permis de faire passer le volume d’activité sur le site de Châteauroux de 75 000 à 200 000 heures de travail en un an.
À propose de l’UIMM Indre
L’UIMM de l’Indre a été créée en 1936 de la volonté des entreprises de la Métallurgie de l’Indre. L’Union des Industries et Métiers de la Métallurgie de l’Indre a pour mission de défendre et représenter les entreprises du secteur de la Métallurgie de l’Indre.
AviTrader MRO360° - End-of-Life Management for Commercial Aircraft
In the June issue of AviTrader MRO360°, Valentina Pilshchikova, Engines & Parts Trading Sales Manager at Vallair, shares with David Dundas the various aspects of end-of-life management for commercial aircraft.
“The choice to part out, store or sell an aircraft as a whole is fundamentally an economic analysis.
Deciding to part out is simple: do it if the value of the parts is higher than the value of the aircraft as a complete asset. It is straightforward when you consider that the market value for an engine, for example, can be twice its base value due to supply chain disruptions and technical issues. For instance, Vallair has observed that GTF engines on A320neo aircraft can command higher lease values than the value of an entire aircraft. We are seeing that relatively young aircraft with strong engines are being down because of this.
“Storage becomes the preferred option when current demand is weak or when the market makes it difficult to sell. Owners may wish to store an aircraft and depreciate the asset slowly, rather than sell it at a low price and realise the loss immediately. Then, when the market improves they can resume operation of the aircraft or sell it a more favourable price.
“Lastly, sale of whole assets may be the best choice for lessors who are faced with costly transitions for mature aircraft, in which case they may prefer to monetise their assets quickly.
“When deciding the fate of an end-of-life aircraft, the main driving factor is which option provides the fastest or best commercial return.”
To read the full article, click here.
Article courtesy of AviTrader.
Vallair Industry obtient la certification pour la maintenance de l'A330neo
Vallair Industry, l’une des principales entreprises de MRO en France, élargit ses capacités avec l’obtention de la certification pour effectuer la maintenance en base de l’Airbus A330neo sur son site de Châteauroux.
Déjà certifié pour la maintenance des A330ceo, A340-200/300/500/600, Vallair Industry, avec la certification pour l’A330neo complète son offre de service pour les gros porteurs Airbus et ouvre la voie du futur, préfigurant la certification pour l’A350.
L’adoption croissante de l’A330neo par les compagnies aériennes augmente les besoins de prestataires qualifiés de maintenance. Avec cette nouvelle certification Vallair Industry pourra, sur son site de Châteauroux, répondre aux demandes de visites de maintenance lourde programmées, inspections structurelles, modifications et autres services techniques associés, pour les versions A330-800 et A330-900.
Le site de 8 500 m² de Châteauroux est dédié à la maintenance des Airbus et peut accueillir cinq appareils de la taille d’un A321, ou une combinaison d’A330 et d’A321. Il propose une gamme complète de services de maintenance incluant le contrôle non destructif (CND), les transitions de location, l’aménagement et la rénovation cabine, en complément de ses services de structures aéronautiques, de réparation et de démantèlement de moteurs, de logistique, de parking et de stockage.
Vallair Industry, acteur de la réindustrialisation de la France et contributeur de sa balance commerciale
La certification pour l’A330neo enrichit l’activité de maintenance d’appareils gros-porteurs de Vallair Industry entièrement basée en France et renforce sa contribution à la réindustrialisation de la France.
De plus, Vallair Industry compte parmi ses clients un grand nombre d’opérateurs internationaux, ce qui lui permet, en offrant des prestations de maintenance réalisées sur le territoire national pour des clients étrangers, de peser positivement dans la balance commerciale de la France.
« Cette nouvelle certification conforte notre position de partenaire de maintenance de confiance pour les compagnies aériennes exploitant des flottes gros porteurs modernes, renforce le savoir-faire industriel français et consolide l’ancrage territorial de nos activités.
À Châteauroux, nous avons recruté et formé une équipe expérimentée. Aircraft Academy, organisme de formation du groupe Vallair, qui dispense une formation encadrée en situation de travail (SOJT) pour l’A320 étendra prochainement cette formation à l’A330neo afin de sécuriser un vivier de techniciens qualifiés de maintenance aéronautique.
En ayant développé un centre de formation au sein de nos installations, nous participons à la réindustrialisation du territoire tout en maintenant en France un savoir-faire aéronautique de pointe.» déclare Grégoire Lebigot, président du Groupe Vallair.
Vallair attains A330neo maintenance approval at Châteauroux facility in France
Châteauroux, France, 23rd June 2026: Vallair, a leading aviation asset lifecycle support organisation and provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, has received regulatory approval
to perform base maintenance on the Airbus A330neo at its state-of-the-art facility in Châteauroux, France.
The approval marks a significant milestone in the Company’s continued expansion of widebody maintenance capabilities and positions Vallair to support a growing global fleet of next-generation A330neo aircraft.
With airlines increasingly adopting the A330neo for its fuel efficiency, range and operational flexibility, demand for qualified maintenance providers continues to rise. The new approval enables Vallair to meet the growing demand for scheduled heavy maintenance checks, structural inspections, modifications and related technical services for both the A330-800 and A330-900 variants.
Grégoire Lebigot, President & CEO – Vallair Group, says “This approval reflects our investment in technical expertise, training and infrastructure. It strengthens our position as a trusted maintenance partner for airlines operating modern widebody fleets. The addition of A330neo capability broadens Vallair’s service portfolio and creates new opportunities to support existing customers while attracting operators seeking approved maintenance capacity for the aircraft type.”
The 8,500m² facility in Châteauroux is dedicated to the support of Airbus aircraft, and is able to accommodate five A321 size aircraft, or a combination of A330s and A321s. It offers a full suite of maintenance services including NDT, lease transitions, LOPA change and cabin refurbishment, which are offered alongside its existing aerostructure services, engine repair and teardown, logistics, parking and storage.
“With such a comprehensive background in MRO, we welcome the opportunity to extend our widebody capabilities,” continues Lebigot. “There is rich aviation heritage within the region and since we opened this new hangar, we have recruited an experienced team, capturing the exceptional expertise available. We believe it is vital to share knowledge with young technicians and Aircraft Academy, a Vallair Group company, delivers its mentored on-site structured on-the job-training (SOJT) for the A320 here. We will extend this to the A330neo as soon as possible to secure our pipeline of skilled aircraft maintenance engineers.
“This is a new chapter for Vallair and we look forward to a robust and thriving future for Châteauroux.”
To read the Press Release in French, click here.
InsideMRO - Sustainability and MRO
In the latest issue of InsideMRO, Pascal Parant, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer at Vallair, shared industry insights on how OEM choices are affecting the aftermarket and inhibiting sustainable practices of repair and refurbishment.
Speaking to Keith Mwanalushi, Parant cites a growing monopoly dynamic and the shrinking number of indepedent sources for subcomponent materials as major obstacles to effective repairs.
“I fully understand that OEMs invest heavily in research and development and certification, and that they have to recover these costs through the aftermarket. But a combination of single-source parts, licensing constraints, royalties and other barriers is reducing the number of capable repair providers, even as customer costs continue to rise.
“The consequence of this environment is that the choice to repair or scrap a component is primarily driven by cost and ends up having little to do with sustainability. Although there is very tangible sustainability benefit in USM, when Jet A-1 prices are high and LLP costs are climbing roughly 10% year over year, prioritising sustainability easily becomes expensive and feels more like a luxury rather than a necessity.”
To read the full article on the InsideMRO website, click here.
Freighter Trends - Teardown Market Expands Amid Supply Chain Constraints
In the March issue of Freighter Trends, Pascal Parant, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer, and Valentina Pilshchikova, Engines and Parts Sales Trading Manager at Vallair, discuss the expanding teardown market amid supply chain constraints.
Ongoing supply chain disruptions and long OEM lead times are driving strong demand for aircraft teardown, making USM a critical source of parts for airlines and MROs, Pascal shares.
“USM is recognised as one of the only viable alternatives to supply chain disruptions, price increases, and value generation through teardown activity. However, the lack of suitable aircraft for disassembly is constraining the market.”
Competition for mid-life aircraft is intensifying, Valentina adds, as companies seek teardown assets, with limited supply boosting prices.
“Competition is increasing for mid-life narrowbody aircraft suitable for teardown. Aircraft such as the Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A320-200 are being operated longer, keeping demand for teardown-derived parts strong.”
To read the full article, click here.
Article courtesy of Freighter Trends
MRO Management - Teardown's Workforce Test
In the March issue of MRO Management, Valentina Pilshchikova, Engines and Parts Sales Trading Manager at Vallair, discusses supply chain and workforce pressures facing the teardown sector.
Pilshchikova shares that workforce shortages remain a major challenge, pushing the industry towards automation, while highlighting the continued importance of human experience and knowledge transfer.
“Workforce shortages push us to transform the way we work, to move away from manual and adopt more automated processes. However, when it comes to spotting tricky issues or making the final decision – human expertise remains pre-eminent.”
“Vallair is investing heavily in internal training initiatives. Our highly skilled senior teams in the aerostructures and engine shops are committed not only to delivering efficient turnaround times, but also sharing their extensive experience with the next generation.”
To read the full article, click here.
Article courtesy of MRO Management.
AviTrader MRO360° - Transition Management for Leased Aircraft
In the March issue of AviTrader MRO360°, Sergey Starkov, Technical Director at Vallair, offered advice on managing aircraft lease transitions.
The operative word is organisation. “Transitions require significant teamwork between commercial, legal, technical and financial departments. Additionally, in recent years, transition records requirements have increased. Preparation is therefore paramount.
Lessors favour back-to-back leases and will often match redelivery requirements at the end of one lease to the delivery conditions of the next one. So, it is prudent for operators to produce high-quality documentation which has the correct data and is formatted correctly. This increases the chances that the lessor will accept redelivery quickly, which prevents airlines from having to continue to pay for the aircraft in the event of a delay.”
Operators must also factor in the time and work needed should there be any planned or unforeseen MRO requirements.
Whether operators manage transitions themselves or subcontract to experienced third-parties, Starkov’s instructions are clear: “Start everything as soon as possible.”
To read the full article, click here.
Article courtesy of AviTrader.
AviTrader MRO360° - Passenger-to-Freighter Conversions
In the February edition of AviTrader MRO360°, Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer at Vallair, Pascal Parant, speaks to David Dundas about recent structural changes in global air cargo demand that have made passenger-to-freighter conversions more attractive.
Parant shares that while demand driven by e-commerce and long-haul international cargo remains solid, wide body freighters are not readily available on the market and prices are high.
“There are simply not enough new-build freighters being produced to meet demand, and lease rates are extremely high. So converted freighters will continue to play a major role for many years. Conversion allows full utilisation of an aircraft’s economic life.”
To read the full article, click here.
Article courtesy of AviTrader.