Engineering company TI Group has won several major contracts to supply landing gear, brake and thrust reverser systems for business jet aircraft, writes David Duffy.

Its Dowty components business was celebrating three deals totalling 27.7m which will see the company, which has its world headquarters in Abingdon, consolidate its links with air industry giants Boeing and Airbus.

The biggest contract, worth 13.8m over the next decade, is to supply landing gear equipment to be used on jet aircraft.

A 10.4m deal has also been agreed with business jet manufacturer Cessna to design and make similar equipment for its new Sovereign aircraft.

And US company Nordam Group has picked Dowty to develop a new engine thrust reverser for use in the business jet market in a contract worth more than 3.5m.

Dowty said its expertise in avionics complemented the engineering skills of Smiths Industries, with whom TI Group is to merge.

Dowty chief executive Geoff Smith said: These valuable new contracts underline the strength of Dowty's world leading, proprietary technology, as well as increasing our exposure to the buoyant market for regional and business jets."