CHAPTER 5 Latest Trends in MRO

The increasing digitalisation of MRO to improve efficiency and reduce aircraft downtime is the key factor expected to fuel the growth of the digital MRO market

BY SUKHCHAIN SINGH

MRO is an ecosystem of interconnected supply chain and repair stations to perform heavy maintenance, line maintenance, aircraft repairs & modifications, interiors, paint, component repairs, part-out, teardown, and recycling. MRO is the backbone of the aviation industry’s systematic operation be it in general, commercial, or defence sectors.

MRO Industry Forecast & Trends, an IATA

Maintenance Cost Conference in Geneva details exhaustive pattern in the civil aviation trends. It has opined that OEM facilities temporarily closed during the pandemic have created shortage of parts and the scarcity of labour & raw materials has slowed the post-pandemic recovery. Increased trade wars and tariffs driven by growing anti-globalism, nationalism, in addition to other geopolitical issues have resulted in aviation and aerospace company pursuing new strategies to minimise supply chain risk. This will result in Globalisation 2.0 which is More Dual Sourcing & Near-Shoring. Also, commercial airlines worldwide were successful in offsetting pandemic losses leveraging the “preighter” aircraft. The sales of new freighter aircraft are making a strong come back and demand for Passenger to Freighter (P2F) conversions are increasing. Engine and airframe MROs are benefitting from additional MRO demand from the very old, maintenance intensive aircraft due to their delayed retirement.

While the consequences of the pandemic were intense for the industry, they also offer a time for consolidation and innovation. Technologies such as digital twins, real-time monitoring of aircraft condition, and predictive maintenance, could be a handle for service providers to cope with the reduced MRO budget of airlines. Digitalisation plays an important role in improving service efficiency. However, such innovation would require changes not only in the industry culture but also from the safety regulators. According to a global newswire report the digital MRO market is projected to grow to $4.7 billion by 2030. The increasing digitalisation of MRO to improve efficiency and reduce aircraft downtime is the key factor expected to fuel the growth of the digital MRO market. However, limited budgets restrain the adoption of digital MRO which is a major hurdle in the development of this market.

Smart Equipment Technology

Prior to the introduction and widespread use of sensors and smart equipment, maintenance followed a predictable routine. Now, as sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) technology becomes more accessible and inexpensive, manufacturers are better able to track equipment performance and maintenance needs, vastly reducing or eliminating the cost inefficiencies of outdated routines. Digitisation and smart technology produce vast amounts of data. This data is used to analyse supply chain

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CHAPTER 6