From the Wright Brothers' historic flight at Kitty Hawk to Charles Lindbergh’s non-stop solo trans-Atlantic flight to Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier, the aviation industry has always been about pushing the technological envelope, so it is no surprise that the sector has embraced digital transformation.
“[Aviation] is one of the few industries that perhaps uses the available technology to its optimum. From advanced AI to cloud-based networks, the aviation industry might be our view into the future. A future where the aviation industry is ruling the technology space,” says Ramco Systems which provides enterprise software for aviation M&E MRO, logistics, ERP, and global payroll.
As the aviation industry rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic, digital solutions are playing a leading role in the recovery.
“Airlines are taking to the skies again and they believe digital transformation is an important ticket to their recovery,” wrote Transform with Google Cloud editor Jo Maitland. “Many are also keenly aware that chasing bright, shiny objects is not innovation. New technology solutions can be a quick fix and provide some relief, but what’s harder and more valuable is tackling a problem at the heart of their business.”
For all the good that comes with digital transformation, there is a dark side in the form of cybercriminals. For the aviation industry and MROs, tasked with keeping aircraft safe in the skies, cyberattacks can have devastating consequences.
“Cyber-attacks can cause severe damage to the MRO company’s reputation as well as potential risks to the lives of passengers as they travel at heights of up to 37,000 feet,” wrote Ramco’s Prakash Babu Devara.
The digital risks are widespread, according to Devara, including:
“The complexities of the modern fly-by-wire aircraft make them potentially hackable due to the diversity of interconnected IT tools, and quite often the outdated on-ground maintenance technologies,” said Devara. “If you are not relying on an advanced software system for your aviation maintenance or helicopter maintenance needs, you are unwittingly leaving gaps for hackers to exploit.”
One aviation trend is that MROs are relying on blockchain – designed to prevent tampering of historical data -- to secure multiple processes.
“A digital ledger of transactions can be kept tracking every instance when a part is installed or removed from an aircraft or a helicopter. The technology also enables the identification of each part’s quality, service data, as well as the identity and credentials of the technician who carried out the maintenance or repair operations,” wrote Devara.
The airline industry, on track to lose $9.7 billion worldwide this year as travel is still below pre-pandemic levels, is looking to get back on track in 2023. That figure is an “improvement” from the $42 billion loss in 2021 and the staggering $138 billion shortfall in 2020.
“Industry-wide profit should be on the horizon in 2023,” International Air Transport Association Director General Willie Walsh told the gathering of airline chiefs this summer. “We are rebounding. By next year, most markets should see traffic reach or exceed pre-pandemic levels.”
MROs are expected to help lead this turnaround with digital transformation playing a key role. Here are five aviation trends, other than blockchain, to keep your eye on:
“Paperless environments have been increasingly gaining traction and are developing quite rapidly. Maintenance departments have now shifted to a paperless or paper-lite environment and are seeing higher data accuracy in flight operations and an increased level of safety,” says Ramco Systems.
“It is really important to share data between MROs and operators for better efficiency. Using a cloud-based system, this process happens instantly,” says Ramco Systems.
“It is expected that with software predicting the trends, the industry will be better prepared for future innovations and requirements,” says Ramco Systems.
Among the possible advances:
o Software can advise mechanics on available solutions based on past discrepancies
o AI and machine learning can analyze historical data to provide MROs with a better understanding of stock availability
“This means the aviation industry would collectively progress towards better maintenance planning, forecasting, and system enhancements," says Ramco Systems.