Page 10 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2014 Online Magazine
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SPECIAL FEATURE MRO TRENDS
The landing gear MRO aircraft as the Boeing 787 and the Airbus burden. In addition to that, independent
business is now gearing A350XWB, the landing gear units are MROs have been feeling the OEMs are
up for increased designed to go up to 12 years between making it difficult for them to compete
competition because overhauls. Such an increase would mean on a level-playing field, as they have
of the record number that 10% of the annual market immediately been drastically increasing spare-asset
of aircraft orders and disappears, which could pose a threat to a pricing,” Jurkstas adds.
deliveries in the years number of MRO facilities.” Although the OEMs are certainly
since 2004
While major existing participants becoming more dominant, they still realize
in the market agree that continuing they cannot support the demand on their
technological progress will gradually own and consequently - some more than
weed out smaller shops, the landing others - work alongside reputable repair
gear MRO business is now gearing up shops in the support of their product.
for increased competition because of “Thus, although the technological and
the record number of aircraft orders and investment hurdles might be high, for
deliveries in the years since 2004. those competitors willing and able to
“Another key element in the landing surmount them, the rewards for staying
gear MRO development is the substantial in the race could be very worthwhile,”
investment the MROs have to make in Jurkstas notes.
buying landing gear sets for exchange.
Many airlines are becoming increasingly
reluctant to purchase spare sets,
preferring to rely on pool items and short-
term leases. This has driven the landing
gear MRO industry to carry this financial
10 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM
