Page 8 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2014 Online Magazine

SPECIAL FEATURE MRO TRENDS

already putting significant pressure on the generation aircraft and engines, as well as third-party MRO suppliers and OEMs
MRO segment. cloud computing, mobility and advanced (looking to enter the MRO business) as a
The need of the hour for MRO analytics,” says Volungevicius. solution for implementing all four major
companies is to adapt to technological Volungevicius warns that the retiring MRO initiatives.
innovation to solve these business current generation of technicians along Basically, configuration-driven MRO
challenges in an MRO environment. with the on-going fleet renewals might is an integral component in product
drive the aviation industry to the point lifecycle management that enables
IT Solutions when the lack of qualified aviation service organizations to capture, manage
During the last decade or so Information specialists will eventually interfere with and access a comprehensive and highly
Technology (IT) has truly changed the way its expansion plans. accurate set of information about
airlines conduct business. According to “Add the need to support new individual and aggregate capital assets
SITA, the level of IT operational spending sophisticated solutions implemented in within an MRO related context.
by carriers world-wide topped $10.8 new generation aircraft, and you will find Once this information is collected, it
billion in 2013. The majority of carriers yourself in a highly competitive business provides enterprises with core knowledge
anticipate another increase in the airlines’ environment with a booming demand for that they can use for decision support
IT budget in the coming years. relevant specialists and training services. across their entire product lifecycle.
FL Technics Training feels that As a result, training providers are in This knowledge also can be leveraged in
the implementation of informational constant search for innovations, which workflow-driven processes that can be
technologies in maintenance operations, let would enhance and facilitate the training tightly focused to deliver metrics-driven
alone technical training, is lagging behind. process with quality, flexibility and cost lean and Six Sigma MRO objectives.
As costs related to maintenance typically effectiveness in mind,” says Volungevicius.
make up to 17% of all operating costs, it is Heavy Maintenance
an area in which technology can be used to Configuration-Driven MRO Industry
optimize operations and boost profits. One of the newest and most compre- With the prospect of new single-aisle
“There is a set of major factors hensive IT approaches to MRO aircraft to replace B737s and A320s
currently contributing to the increased improvement is called configuration- still at least 15 years away, the heavy
IT spending within the aviation industry, driven MRO – and interestingly enough, maintenance industry is preparing to offer
including higher airline profitability, next- it can be used by owners and operators, continued support for the existing fleet.

THE “TEN COMMANDMENTS” OF AN MRO IT IMPLEMENTATION
Following these “rules” (similar to lessons learned in any ERP upgrade) could help a company in its efforts to achieve
desired functionality within a reasonable budget.

1) Clean and migrate data (note: the project dearly. and reduce the total number of
when legacy data is on paper, that’s 5) Pay attention to interfaces, applications. Keeping legacy
an additional challenge). Should especially between ERP systems applications and excel spread
everything be changed? Should and other applications, so there sheets could require customization
some processes be cherry-picked for will be seamless functionality with and make interfaces to the main
automation? How do legacy systems correct data inputs. ERP system problematic.
fit in the big picture? How will MRO 6) Perform detailed testing to 9) Do not underestimate the need
integrate with enterprise systems? determine quality and conformance for change management strategies,
2) Allocate significant time and effort to safety and regulatory communication, and training.
for business user participation in requirements. Do not skip or reduce A new system changes people’s
all project phases. Collaboration the scope of this step. day-to-day work significantly, and
makes for greater buy-in and a better 7) Stage the transition: phase many people will want to replicate
product in the end. 1 could cover back office, the “as is” way of doing business.
3) Minimize or avoid customization. engineering, planning, records and To follow that path would likely add
Do not jeopardize the savings documentation; phase 2 could cover complexity and cost without benefit.
that come from easy-to-upgrade mechanics and heavy maintenance; 10) Be aware of future requirements
software; if customization is and phase 3 could cover the rest of (especially with the on-board
unavoidable, reserve it for critical, the supply chain. software loads of the B787), so
differentiating processes (five, not 8) Rationalize application that the solution is flexible for
25, percent of the total). systems as much as possible: adaptation and growth.
4) Avoid scope creep — it will cost avoid overlapping functionality (Source: Deloitte Consulting LLP)

8 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM