Page 29 - AAA APRIL - MAY 2017 Online Magazine

FEATURE SR TECHNICS

possibilities for MRO companies as well. “The Ready for the Challenge geopolitical issues to prevent people
leasing companies are almost 50 percent of New generation aircraft, with their high-tech from traveling. Fuel prices were very
the world fleet,” says Vandedrinck. “There are engines, will require high-tech repairs. The attractive. There were no real labour
a lot of leasing companies in the U.S. even transition does not faze Vandedrinck. “The union issues. Everything kind of came
though they also have their offices in Dublin. I new aircraft won’t be coming in for repair together. Fuel prices are going up now.
work closely with my counterparts in Europe for some time yet, but there is definitely a Economies are maybe slowing down.
to make sure that we address the needs of change,” she says. “787 is more composite People are maybe traveling less.” The
the leasing companies. That is a nice market than an old 757 or 767. New skills have to be slowing down will not affect the MRO
with specific needs. That is a constant market learned. But one should not forget that there industry much, says Vandedrinck. “Aircraft
that does not change. Our ability to do it all is still a lot of metal in a composite aircraft. still need maintenance. Will carriers take
gives us a major advantage over many other We don’t look at the transition as a problem. new aircraft or will they defer them? It all
MRO companies.” We will remain aligned with our OEMs and depends on the airlines; all of them have
continue to train our people.” Vandedrinck different philosophies. Retirements are
Competing Against Airline MROs acknowledges that with OEMs expanding not high; the operator may change, but
Vandedrinck concedes that airline MROs may into aftermarket services, the competitive the aircraft keeps flying. There is always a
have an advantage over third party MROs MRO landscape is changing. “At SR Technics, market for those types of aircraft.”
in some ways. She, however, believes that we acknowledge the need to be more agile,
it is not an insurmountable hurdle. “Airline and we work closely with our customers to
MROs have a base load; they have their own remain focused on the factors which are While new generation
airline,” she said. “They also have very deep important to them,” she says. “This includes jetliners such as the A350
alliances with certain airlines. That is hard, stronger partnerships with our major and 787 make extensive use
of composites, there are still
as an independent MRO, to compete against. customers as well as with OEMs.” plenty of metal parts and
That being said, we continue to fish in the the bulk of the aircraft are
same pool. As a third-party MRO, we do not Optimistic About the Future years away from overhauls,
have preferred customers; we treat everyone It would be unrealistic to expect a repeat allowing MRO firms time
to prepare themselves for
the same. If you are an airlines MRO, do you? of 2016, says Vandedrinck. “People overhaul work on these
I don’t know.” were traveling; there weren’t any major aircraft
WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA APRIL / MAY 2017 MAINTENANCE REPAIR OVERHAUL 29