Page 12 - AAA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 Online Magazine

INTERVIEW: MTU

Speeding a second MRO facility, in Jinwan. The facility
will have an initial annual capacity of 260 shop
visits and expects to be operational in 2024.
Martin Friis-Petersen, Senior Vice President
MRO Programs at MTU Aero Engines, attri-
butes the company’s faster recovery to a
Ahead combination of factors that include its broad
portfolio, the partnership approach it adopted
during the pandemic to support the engine fleet
of its customer base in a serviceable condition,
and high operational flexibility to shifting market
trends. In an interview Friis-Petersen expresses
confidence in overall market recovery and holds
MTU MAINTENANCE PUTS THE PANDEMIC IN forth on a variety of topics, including the impact
ITS REARVIEW MIRROR AND LOOKS SET TO on the pandemic on the general engine MRO
RECOVER FASTER THAN THE MARKET market and the company’s increasing use of
artificial intelligence throughout its mainte-
nance processes.
Arun Sivasankaran
With commercial aviation not
expected to make a full recovery
MTU Maintenance, one of the few engine MRO companies to sur- until 2023, carriers are operating
vive Covid-19 with relatively minor bruises, is buzzing with activity with a smaller fleet. How signifi-
again and expects to return to pre-Covid-19 levels by 2022/23,
earlier than the market. cantly impacted is the engine MRO
sector by the reduction in aircraft
As business picks up steam, the company is going ahead with and engine operating hours?
expansion projects - in September, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai,
its joint venture with China Southern Airlines, broke ground on At MTU, we are performing above average in

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