The company developed the Concourse digital platform internally to unify and streamline business operations across the company. Concourse provides a single place for employees and customers to interact and manage business, as well as centralizes future technology initiatives at AAR. In early 2023, it launched its Digital MRO application, digitizing the entire airframe MRO workflow, from task cards to inspections and final signoffs.
Credit: AAR
Delta TechOps
The Delta Engine Maintenance team reimagined engine operations coming out of COVID-19 when the airline MRO faced significant increases in engine and part repair turnaround times and the addition of three engine variants. The result: The APEX program’s predictive and simulation capabilities have resulted in predictive part-level material scrapping, optimized engine production control, substantial improvements in material availability and eight-digit cost savings.
Credit: Lee Ann Shay/Aviation Week Network
GE Aerospace
The company’s investments in new engine inspection technology is improving the efficiency, accuracy and quality of inspections. For example, its artificial intelligence-powered Advanced Blade Inspection Tool for on-wing inspections can reduce inspection time from hours to minutes, and its Sensiworm uses untethered soft robotics technology to crawl through an engine to detect defects and corrosion.
Credit: GE Aerospace
Lufthansa Technik
To streamline workflows and enable data sharing across applications, Lufthansa Technik has created a technical operations ecosystem by bringing together Flydocs maintenance archives and the Aviatar data platform with Swiss-AS’ AMOS engineering and maintenance system. Benefits range from making application programming interfaces work seamlessly across systems to leveraging data across systems and creating additional predictive benefits.
Credit: Lufthansa Technik
SR Technics, Atlas Air and Kuehne+Nagel
In April 2023, the MRO, air cargo and logistics giants joined forces to create the Sustainable Engine Alliance, a partnership to manage global engine supply chains more sustainably. This includes using digital services for emissions transparency, sustainable aviation fuel and engine-stand management solutions, while avoiding environmentally harmful materials.
Credit: SR Technics
Continuing a long tradition of honoring innovators, extraordinary achievements and exemplary leadership in aerospace and other categories, Aviation Week’s editors announce the winners of the 66th Laureate Awards. This year’s awards honor 29 individuals, companies and programs across five industry sectors including MRO.
The 2024 awards will be presented at a black-tie gala at the National Building Museum in Washington on March 14. That evening, editors also will reveal five Grand Laureates selected from the winners in each of the industry categories.
