Aviation Week's MRO Podcast

Listen in to the first-ever MRO Podcast to be recorded live in front of an audience as Aviation Week's team share their takeaways from MRO Americas 2024 in Chicago.

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Read news and analysis from MRO Americas 2024 here 

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Listen in as Aviation Week Network's Lee Ann Shay and James Pozzi dissect the recent financials of Lufthansa Technik, Rolls-Royce and MTU Maintenance and how they are looking to capitalize on the market upturn.

Listen in as Aviation Week Network editors discuss MRO Middle East 2024 and share insights from the event.

Listen in to learn about key MRO and engine developments from the Singapore Airshow 2024 with Aviation Week's James Pozzi and Christine Boynton.

Listen in as Aviation Week Network editors ask a critical question: Will the capacity crunch ease this year? Airframe and engine maintenance slots have been tough to book since travel rebounded and supply chain pains strain turnaround times. 

Listen in as James Pozzi and Swaati Ketkar discuss developments in India's MRO industry and how it is building an aftermarket infrastructure to meet high growth demands.

Aviation Week editors James Pozzi, Lee Ann Shay, Lindsay Bjerregaard and Sean Broderick discuss the outlook for the commercial aftermarket.

Editor's note: At 4:10 during discussion of VSE Corporation's acquisition of Desser Aerospace, it is stated that the acquisition signals confidence in PMA parts. However, it should be clarified that VSE concurrently sold Desser’s PMA business to Loar Group.

Aviation Week Network's James Pozzi and Lindsay Bjerregaard discuss the recent Dubai Airshow and announcements relating to MRO capacity, capability, technology and workforce.

Aviation Week Network's James Pozzi, Sean Broderick and Dan Williams discuss the latest updates around the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine fixes and the continuing AOG Technics undocumented parts saga.

Aviation Week MRO experts James Pozzi, Sean Broderick, Lindsay Bjerregaard and Dan Williams share their observations and insights gained from the 25th edition of MRO Europe which took place this week in Amsterdam.

Aviation Week Network's Lee Ann Shay, James Pozzi and Chen Chuanren gather in Singapore to discuss what they heard at this week's MRO Asia-Pacific conference.

Listen in as Aviation Week experts Lee Ann Shay and James Pozzi break down talking points from the Aero-Engines Europe conference in Madrid—including MROs dealing with capacity constraints, the continuation of extended lead times and the impact of recent Pratt & Whitney GTF engine groundings on operators.

Aviation Week’s James Pozzi, Sean Broderick and Dan Williams assess the recent uncovering of forged airworthiness documentation for aircraft parts sourced from a UK-based broker.

Aviation Week Network’s James Pozzi, Sean Broderick and Dan Williams discuss the impact of technical issues related to the GTF engine powering Airbus A320neo aircraft on the global fleet and aftermarket.

After Airbus ceased production and COVID-19 destroyed demand, the A380 program's fate appeared to be sealed. However, the past year has seen an unexpected volume return to airline fleets. Aviation Week's Lee Ann Shay, James Pozzi and Dan Williams discuss the present and future of the A380 and its aftermarket.

The aviation aftermarket has seen some big mergers recently, such as Heico’s purchase of Wencor. Aviation Week editors discuss why M&A is picking up and the outlook for more deals.

Alistair Dibisceglia, director at Oliver Wyman CAVOK, discusses the state of Eastern Europe’s MRO supply chain and how the region is contending with geopolitical and labor challenges.

James Pozzi and Lee Ann Shay discuss the key takeaways from Aviation Week's Engine Leasing, Trading & Finance conference which concluded in London last week. 

Adrian Schofield, Aviation Week’s senior air transport editor for Asia-Pacific, speaks to Joshua Ng of Alton Aviation Consultancy about the major issues confronting the Australasian MRO industry—primarily supply chain pressure and workforce shortages.

Ng, who heads Alton’s Singapore office, moderated a panel on the supply chain issue at Aviation Week’s MRO Australasia conference in Brisbane on May 17.

As new engine programs develop and gain further traction in the market, OEMs, MROs and operators are experiencing related challenges.

Listen in as Aviation Week's MRO team report on what they're picking up from the floor at MRO Americas 2023 in Atlanta.

Lufthansa Technik is looking for a second shareholder and expects to make a decision by mid-year. Why is it considering this and who could it be?

The workforce shortage continues to challenge the MRO industry as companies struggle to recruit enough skilled technicians.

Crystal Maguire, executive director of the Aviation Technician Education Council, speaks with Lindsay Bjerregaard about workforce development progress, continuing challenge areas and the state of technician training following the implementation of new Part 147 rules.

Robust travel demand has spiked MRO demand for narrowbodies and widebodies—including the A380 and A340.

James Pozzi and Lee Ann Shay discuss the big news and nuances they observed at MRO Middle East in Dubai on March 2-3.

Aftermarket suppliers are ramping up to support new engine platforms while they continue to support the existing fleet—both of which face supply chain problems. Aviation Week senior editors Sean Broderick and Guy Norris discuss the dynamics with Lee Ann Shay.

Given supply chain bottlenecks around the world, Aviation Week's Lee Ann Shay and James Pozzi explore why Boeing is expanding its distribution business in Germany and what it means for its wider operation.

This week’s MRO Europe event will coincide with a challenging time for the region’s commercial aftermarket. James Pozzi and Lindsay Bjerregaard discuss some of these challenges and preview some of the talking points from the upcoming event.

Lessons learned and key takeaways from Aviation Week's MRO editors at MRO Asia-Pacific. 

With the commercial engine aftermarket experiencing mixed fortunes so far this year, Lee Ann Shay and James Pozzi preview what’s on the agenda at the upcoming Aero-Engines Europe conference in Dublin.

With new funding secured and new maintenance contracts in place, UK-based MRO Caerdav is looking forward. In this podcast, James Pozzi details how its chairman and owner, Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson and company CEO Joachim Jones are planning for the next steps of its future.

The aviation ecosystem should get smarter by leveraging data from different systems. Jennifer Schopfer, Collins Aerospace president of connected aviation solutions, talks with Lee Ann Shay, Aviation Week’s executive editor MRO and business aviation, about steps to make this happen.

Aviation Week editors discuss the lead feature article in July’s issue of Inside MRO.

Some of the key takeaways from Aviation Week’s James Pozzi’s interview with Atitech president Gianni Lettieri at the MRO’s Naples facility.

Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay and Lufthansa Technik’s Johannes Bussmann discuss changes over the past 20 years, emerging trends and the future of MRO before he leaves the company at the end of this month. 

A look at how the commercial aftermarket of Eastern Europe is faring so far this year.

Critical initiatives are underway that will influence how sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) mix and proliferate, how SAF and hydrogen will impact engine design and operation, and how aviation companies will manage their supply chains and Scope 3 emissions measuring.

Graham Webb, Pratt & Whitney’s Chief Sustainability Officer, tells Lee Ann Shay about what needs to be done now to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint.

Aviation Week’s aftermarket editors gather in Dallas to discuss what they saw at MRO Americas and how it is reshaping the way they think about the industry.

Mick Adams, CEO of STS Aviation Services, is being presented with Aviation Week’s Lifetime Achievement Award in MRO at MRO Americas 2022 this week.

Adams, whose resume includes leadership roles at Monarch Aircraft Engineering and Etihad Airways Engineering, reflects on his career in MRO in conversation with James Pozzi, MRO EMEA editor.

Aviation Week’s editorial team previews the upcoming MRO Americas 2022 event, highlighting trends they are expecting to see at the show as well as what’s new.

For more information about MRO Americas, click here

Mexicana MRO is similar to the fabled phoenix in Greek mythology, but may now break the cycle and really flourish. But first, expect two big things to happen in 2022.

Aviation Week's Lee Ann Shay, executive editor MRO & business aviation, shares her insights from researching the MRO with James Pozzi, MRO EMEA editor.

For more information about MRO Americas, click here.

Aviation Week MRO editors unpack the latest developments affecting the aftermarket following the sanctions placed on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine in what remains a fast-moving situation.

Listen in as executive editor Lee Ann Shay and EMEA editor James Pozzi share what they heard at MRO Middle East 2022 in Dubai. MROs in the region are facing ever more challenges in the supply chain and recruitment remains an issue but the mood was nevertheless buoyant as the COVID-19 crisis subsides.

Aviation maintenance training was forced to embrace digital learning during the pandemic. As the industry recovers and restrictions loosen on travel and group settings, will remote learning remain popular? Will the industry embrace investment into new technologies for training? Which focus areas will be crucial for technician training and reskilling as fleets change post-pandemic?

Will the COVID-19 crisis lead to a different aftermarket for OEMs looking to grow their presence? Collins Aerospace’s Colin Mahoney talks about how the landscape may alter post-crisis.

Adversely effected by COVID-19, India’s ambitious MRO industry is planning a long-term recovery. Anand Bhaskar, CEO of Air Works, one of its largest aftermarket players, discusses how it is looking to do this both domestically and overseas.

Understand the internal and external cybersecurity threats to aviation companies—as well as the weakest links. Nirav Shah, Republic Airways’ VP information technology, and John Janachowski, AAR’s chief information security officer and VP IT security, talk with Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay about these very real concerns.

With a near 50-50 split of in-house fleet and third-party maintenance work, Etihad Airways Engineering reassessed its strategy to navigate the COVID-19 crisis. Frederic Dupont, vice president technical sales and customer service, talks about how the MRO is coming out of the pandemic and how it will approach the market recovery.

While demand for many maintenance services has been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, companies are readying themselves for better days. In a move boosting its capacity, Lithuanian MRO Aviatic recently entered into an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries for a new facility covering services such as base maintenance and passenger to freighter conversion work from 2022 in Siauliai. Povilas Padaiga, CEO of Aviatic and Aurelija Kuezada, director at Siauliai Airport, discuss the need for greater capacity and how resurgent cargo activity is factoring into its plans.

Delta Air Lines installed sensors on the WiFi antenna area of an aircraft to test structural health monitoring. Could this be a step toward moving airframe MRO to a more predictive maintenance model, similar to that used by engines? David Piotrowski, Delta TechOps’ senior principal engineer, talks with Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay about how aircraft mainteannce could shift to data diven, tail-specific maintenance.

As advanced air mobility gets closer to becoming a reality, aviation is turning its focus toward building up the ecosystem needed to operate and maintain eVTOLs. In this MRO podcast, the CEOs of Eve and Skyports talk to Aviation Week editors about what vertiport networks will look like and how maintenance wil l fit into the equation.

Line maintenance across the world was immediately impacted following the outbreak of COVID-19 but the market could start to recover this year. In this MRO podcast, Jacco Klerk, CEO of Direct Maintenance, talks about the prospect of aircraft returning to service and ramping up operations to meet MRO demand.

As the aviation industry tracks fleet status daily for signs of recovery, Wendy Sowers, Boeing’s director, commercial market forecasting and analysis, talks with Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay about commercial aviation trends, what aftermarket segments should recover first (and last) and predictions for what the MRO market could look like post-pandemic.

Travel restrictions and social distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic are forcing the MRO industry to get creative in how it conducts business. Aviation Week editor Lindsay Bjerregaard speaks with experts from Rolls-Royce, SR Technics and Donecle about how technology is being used to provide remote inspection services to customers and whether the pandemic will be a catalyst for widespread industry adoption moving forward.

Alice Springs, in central Australia, is where many Asia-Pacific aircraft are getting parked. When Tom Vincent opened Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage there in 2014 as the first purpose-built aircraft storage facility in Asia-Pacific, he didn’t predict anything like the pandemic occurring.

As Air France adjusts its fleet and starts to ramp up flying, what does this mean for its procurement needs? Thomas Sonigo, Director of Procurement, OEM/MRO, at Air France, talks with Lee Ann Shay about what this means for MROs, including contracts and pricing. 

Dave Lange of FedEx Express talks with Lee Ann Shay about changes in cargo operations, including flying international charter relief missions, during the pandemic.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in the U.S. sets aside more than $60 billion for aviation companies in grants and loans, and small businesses could be eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program.

Christian Klein, executive VP for the Aeronautical Repair Station Association, talks with Aviation Week editors Sean Broderick and Lee Ann Shay about how MROs can access these funds—and what the next steps could be.

Aviation Week MRO editors discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the aviation aftermarket—and how some schools and companies are adapting.

After entering administration in 2015, ATC Lasham’s aging MRO facility was taken over by 2Excel Engineering, which sought to re-energize the UK-based site. Company co-founder and accountable manager Chris Norton talks to James Pozzi about the turnaround of its fortunes.

In honor of National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day, ARSA’s VP of operations Brett Levanto talks with Aviation Week’s Lindsay Bjerregaard about the importance of recognizing the work AMTs do and industry efforts to improve the profession.

During the MRO Americas Conference, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian provided his opinion on a range of issues—from Delta’s investment in new MRO capabilities to the Airbus A220’s performance and Boeing’s new midsize airplane (NMA)—with Aviation Week Network Editor-in-Chief Joe Anselmo.

Nanomaterials are coming. In this podcast, Alain Dupuis, VP industrial development for Unabiz and Vivek Varma, head of operations for Cyient Singapore, speak with Lee Ann Shay in Kuala Lumpur about the impact new sensor and material development will have on MRO.

Delta Technical Operations opened a 150,000-lb. thrust engine test cell on Feb. 21 that it says has the highest thrust rating in the world. With its first Trent XWB visit finished and its ramp up to support next-gen Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney engines, Don Mitacek, Delta Airlines Technical Operations senior vice president and Jack Arehart, VP MRO Services, talk with Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay in Atlanta about how it is preparing its business for $1 billion annual revenues.

Mansoor Janahi, acting CEO of Turbine Services & Solutions, a Mubadala company based in Abu Dhabi, speaks with Lee Ann Shay and James Pozzi at MRO Middle East in Dubai on Feb. 11.

Understand the way Industry 4.0 is transforming MRO and glean tips on incorporating the latest disruptive technology. Lee Ann Shay, Aviation Week’s chief editor MRO, speaks with

Van Espahbodi, managing partner and co-founder, Starburst Accelerator; Ken Nguyen, chief architect, Asia research and development, Oracle; and Akkireddy Challa, director, aerospace sector, EON Reality during MRO Asia-Pacific in Singapore.

As airframe OEMs ramp up production of next-gen aircraft, Philippe Mhun, senior VP of Airbus Customer Services; Mike Fleming, VP of Commercial Services for Boeing Global Services; and Frank Stevens, VP of Global MRO Centers for Embraer join Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay to discuss how they are also ramping up their aftermarket services. 

Leo Koppers, SVP of sales and marketing for MTU Maintenance, discusses MTU's MRO strategy, capacity challenges and the overall state of the MRO market today with Aviation Week's MRO editor, James Pozzi.

Diversity benefit companies in multiple ways. How can the aviation industry do a better job recruiting and tapping into a more diverse workforce? Get tips from FedEx Express VP air operations safety & airworthiness; Greg Jones, United Airlines chief diversity officer; and Cheryle Jackson, AAR senior VP global business development, who speak with Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay after a panel held at AAR on “IAWA Connect Chicago–The Importance of Diversity & Women in Aviation.”

Aviation Week’s chief editor MRO, Lee Ann Shay, is discussing additive manufacturing or 3D printing for non-flight critical parts at airlines with Scott Carpenter, Manager, Engineering Materials, Processes and Configuration Control for Southwest Airlines and Ramesh Ramakrishnan, Sr. Principal Engineer, New Business and Additive Manufacturing Technologies for Delta Air Lines.

A group of bipartisan U.S. senators introduced a bill on March 7 to address the aviation maintenance workforce shortage, which could become acute in the next few years without action. But can this bill make a difference? Aeronautical Repair Station Association execs Christian Klein and Brett Levanto join Aviation Week’s Lee Ann Shay to discuss.