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Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector Author Matthew Price Client Manager July 2018 How shifting priorities and developing technologies are shaping the industry today and into the future

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Page 1: Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector/media/Files/S/SNC-Lavalin/download-centre/... · emerging trends in the aerospace sector Author Matthew Price Client Manager July

Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

AuthorMatthew PriceClient Manager

July 2018

How shifting priorities and developing technologies are shaping the industry today and into the future

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About usSNC-Lavalin’s Atkins business is one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies. Together, SNC-Lavalin, a global fully integrated professional services and project management company, and Atkins help our clients plan, design and enable major capital projects, and provide expert consultancy that covers the full lifecycle of projects.

With a strong, proven heritage in aerospace design and consultancy services, we have worked on some of the industry’s biggest projects. Including: Airbus’ A380, A400M and Single Aisle aircraft, and with Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, Bombardier, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and the Royal Air Force.

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There’s undoubtedly continuing, strong growth for commercial air transport – most notably from developing markets. There’s also a need to further drive fuel-efficiency and, companies are using big data to help them understand and predict when components require attention. These, and more, factors have all resulted in the aerospace industry using increasingly advanced methods to build, repair and maintain commercial and military fleets.

But that just brings us up to the present day. What about the future?

There’s little doubt that evolving technologies, electric propulsion, and smart new materials will bring on further opportunities, change, and challenges. So, it’s important that we understand the scale of these challenges to manage existing fleets efficiently, but also – given the volume of aircraft yet to be delivered, and future demand – so we can make the most of the opportunities that are without doubt coming our way.

‘Passenger numbers to double by 2036’The International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecasts that global passenger numbers will almost double in the period to 2036, rising to 7.8 billion annually. To match that demand, the aviation industry is continuing to raise output to historic levels. In July 2018 Airbus announced that nearly 37,400 new aircraft – valued $5.8 trillion – are required over 20 years, doubling the world’s passenger fleet to more than 48,000 aircraft.

Narrowbody craft, also known as ‘single-aisle aircraft ’ account for the vast bulk of those: the A320 and 737 families – including Neo and Max variants with new engines – accounted for a total of 9,730 aircraft, or around 75% of the Q1 figure. On top of that, output of their new flagship widebody programmes is also increasing, although this will partly compensate for falling rates of older aircraft types.

As major aircraft manufacturers and tier one suppliers get into full execution mode to meet record demand, Matthew Price assesses a number of exciting developments on the horizon that the aviation industry is set to embrace as demand grows and trends shift.

Introduction

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Driven by that dynamic, the two big aircraft manufacturers – Airbus and Boeing – are both looking at taking narrowbody production to unprecedented levels and challenging the supply chain to meet the demand. This is a significant issue, bearing in mind engine and interior manufacturing have both proved to be recent production bottlenecks – then we could see a monthly output of a combined 130 aircraft from 2020 onwards.

The supply chain’s challenge It’s not just the big two who face this supply chain challenge, both Canada’s Bombardier and Brazilian manufacturer Embraer have begun deliveries of their respective CSeries and E-Jet E2 aircraft, which are both powered by variants of the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines. Also, new types from Irkut (MC-21), Comac (C919) and Mitsubishi Aircraft (MRJ) are all in flight test, with service entries scheduled for the next five years.

As a result, the supply chain has made significant investment to meet the proposed output hikes, with narrow-body engine manufacturers CFM International, which is a joint venture between US firm GE Aviation and Safran Aero Engines of France, and Pratt

& Whitney particularly exposed. In addition, pricing pressure from the airframe equipment manufacturers is driving a new wave of consolidation in the supply chain.

Recently, Safran successfully acquired cabin and seating specialist Zodiac Aerospace, and United Technologies took on a $23 billion pursuit of avionics and in-flight entertainment systems provider Rockwell Collins – itself bolstered by the 2017 acquisition of interiors firm B/E Aerospace. In addition, Boeing has recently announced several initiatives to enter the supply chain, developing auxiliary power units, actuators, seating and avionics, alone or with partners. Aside from vertical integration, these moves are driven by the firms’ desires to capture more of the maintenance and services market.

Looking to the next generationAircraft development also continues, albeit at a slower pace. With the exception of the Boeing 777X, and potentially their as-yet unlaunched mid-market airplane , there is no other ‘clean-sheet’ aircraft currently in development by the big two, although a Sino-Russian collaboration to produce a next-generation widebody is in the pipeline.

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What is also certain, is that engine manufacturers are all investing in research and technology for the next generation of aircraft, and in the mid-term all of them appear to be banking on the current turbofan architecture to improve fuel-efficiency. But any fuel-burn savings from propulsion systems will undoubtedly be driven by the employment of increasingly exotic materials – ceramic matrix composites, for example – to allow better thermal efficiency in the hot section of the engine, or the use of a gearing system – as seen on Pratt & Whitney PW1000-series engines – to separate the fan and turbomachinery, allowing each to operate at its optimum speed.

On that note, Rolls-Royce is working on its geared UltraFan programme, coupled with development of a more efficient core as part of its advance research. Assuming there is no dramatic change of course over the coming years, thee most recent forecasts from Airbus, Boeing and independent consultancy FlightGlobal Ascend predict deliveries of around 35,000 to 39,000 passenger and freighter aircraft over the next 20 years. Although forecasts have some variance, they are broadly in agreement in terms of overall numbers.

Defence implicationsIf commercial aerospace is in execution mode, the same can be said of the defence industry. The most significant current programme on the global stage is the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which is ramping-up to deliver orders from its nine partner nations and three overseas customers.

In Europe, meanwhile, Airbus Defence & Space is working to deliver the A400M military transporter to its clients. And further out, there will be the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider bomber for the US Air Force, while France and Germany have indicated a willingness to

co-operate on a future combat air system, adding to other next-generation development efforts from Japan, South Korea and Turkey, for example.

Maintenance, repair and operational issues What sets the new generation of aircraft apart from its predecessors are innovations in both materials and systems – innovations that pose both opportunities and challenges for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector, too. While most of the current crop of narrowbodies feature conventional aluminium wings and fuselages, the newest widebodies, the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787, both feature majority composite constructions.

Although previous-generation aircraft have successfully utilised composite material – around 17% of the 777 is carbon fibre, for example – this proportion is set only to increase. While the properties of metallic and composite structures are well understood, and many airlines and MROs will have expertise in the repair techniques required for both, it is the increasing prevalence and scale of use of composite that poses the challenge for maintenance and repair.

Metallic structures tend to bend under the force of an impact – in collision with a ground handling vehicle, for example – but that’s not the case with composite material. While a simple visual check would reveal a dent on an aluminium fuselage, the sub-surface damage on a composite airframe can only be detected through ultrasonic scanning. And this requires specialist equipment. Repairs require investment not just in equipment, but also in people, training, skills and process improvements to be performed properly.

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Changing spaces A further opportunity for the maintenance sector, capitalising on a headache for airlines, is in supporting the need for airlines to regularly refit a variety of updated commercial aircraft interiors. Changing passenger demands – driven by the fast pace of development in consumer technology and a new generation of digitally-savvy airline customers – has resulted in airlines operating fleets with increasingly different cabin layouts. Emirates, for example, has three different configurations on its fleet of Airbus A380s, while Singapore Airlines is currently performing a large-scale retrofit programme on 14 of its super-jumbos, to bring them up-to-speed with customer demands.

Based on the predicted growth of the global commercial fleet, Airbus estimates that over the next 20 years, the maintenance, repair and operations sector will be worth $120 billion annually, by 2036. The knock-on effect of this means the aviation industry will require an additional 548,000 technicians over that time if it’s to meet that forecasted demand. Boeing predicts an even more pronounced requirement, believing that the sector will need an additional 648,000 technicians by 2037.

“Airbus estimates that over the next 20 years, the maintenance, repair and operations sector will be worth $120 billion annually. The knock-on effect means the aviation industry will need an extra 548,000 technicians – and Boeing predicts more than 640,000.”

Increasing digitisation The increasing digitisation of the maintenance sector will be another factor demanding different skills to previous generations’ skills. As Boeing notes in its 2017 technician forecast: “As airlines continue to take delivery of new airplanes, advances in airplane technology will drive an increased need for technicians skilled in avionics, composites, and digital troubleshooting.”

Clearly digitisation will have to play a significant part in helping to address this challenge, for example, technicians using virtual reality will be able to better visualise how components fit together – enabling them to ‘step inside’ an assembly or view it from multiple angles. And, of course, there are simple cost and time saving improvements, such as paper manuals becoming a thing of the past, and repair staff being able instantly to call-up relevant data on a handheld device.

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Drones as maintenance tools Unmanned air vehicles – better known as drones – allied to improved imaging technology, are also finding a home in the maintenance sector. UK low-cost carrier EasyJet, among others, has trialled them to detect surface damage, such as from lightning strikes, on its fleet. Results showed that using drones reduced the time taken to inspect each aircraft, and freed-up technicians for other tasks. As such, in 2018 EasyJet began rolling out the system across its network. The company has also been testing 3D-scanning technology and hopes to be able to add this capability to its drone fleet.

As a further sign of change in the sector, and a willingness to embrace disruptive technologies and digitisation, German maintenance giant Lufthansa Technik announced in April 2018 that its Malta facility was testing a number of technological innovations including mobile 3D scanners and drone inspections.

Maintenance version 2.0There are many other very positive developments in this area. Since 2016, Airbus has been developing the next generation of maintenance technology under its Hangar of the Future initiative, located in Singapore. Developed from the outset as a response to lower-cost maintenance providers, this project aims to increase operational efficiency through the application of lean methodology, plus state-of-the-art technologies – with the latter embracing automated non-destructive scanning, the introduction of augmented and virtual reality, and the use of big data to drive predictive maintenance.

Predictive maintenance is a key advance here. By capturing data and performing complex data analytics, it will enable the aviation industry to manage demand. As aircraft systems become more sophisticated, and satellite datalink coverage becomes more robust, aircraft are becoming able to communicate 400,000 separate touchpoints, or parameters, in real time. That data is invaluable – because time and cost are of the essence. It’s being captured faster than ever before, and the next step is to successfully generate value from it.

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If correctly analysed and harnessed, such data will allow airlines and maintenance companies to identify precisely what needs to be repaired and replaced, and pinpoint the optimal time for intervention, too.

Risk and reward of increased connectivity As with most advances, there is risk and reward. And this is where increased connectivity also poses questions of data security: as increased connectivity enables faster and more efficient delivery of goods and services, is also putting the nation’s vital infrastructure at risk of cyber-attack. Similarly, a new generation of systems is based on openness and interoperability providing agility and business value. However, in turn, this exposes organisations and society to a host of cyber security risks, from a number of sources such as terrorism, potentially hostile nation states in a global shift of the balance of power, and domestic sources .

Expertise is needed to get the balance right, and specialisms such as cyber resilience knowledge is already helping organisations understand the threats they face, implement proportionate protection, and when necessary, recover quickly from a security breach. All of which keeps mission critical operations running smoothly, safely, and securely.

New players in the field None of this technological change comes cheaply, of course. Established maintenance providers need to invest in order to differentiate themselves from new entrants to the market, particularly those in lower-cost locations. Also, a further strand of competition is emerging as the original equipment manufacturers attempt to capture an increasingly large share of the services and support sector. While original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have always been present in this sector, for instance in relation to engines or landing gears, airframe manufacturers are also now seeking to provide end-to-end maintenance solutions for their customers.

Boeing, in particular, is growing its Global Services division, with an ambitious target of generating $50 billion in revenue by 2025. And, both Airbus and Boeing are developing interfaces that will permit the retrieval of complete aircraft sensor data. From 2018, Airbus will equip all its A320s with a secure server router that collects aircraft maintenance and performance data and automatically transmits it to ground-based operations via 4G on the ground, and satcom broadband in the air. The new system captures 100% of the available data, or 24,000 touchpoints, or ‘health parameters’.

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Big data, bigger efficiencies The big data revolution, and information derived from it, will soon allow maintenance companies to amass the correct parts and technicians to make any repairs as soon as an aircraft lands. This certainly holds promise for increased safety and enhanced operational efficiency, by cutting aircraft-on-ground time, which is estimated to cost the industry $62 billion annually.

In addition, big data should allow maintenance providers to plan their work schedules better, by cutting down on the amount of unplanned shop visits and helping to optimise throughput at their facilities. In trials last year, airline Cathay Pacific and technology provider Honeywell found that the latter’s Go Direct Connected Maintenance application – which combines the connectivity of modern aircraft with data analytics – reduced inoperative systems on an aircraft by 35%. The two subsequently teamed up to roll the innovation out across the carrier’s fleet of A330 widebodies.

Recent research by satellite provider Inmarsat and the London School of Economics estimates that unscheduled maintenance events could cost the industry a total of $40.9 billion annually by 2035. However, even a 5% reduction in unplanned events could save up to $656 million per year for widebodies alone, the study suggests.

“A recent study by Inmarsat and the London School of Economics suggests that even a 5% reduction in unplanned maintenance events could save the industry up to $656 million per year.”

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Fuelling change Since 2014, when, according to IATA data, jet fuel prices hit $140 per barrel, the cost of fuel has tumbled, at one point dropping as low as $30 per barrel. It’s logical perhaps to think that the low-fuel price situation has resulted in older aircraft being kept in service longer, as fuel economy became a lesser consideration for operators.

But, while there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that’s the case – British Airways has consistently pushed back the removal from service of its 747s, which are currently scheduled for 2024; and half the fleet of 36 aircraft will be gone by 2021 – studies by lessor Avolon suggest the retirement age of aircraft between 2012 and 2015 remained broadly the same, shifting from 25.7 to 25.9 years. It’s worth pointing out, however, that the age of an aircraft is less of a determinant of its retirement age, than the degree of utilisation.

Nonetheless, as Boeing’s 2017 Services Market Outlook notes, the introduction of new aircraft into a fleet can frequently be a catalyst for the operator to also upgrade the interior of older models in its inventory. Airbus says that of the 37,400 new aircraft required, 26,540 are for growth and 10,850 will replace older-generation, less fuel-efficient aircraft – with the company estimating that the market for aircraft upgrades over the next 20 years will be worth some $180 billion. In addition, research conducted by the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in 2010 concluded that the upgrade cycle for passenger aircraft is getting shorter, resulting in a need for 38,000 upgrades projects over the period to 2030.

That trend, the research says, is driven by a variety of factors including the need for product differentiation, such as improved premium cabins, the introduction of new cabin classes to improve yield, i.e. premium economy, for example, or the desire to increase seat count. In addition, the increased expectations of consumers – notably around the provision of connectivity – is also driving that trend. MRO providers with sufficient interior completion and upgrade capability should be able to take advantage of this trend, although with certain classes of aircraft, the original equipment manufacturer may be difficult to dislodge.

Looking towards electrificationWhile current propulsion technologies are still wedded to the consumption of fossil fuels, over coming years we will see the increasing electrification of aircraft. And this poses another set of challenges and opportunities for the sector – which can be divided into two strands: more-electric aircraft, for example, the 787 or A350 compared with previous-generation wide-bodies, and electrically-powered aircraft. Hydraulic and pneumatic systems – such as those for actuation or air conditioning – are already being replaced by electrical systems to save weight and improve reliability.

Although we’ve seen incremental steps in this field since the first Boeing 737 took-off in the late 1960s, the biggest advance most recently was the arrival of the Boeing 787 in 2011. This was the first large passenger aircraft to use electricity, rather than engine-bleed air, to power the cabin air conditioning system. It also featured electrically actuated brakes and an electric de-icing system.

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So, with this increased demand for power, the generation capacity of the aircraft has also markedly needed to grow. Each 787 can produce around 1,000kVA for its on-board systems, according to Boeing’s figures, markedly more than previous-generation models. On-board power storage has also grown significantly. In the military sphere, that step-change has been matched, with the F-35 capable of generating around 400kVA, and a further step-up required in the future, as increasingly power-hungry sensors and systems are added to the platform.

While greater use of electricity to power onboard systems removes the weight and complexity of

traditional hydraulic and pneumatic systems, another revolution in propulsion technology is currently brewing: driven by both incumbents and start-ups, a large number of programmes with some form of electric propulsion at their heart are currently in development. These vary from small general aviation aircraft and urban mobility designs all the way up to proposed commercial airliners.

If an electrically-powered aircraft in the latter category is to be realised, Airbus believes that it would require 40MW of power for the take off phase, dropping to 20MW during cruise. As a step towards that eventual goal,

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the manufacturer, along with partners Rolls-Royce and Siemens, is developing its E-Fan X hybrid-electric demonstrator, which should fly in 2020. It will replace one of the four engines on a BAe 146 regional jet with a 2MW electric motor, which will be powered by electricity generated by a modified Rolls-Royce turboshaft engine mounted in the aft fuselage.

Powering future flight For its part, Boeing is pursuing its interests in the space via an investment in start-up Zunum Aero, which will initially develop an electrically-powered 10-seater, with plans for two larger regional jets to follow. In addition, new market entrants such as Wright Electric – which has the ambition of bringing to market an electrically-powered 180-seat short-haul aircraft by 2027 – are also emerging.

Although there is considerable research and development activity in this area, making real progress, there remain significant barriers to overcome. These include technological hurdles such as battery performance, notably in terms of weight and energy storage density: research from consultancy Roland Berger suggests that battery development will see an energy storage density of 400-450Wh/kg reached by the mid-2020s, with further battery chemistry development required to improve that level. Jet fuel, it notes, has an energy storage density of around 12kWh/kg.

The industry will also need improvements to the weight and efficiency of generators and motors to achieve required performance levels in the future for large commercial aircraft. Even if a hybrid-electric system can be achieved as a first step, the required generation and conversion equipment would almost certainly be heavier than the fossil fuel-based propulsion system. Some estimates suggest that to compensate for this, we would need to reduce the airframe

mass by around 20%; a huge challenge given the mature state of aircraft design, where significant investment is required for minimal gain.

However, it is an area of research and development that is maturing quickly and could accelerate further. Assuming the uptake of electric propulsion is a case of when not if, then everyone involved in supporting aircraft – be that at airports or in a maintenance capacity – should start preparing now.

Urban air mobilityWhere electric power could find an early application, however, is the advent of urban air mobility (UAM) services. While this new form of transport is still very much in its infancy – Daimler-backed Volocopter and Chinese start-up Ehang have already demonstrated their aircraft in Dubai where the government plans to have a proof-of-concept up and flying within the next two years.

Indeed, UAM represents one of the most obvious areas of Silicon Valley-driven disruption to the aerospace status quo. Barriers to entry – relative to those required for a large commercial aircraft at least – are low and even a brief glance at the Vertical Flight Society’s dedicated page for the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) industry reveals dozens of programmes in the works.

The list includes names from the world of technology, including Uber, as well Google, founder Larry Page, electric ground vehicles such as Workhorse, and more traditional rotary-wing aircraft manufacturers such as Bell and Airbus Helicopters. Although there is a marked difference between the various technological configurations being planned, all are consistent in proposing designs which use Distributed Electric Power, with multiple rotary wing configurations and cutting- edge battery technologies.

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Not all the projects will be successful, however. But, the potential for substantial unit sales presents a huge opportunity: eVTOL systems cannot operate in isolation and will require a network of landing zones, charging stations, and extensive maintenance provision. Not to mention the booking technology and changes to airspace management that will be needed to ensure successful introduction and growth of drones; and most participants in the fledgling sector are agreed that drone operations need to exist as part of a larger ecosystem in order for the segment to flourish.

Implications of the UK leaving the European UnionOne issue that’s keenly felt by the aerospace industry is the looming spectre of the UK’s pending departure from the European Union, and the uncertainty surrounding this significant decision. For UK-located suppliers, and the EU-based companies dependent on them, April 2019 is still a step into the unknown. Although the UK government has expressed a desire to retain some form of membership of the European Aviation Safety Agency, there is, as yet, no clarity as to what this will look like or the potential regulatory impact. Similarly, no detail is yet available on the future trading relationship with the bloc, nor the customs arrangements likely to be required.

Industry giant Airbus, which has a significant presence in the UK in Filton, Bristol and Broughton, North Wales, has recently issued warnings about the implications of a so-called ‘no-deal Brexit’ – asserting that increased red tape and delays to parts within its production system could have a significant negative impact on the delivery of finished aircraft. Even with a trade deal in place, it says, there will still be an increased cost associated with its UK operation.

That analysis follows previous comments from UK trade body ADS, which, in its evidence to the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee’s investigation on the effects of the UK leaving the European Union, said that the imposition of additional customs’ checks and bureaucracy could cost the sector an additional $1.5 billion annually. This would pose a “significant cost-burden” and hamper its “long-term competitiveness”. Similarly, the industry has been unanimous in its calls for an end to uncertainty, which would allow it to at least begin to plan with greater clarity for a post-Brexit future.

Additive Manufacturing reaches new areas Although not a new process, additive manufacturing (AM) – sometimes known as 3D printing – is another area which promises to drive significant change into the aviation industry. 3D printing offers significant advantages over traditional subtractive manufacturing: it can help to produce more complex, potentially lighter, shapes; it can deliver prototype parts or tooling in a matter of hours to be quickly adapted, and it means supply chains can be slimmed down, and less waste material produced.

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Although, so far, the use of ALM-produced components has generally been restricted to non-structural components such as brackets and fairings, and non-rotating parts in engines such as fuel nozzles and vanes, the uptake of 3D printed parts will be rapid: by 2020 engine manufacturer GE Aviation estimates it will be producing 100,000 individual components via 3D printing.

“By 2020 engine manufacturer GE Aviation estimates it will be producing 100,000 individual components via 3D printing.”

MRO organisations will also benefit from the additive manufacturing revolution. Rather than maintaining costly inventories of spare parts, maintenance providers will, in theory, be able to 3D print components as required. And, as older aircraft types become rarer, there will no longer be a need to maintain legacy tooling in case new parts are required. However, there remain

issues of capital costs to set up such a capability and the time taken to print parts. The change in process also promises to allow an effective deconsolidation of inventory: parts will no longer have to be held in a central warehouse, but could be produced at, or much closer to, the repair centre.

Production of interior components is clearly an area where ALM techniques will grow. A cabin update can create gaps between new and old components. Previously plastic spacer panels would be produced via injection moulding – a relatively complex and costly process for the small number required. However, thanks to 3D printing, Airbus has enabled small-batch manufacturing that is quicker and produces components that are around 15% lighter than earlier versions. Similarly, manufacturer ATR is using 3D printing to produce low quantities of cabin parts for out-of-production variants of its turboprop airliner family.

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ConclusionsThe immediate challenge for the aerospace industry is to deliver on the record backlogs that have now accumulated. That will require the supply chain – from the tier ones down – to overcome short-term production challenges in order to meet ambitious timescales. The huge numbers of aircraft coming onto the market now, and the growth of air transport globally, will also require a significant expansion of the sector’s maintenance capacity and capabilities – crucially including the recruitment and training of a large number of new technicians over the next 20 years.

New technologies will bring change, challenge and opportunity, too. This will comprise harnessing the benefits of connectivity and big data to drive predictive maintenance, changes to technology embedded onto aircraft, the coming revolution in full-electric or hybrid-electric power and other disruptors like additive manufacturing and the influence of Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurs bringing a new dynamic attitude to the industry through the possibilities of urban air mobility vehicles.

All of these new developments will require an ecosystem of specialist supply and support networks and services, state-of-the art equipment and skills, advanced training and specialist knowledge for repair and overhaul. So, there’s little doubt that huge opportunities lie ahead, as technological developments ramp-up to help the aviation industry meet vast, and still growing, demand.

Forward-looking companies seizing to explore new areas of activity and revenue streams will, indisputably, need professional guidance and support to realign their strategies, and put their resources in the right place.

Atkins is in a strong position to help, backed by traditional aviation engineering knowledge, with an eye to what’s on the horizon in terms of technological change, and forecasting upcoming trends. Our own integration capability, a strong understanding of the aviation and MRO industry, and support from business consulting and change management experts, also place us high-up on the go-to list of ambitious companies as developments continue to unfold.

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About the author

Matthew PriceClient Manager

Matthew Price has 20 years’ experience within the aerospace industry working for OEMs, Tier1 suppliers and global engineering consultancies throughout Europe, USA and Australia. With a background in aircraft structural design, programme delivery and client management Matthew is responsible for the aerospace aftermarket sector and the aerospace digital transformation initiatives for the European civil and military aerospace division. 

© Atkins Limited except where stated otherwise.

www.atkinsglobal.com/aerospace

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Image sources

Pg 4:https://www.arabianbusiness.com/transport/395500-uaes-strata-wins-contract-to-build-parts-for-boeing-777x

Pg 15:https://www.deviantart.com/emigepa/art/A350-1000-648979667

Further Reading:The challenges and benefits of the electrification of aircraftJames Domone

Digital twin for life predictions in civil aerospaceJames Domone

Protecting our critical national infrastructureDr Richard Piggin