Current and

emerging trends in
the aerospace sector
How shifting priorities and developing technologies
are shaping the industry today and into the future

Author
Matthew Price
Client Manager

July 2018
About us
SNC-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.
Introduction
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.
There’s undoubtedly continuing, strong growth
for commercial air transport – most notably ‘Passenger numbers
from developing markets. There’s also a need
to further drive fuel-effciency and, companies
to double by 2036’
are using big data to help them understand and The International Air Transport Association
predict when components require attention. (IATA) forecasts that global passenger numbers
These, and more, factors have all resulted will almost double in the period to 2036, rising
in the aerospace industry using increasingly to 7.8 billion annually. To match that demand,
advanced methods to build, repair and maintain the aviation industry is continuing to raise output
commercial and military feets. to historic levels. In July 2018 Airbus announced
that nearly 37,400 new aircraft – valued $5.8
But that just brings us up to the present day.
trillion – are required over 20 years, doubling
What about the future?
the world’s passenger feet to more than
There’s little doubt that evolving technologies, 48,000 aircraft.
electric propulsion, and smart new materials
Narrowbody craft, also known as ‘single-aisle
will bring on further opportunities, change,
aircraft ’ account for the vast bulk of those:
and challenges. So, it’s important that we
the A320 and 737 families – including Neo and
understand the scale of these challenges to
Max variants with new engines – accounted
manage existing feets effciently, but also –
for a total of 9,730 aircraft, or around 75% of
given the volume of aircraft yet to be delivered,
the Q1 fgure. On top of that, output of their
and future demand – so we can make the most
new fagship widebody programmes is also
of the opportunities that are without doubt
increasing, although this will partly compensate
coming our way.
for falling rates of older aircraft types.
V l
3
Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Driven by that dynamic, the two big aircraft & Whitney particularly exposed. In addition,
manufacturers – Airbus and Boeing – are both pricing pressure from the airframe equipment
looking at taking narrowbody production to manufacturers is driving a new wave of
unprecedented levels and challenging the consolidation in the supply chain.
supply chain to meet the demand. This is a
Recently, Safran successfully acquired cabin
signifcant issue, bearing in mind engine and
and seating specialist Zodiac Aerospace, and
interior manufacturing have both proved to be
United Technologies took on a $23 billion pursuit
recent production bottlenecks – then we could
of avionics and in-fight entertainment systems
see a monthly output of a combined 130 aircraft
provider Rockwell Collins – itself bolstered
from 2020 onwards.
by the 2017 acquisition of interiors frm B/E
Aerospace. In addition, Boeing has recently
The supply announced several initiatives to enter the
supply chain, developing auxiliary power units,
chain’s challenge actuators, seating and avionics, alone or with
partners. Aside from vertical integration, these
It’s not just the big two who face this supply
moves are driven by the frms’ desires to capture
chain challenge, both Canada’s Bombardier and
more of the maintenance and services market.
Brazilian manufacturer Embraer have begun
deliveries of their respective CSeries and E-Jet
E2 aircraft, which are both powered by variants Looking to the
of the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines.
Also, new types from Irkut (MC-21), Comac next generation
(C919) and Mitsubishi Aircraft (MRJ) are all in
Aircraft development also continues, albeit at
fight test, with service entries scheduled for the
a slower pace. With the exception of the Boeing
next fve years.
777X, and potentially their as-yet unlaunched
As a result, the supply chain has made mid-market airplane , there is no other ‘clean-
signifcant investment to meet the proposed sheet’ aircraft currently in development by the
output hikes, with narrow-body engine big two, although a Sino-Russian collaboration
manufacturers CFM International, which is to produce a next-generation widebody is
a joint venture between US frm GE Aviation in the pipeline.
and Safran Aero Engines of France, and Pratt

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 Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

What is also certain, is that engine co-operate on a future combat air system,
manufacturers are all investing in research and adding to other next-generation development
technology for the next generation of aircraft, efforts from Japan, South Korea and Turkey,
and in the mid-term all of them appear to be for example.
banking on the current turbofan architecture
to improve fuel-effciency. But any fuel-
burn savings from propulsion systems will Maintenance, repair
undoubtedly be driven by the employment of
increasingly exotic materials – ceramic matrix
and operational issues
composites, for example – to allow better What sets the new generation of aircraft apart
thermal effciency in the hot section of the from its predecessors are innovations in both
engine, or the use of a gearing system – as seen materials and systems – innovations that
on Pratt & Whitney PW1000-series engines – to pose both opportunities and challenges for
separate the fan and turbomachinery, allowing the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)
each to operate at its optimum speed. sector, too. While most of the current crop of
narrowbodies feature conventional aluminium
On that note, Rolls-Royce is working on its
wings and fuselages, the newest widebodies, the
geared UltraFan programme, coupled with
Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787, both feature
development of a more effcient core as part
majority composite constructions.
of its advance research. Assuming there is no
dramatic change of course over the coming Although previous-generation aircraft have
years, thee most recent forecasts from successfully utilised composite material
Airbus, Boeing and independent consultancy – around 17% of the 777 is carbon fbre,
FlightGlobal Ascend predict deliveries of around for example – this proportion is set only to
35,000 to 39,000 passenger and freighter increase. While the properties of metallic and
aircraft over the next 20 years. Although composite structures are well understood, and
forecasts have some variance, they are broadly many airlines and MROs will have expertise
in agreement in terms of overall numbers. in the repair techniques required for both, it
is the increasing prevalence and scale of use

Defence implications of composite that poses the challenge for

maintenance and repair.
If commercial aerospace is in execution mode, Metallic structures tend to bend under the
the same can be said of the defence industry. force of an impact – in collision with a ground
The most signifcant current programme on the handling vehicle, for example – but that’s not
global stage is the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint the case with composite material. While a
Strike Fighter, which is ramping-up to deliver simple visual check would reveal a dent on an
orders from its nine partner nations and three aluminium fuselage, the sub-surface damage
overseas customers. on a composite airframe can only be detected
In Europe, meanwhile, Airbus Defence & Space through ultrasonic scanning. And this requires
is working to deliver the A400M military specialist equipment. Repairs require investment
transporter to its clients. And further out, there not just in equipment, but also in people,
will be the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider training, skills and process improvements
bomber for the US Air Force, while France and to be performed properly.
Germany have indicated a willingness to

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Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Changing spaces Increasing digitisation

A further opportunity for the maintenance The increasing digitisation of the maintenance
sector, capitalising on a headache for airlines, is sector will be another factor demanding
in supporting the need for airlines to regularly different skills to previous generations’ skills.
reft a variety of updated commercial aircraft As Boeing notes in its 2017 technician forecast:
interiors. Changing passenger demands – driven “As airlines continue to take delivery of new
by the fast pace of development in consumer airplanes, advances in airplane technology will
technology and a new generation of digitally- drive an increased need for technicians
savvy airline customers – has resulted in airlines skilled in avionics, composites,
operating feets with increasingly different and digital troubleshooting.”
cabin layouts. Emirates, for example, has three
different confgurations on its feet of Airbus
A380s, while Singapore Airlines is currently
performing a large-scale retroft 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 feet, 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 Clearly digitisation will have to play a signifcant
part in helping to address this challenge, for
next 20 years, the maintenance, example, technicians using virtual reality will
repair and operations sector will be able to better visualise how components
ft together – enabling them to ‘step inside’
be worth $120 billion annually. an assembly or view it from multiple angles.
The knock-on effect means the And, of course, there are simple cost and time
saving improvements, such as paper manuals
aviation industry will need an becoming a thing of the past, and repair staff
extra 548,000 technicians – being able instantly to call-up relevant data
on a handheld device.
and Boeing predicts more
than 640,000.”

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 Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Drones as Maintenance
maintenance tools version 2.0
Unmanned air vehicles – better known as drones There are many other very positive
– allied to improved imaging technology, are developments in this area. Since 2016, Airbus
also fnding a home in the maintenance sector. has been developing the next generation of
UK low-cost carrier EasyJet, among others, has maintenance technology under its Hangar of the
trialled them to detect surface damage, such Future initiative, located in Singapore. Developed
as from lightning strikes, on its feet. Results from the outset as a response to lower-cost
showed that using drones reduced the time maintenance providers, this project aims to
taken to inspect each aircraft, and freed-up increase operational effciency through the
technicians for other tasks. As such, in 2018 application of lean methodology, plus state-of-
EasyJet began rolling out the system across its the-art technologies – with the latter embracing
network. The company has also been testing automated non-destructive scanning, the
3D-scanning technology and hopes to be able to introduction of augmented and virtual reality,
add this capability to its drone feet. and the use of big data to drive
predictive maintenance.
As a further sign of change in the sector, and a
willingness to embrace disruptive technologies Predictive maintenance is a key advance here.
and digitisation, German maintenance giant By capturing data and performing complex data
Lufthansa Technik announced in April 2018 analytics, it will enable the aviation industry to
that its Malta facility was testing a number of manage demand. As aircraft systems become
technological innovations including mobile 3D more sophisticated, and satellite datalink
scanners and drone inspections. 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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Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

If correctly analysed and harnessed, such data

will allow airlines and maintenance companies New players
to identify precisely what needs to be repaired
and replaced, and pinpoint the optimal time for
in the field
intervention, too. None of this technological change comes
cheaply, of course. Established maintenance

Risk and reward of providers need to invest in order to differentiate

themselves from new entrants to the market,
increased connectivity particularly those in lower-cost locations. Also,
a further strand of competition is emerging as
As with most advances, there is risk and reward. the original equipment manufacturers attempt
And this is where increased connectivity also to capture an increasingly large share of the
poses questions of data security: as increased services and support sector. While original
connectivity enables faster and more effcient equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have always
delivery of goods and services, is also putting been present in this sector, for instance in
the nation’s vital infrastructure at risk of cyber- relation to engines or landing gears, airframe
attack. Similarly, a new generation of systems is manufacturers are also now seeking to provide
based on openness and interoperability providing end-to-end maintenance solutions for
agility and business value. However, in turn, this their customers.
exposes organisations and society to a host of
Boeing, in particular, is growing its Global
cyber security risks, from a number of sources
Services division, with an ambitious target
such as terrorism, potentially hostile nation
of generating $50 billion in revenue by 2025.
states in a global shift of the balance of power,
And, both Airbus and Boeing are developing
and domestic sources .
interfaces that will permit the retrieval of
Expertise is needed to get the balance right, and complete aircraft sensor data. From 2018,
specialisms such as cyber resilience knowledge Airbus will equip all its A320s with a secure
is already helping organisations understand server router that collects aircraft maintenance
the threats they face, implement proportionate and performance data and automatically
protection, and when necessary, recover quickly transmits it to ground-based operations via 4G
from a security breach. All of which keeps on the ground, and satcom broadband in the air.
mission critical operations running smoothly, The new system captures 100% of the available
safely, and securely. data, or 24,000 touchpoints, or
‘health parameters’.

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 Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Big data, Recent research by satellite provider Inmarsat

and the London School of Economics estimates

bigger efficiencies that unscheduled maintenance events could

cost the industry a total of $40.9 billion annually
The big data revolution, and information derived by 2035. However, even a 5% reduction in
from it, will soon allow maintenance companies unplanned events could save up to $656 million
to amass the correct parts and technicians to per year for widebodies alone,
make any repairs as soon as an aircraft lands. the study suggests.
This certainly holds promise for increased safety
and enhanced operational effciency, by cutting “A recent study by Inmarsat
aircraft-on-ground time, which is estimated to
and the London School of
cost the industry $62 billion annually.
Economics suggests that even
In addition, big data should allow maintenance
providers to plan their work schedules better, by a 5% reduction in unplanned
cutting down on the amount of unplanned shop maintenance events could save
visits and helping to optimise throughput at their
facilities. In trials last year, airline Cathay Pacifc the industry up to $656 million
and technology provider Honeywell found that per year.”
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 feet of
A330 widebodies.

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Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Fuelling change That trend, the research says, is driven by a

variety of factors including the need for product
differentiation, such as improved premium
Since 2014, when, according to IATA data, jet
cabins, the introduction of new cabin classes
fuel prices hit $140 per barrel, the cost of fuel
to improve yield, i.e. premium economy, for
has tumbled, at one point dropping as low as
example, or the desire to increase seat count.
$30 per barrel. It’s logical perhaps to think that
In addition, the increased expectations of
the low-fuel price situation has resulted in older
consumers – notably around the provision of
aircraft being kept in service longer, as fuel
connectivity – is also driving that trend. MRO
economy became a lesser consideration
providers with suffcient interior completion
for operators.
and upgrade capability should be able to take
But, while there is some anecdotal evidence advantage of this trend, although with certain
to suggest that’s the case – British Airways classes of aircraft, the original equipment
has consistently pushed back the removal manufacturer may be diffcult to dislodge.
from service of its 747s, which are currently

Looking towards
scheduled for 2024; and half the feet 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
electrification
same, shifting from 25.7 to 25.9 years. It’s worth While current propulsion technologies are still
pointing out, however, that the age of an aircraft wedded to the consumption of fossil fuels,
is less of a determinant of its retirement age, over coming years we will see the increasing
than the degree of utilisation. electrifcation of aircraft. And this poses another
Nonetheless, as Boeing’s 2017 Services Market set of challenges and opportunities for the
Outlook notes, the introduction of new aircraft sector – which can be divided into two strands:
into a feet can frequently be a catalyst for more-electric aircraft, for example, the 787
the operator to also upgrade the interior of or A350 compared with previous-generation
older models in its inventory. Airbus says that wide-bodies, and electrically-powered aircraft.
of the 37,400 new aircraft required, 26,540 Hydraulic and pneumatic systems – such as
are for growth and 10,850 will replace older- those for actuation or air conditioning – are
generation, less fuel-effcient aircraft – with already being replaced by electrical systems to
the company estimating that the market for save weight and improve reliability.
aircraft upgrades over the next 20 years will be Although we’ve seen incremental steps in this
worth some $180 billion. In addition, research feld since the frst Boeing 737 took-off in the
conducted by the Hamburg University of Applied late 1960s, the biggest advance most recently
Sciences in 2010 concluded that the upgrade was the arrival of the Boeing 787 in 2011. This
cycle for passenger aircraft is getting shorter, was the frst large passenger aircraft to use
resulting in a need for 38,000 upgrades projects electricity, rather than engine-bleed air, to
over the period to 2030. power the cabin air conditioning system. It also
featured electrically actuated brakes and an
electric de-icing system.

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 Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

el
Power
Turboshaft electronics

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ELECTRIC
Motor(s)
HYBRID
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Battery Motor(s)
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Aircraft systems

So, with this increased demand for power, the traditional hydraulic and pneumatic systems,
generation capacity of the aircraft has also another revolution in propulsion technology is
markedly needed to grow. Each 787 can produce currently brewing: driven by both incumbents
around 1,000kVA for its on-board systems, and start-ups, a large number of programmes
according to Boeing’s fgures, markedly more with some form of electric propulsion at their
than previous-generation models. On-board heart are currently in development. These vary
power storage has also grown signifcantly. In from small general aviation aircraft and urban
the military sphere, that step-change has been mobility designs all the way up to proposed
matched, with the F-35 capable of generating commercial airliners.
around 400kVA, and a further step-up required
If an electrically-powered aircraft in the latter
in the future, as increasingly power-hungry
category is to be realised, Airbus believes that
sensors and systems are added to the platform.
it would require 40MW of power for the take
While greater use of electricity to power onboard off phase, dropping to 20MW during cruise.
systems removes the weight and complexity of As a step towards that eventual goal,

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11
Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

the manufacturer, along with partners Rolls- mass by around 20%; a huge challenge given the
Royce and Siemens, is developing its E-Fan X mature state of aircraft design, where signifcant
hybrid-electric demonstrator, which should fy in investment is required for minimal gain.
2020. It will replace one of the four engines on a
However, it is an area of research and
BAe 146 regional jet with a 2MW electric motor,
development that is maturing quickly and could
which will be powered by electricity generated
accelerate further. Assuming the uptake of
by a modifed Rolls-Royce turboshaft engine
electric propulsion is a case of when not if, then
mounted in the aft fuselage.
everyone involved in supporting aircraft – be that
at airports or in a maintenance capacity – should
Powering future flight start preparing now.

For its part, Boeing is pursuing its interests in

the space via an investment in start-up Zunum Urban air mobility
Aero, which will initially develop an electrically-
Where electric power could fnd an early
powered 10-seater, with plans for two larger
application, however, is the advent of urban air
regional jets to follow. In addition, new market
mobility (UAM) services. While this new form
entrants such as Wright Electric – which has the
of transport is still very much in its infancy –
ambition of bringing to market an electrically-
Daimler-backed Volocopter and Chinese start-
powered 180-seat short-haul aircraft by 2027
up Ehang have already demonstrated their
– are also emerging.
aircraft in Dubai where the government plans to
Although there is considerable research and have a proof-of-concept up and fying within the
development activity in this area, making real next two years.
progress, there remain signifcant barriers to
Indeed, UAM represents one of the most obvious
overcome. These include technological hurdles
areas of Silicon Valley-driven disruption to the
such as battery performance, notably in terms
aerospace status quo. Barriers to entry – relative
of weight and energy storage density: research
to those required for a large commercial aircraft
from consultancy Roland Berger suggests
at least – are low and even a brief glance at the
that battery development will see an energy
Vertical Flight Society’s dedicated page for the
storage density of 400-450Wh/kg reached by
electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL)
the mid-2020s, with further battery chemistry
industry reveals dozens of programmes
development required to improve that level. Jet
in the works.
fuel, it notes, has an energy storage density of
around 12kWh/kg. The list includes names from the world of
technology, including Uber, as well Google,
The industry will also need improvements to the
founder Larry Page, electric ground vehicles
weight and effciency of generators and motors
such as Workhorse, and more traditional rotary-
to achieve required performance levels in the
wing aircraft manufacturers such as Bell and
future for large commercial aircraft. Even if a
Airbus Helicopters. Although there is a marked
hybrid-electric system can be achieved as a frst
difference between the various technological
step, the required generation and conversion
confgurations being planned, all are consistent
equipment would almost certainly be heavier
in proposing designs which use Distributed
than the fossil fuel-based propulsion system.
Electric Power, with multiple rotary wing
Some estimates suggest that to compensate
confgurations and cutting- edge
for this, we would need to reduce the airframe
battery technologies.

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 Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Not all the projects will be successful, however. Industry giant Airbus, which has a signifcant
But, the potential for substantial unit sales presence in the UK in Filton, Bristol and
presents a huge opportunity: eVTOL systems Broughton, North Wales, has recently issued
cannot operate in isolation and will require a warnings about the implications of a so-called
network of landing zones, charging stations, and ‘no-deal Brexit’ – asserting that increased red
extensive maintenance provision. Not to mention tape and delays to parts within its production
the booking technology and changes to airspace system could have a signifcant negative impact
management that will be needed to ensure on the delivery of fnished aircraft. Even with a
successful introduction and growth of drones; trade deal in place, it says, there will still be an
and most participants in the fedgling sector increased cost associated with its UK operation.
are agreed that drone operations need to exist
That analysis follows previous comments
as part of a larger ecosystem in order for the
from UK trade body ADS, which, in its evidence
segment to fourish.
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 “signifcant
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
Implications of begin to plan with greater clarity for a post-

the UK leaving Brexit future.

the European Union Additive

One issue that’s keenly felt by the aerospace
industry is the looming spectre of the UK’s
Manufacturing
pending departure from the European Union,
and the uncertainty surrounding this signifcant
reaches new areas
decision. For UK-located suppliers, and the Although not a new process, additive
EU-based companies dependent on them, April manufacturing (AM) – sometimes known as
2019 is still a step into the unknown. Although 3D printing – is another area which promises
the UK government has expressed a desire to drive signifcant change into the aviation
to retain some form of membership of the industry. 3D printing offers signifcant
European Aviation Safety Agency, there is, as advantages over traditional subtractive
yet, no clarity as to what this will look like or the manufacturing: it can help to produce more
potential regulatory impact. Similarly, no detail complex, potentially lighter, shapes; it can
is yet available on the future trading relationship deliver prototype parts or tooling in a matter of
with the bloc, nor the customs arrangements hours to be quickly adapted, and it means supply
likely to be required. chains can be slimmed down, and less waste
material produced.

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Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Although, so far, the use of ALM-produced issues of capital costs to set up such a capability
components has generally been restricted to and the time taken to print parts. The change
non-structural components such as brackets in process also promises to allow an effective
and fairings, and non-rotating parts in engines deconsolidation of inventory: parts will no longer
such as fuel nozzles and vanes, the uptake of have to be held in a central warehouse, but
3D printed parts will be rapid: by 2020 engine could be produced at, or much closer to, the
manufacturer GE Aviation estimates it will be repair centre.
producing 100,000 individual components
Production of interior components is clearly an
via 3D printing.
area where ALM techniques will grow. A cabin
“By 2020 engine manufacturer GE update can create gaps between new and old
Aviation estimates it will be producing components. Previously plastic spacer panels
would be produced via injection moulding – a
100,000 individual components via
relatively complex and costly process for the
3D printing.” small number required. However, thanks to
MRO organisations will also beneft from the 3D printing, Airbus has enabled small-batch
additive manufacturing revolution. Rather than manufacturing that is quicker and produces
maintaining costly inventories of spare parts, components that are around 15% lighter than
maintenance providers will, in theory, be able to earlier versions. Similarly, manufacturer ATR is
3D print components as required. And, as older using 3D printing to produce low quantities of
aircraft types become rarer, there will no longer cabin parts for out-of-production variants of its
be a need to maintain legacy tooling in case turboprop airliner family.
new parts are required. However, there remain

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 Current and emerging trends in the aerospace sector

Conclusions All of these new developments will require an

ecosystem of specialist supply and support
networks and services, state-of-the art
The immediate challenge for the aerospace
equipment and skills, advanced training and
industry is to deliver on the record backlogs
specialist knowledge for repair and overhaul.
that have now accumulated. That will require
So, there’s little doubt that huge opportunities
the supply chain – from the tier ones down – to
lie ahead, as technological developments
overcome short-term production challenges in
ramp-up to help the aviation industry meet
order to meet ambitious timescales. The huge
vast, and still growing, demand.
numbers of aircraft coming onto the market
now, and the growth of air transport globally, Forward-looking companies seizing to explore
will also require a signifcant expansion of the new areas of activity and revenue streams will,
sector’s maintenance capacity and capabilities indisputably, need professional guidance and
– crucially including the recruitment and training support to realign their strategies, and put their
of a large number of new technicians over the resources in the right place.
next 20 years.
Atkins is in a strong position to help,
New technologies will bring change, challenge backed by traditional aviation engineering
and opportunity, too. This will comprise knowledge, with an eye to what’s on the
harnessing the benefts of connectivity and big horizon in terms of technological change,
data to drive predictive maintenance, changes and forecasting upcoming trends. Our own
to technology embedded onto aircraft, the integration capability, a strong understanding
coming revolution in full-electric or hybrid- of the aviation and MRO industry, and
electric power and other disruptors like additive support from business consulting and
manufacturing and the infuence of Silicon change management experts, also place
Valley-style entrepreneurs bringing a new us high-up on the go-to list of ambitious
dynamic attitude to the industry through the companies as developments continue
possibilities of urban air mobility vehicles. to unfold.

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15
About the author
Matthew Price
Client 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. 

Transforming aerospace engineering,

for faster design, reduced downtime
and lower costs.
www.atkinsglobal.com/aerospace

Further Reading:
The challenges and benefts of the electrifcation of aircraft
James Domone

Digital twin for life predictions in civil aerospace

James Domone

Protecting our critical national infrastructure

Dr Richard Piggin

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

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