The aviation supply chain needs to be more visible, increase its use of data and digitisation, and needs more people if the current challenges are to be solved, says IATA.
The current aircraft order backlog is more than 18,000. IATA’s director of flight and technical operations Stuart Fox says alongside aircraft delivery delays, engine durability issues, shortages of materials and spare parts, and constrained maintenance capacity are disrupting airline operations.
“Addressing these challenges will require practical action and cooperation across the aviation value chain,” says Fox, who has outlined the four measures he believes could improve the situation.
The first is enhanced supply chain visibility, with earlier and more reliable information from manufacturers to airlines on delivery delays, repair turnaround times, parts availability, and known bottlenecks. This, he says, will enable airlines to better plan their global networks. Measure two is to open up the aftermarket, allowing for more manufacturers, as IATA notes that longstanding commercial restrictions on repair instructions, tooling, approved repair networks, and spares distribution can limit airlines’ ability to use safe, certified alternatives.
“This reduces choice and competition, contributes to longer waiting times, and increases costs.”
Move three is using data and digitalisation to improve inventory management, identify material availability and scarcity, and to use AI to predict demand, identify shortages, and reduce manual work.
The fourth and final recommendation is to get more qualified people, with Boeing estimating that 710,000 new technicians will be needed over the next 20 years. “Increasing training capacity, reducing unnecessary qualification bottlenecks, and creating greater recognition of skills across borders will all help to fill this gap.”
Fox says the supply chain is under real pressure, but this is not a reason for pessimism, ‘it is a reason for action’.
