Cargo airlines are one of the many niches within aviation requiring particular consideration, and the way these carriers maintain, repair and overhaul their aircraft is no different. To understand more of the unique ways in which cargo MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) works, we sat down with Constantin Zachrau, senior director of sales for North America at Lufthansa Technik.
In aviation, “no two customers are the same,” Zachrau tells us. “However, in my point of view, the MRO contracting and execution process for cargo operators is distinguished by several factors: Cargo airlines may have different operational schedules, resulting in different downtimes for maintenance activities compared to passenger airlines. Some cargo carriers operate constantly on various routes with harsher or less harsh environments, and they expect their MRO partner to provide flexibility accordingly. Additionally, freight carriers experience different peak periods of activity compared to passenger airlines.”
These activity peak differences are both seasonal (with cargo peaks at different times of year to the usual northern hemisphere summer passenger peak season) and daily (where cargo hubs are often busier during the night than during the day).
As a result, Zachrau says, “MRO service providers need to understand and cater to their unique requirements. Based on our many years of experience with freight airlines, I would say that cargo operators are particularly looking for efficiency and reliability in their MRO operations. As any downtime can lead to significant financial losses and negatively impact the supply chain of their end customers and even the economy as a whole.”
The result of these requirements is a stronger focus on elements like technical dispatch reliability, and thus the MRO provider must consider service levels and higher than average parts availability, as well as repair process planning, forecasting, tracking and transparency.
“The planning, organisation, and execution of MRO operations for these airlines have evolved significantly compared to the past. Advancements in technology and digitalisation have played a major role in improving efficiency and reducing downtime and optimising maintenance schedules,” Zachrau says, “not only on the MRO side but also for the newer cargo aircraft that produce more data. At the same time, we see far more alternative repairs and, depending on the aircraft type, used serviceable material. The market had to move in this direction as the lead times for new parts have increased significantly, which is unfortunately a concerning trend, especially for cargo operators with a legacy fleet.”
The particular maintenance requirements for cargo fleets compared with passenger fleets also need to be considered, especially around the different wear and tear dynamics of cargo operations. Loading two dozen pallets versus two hundred passengers on the main deck of an aircraft is an inherently different set of loads, for example.
“The choices regarding the location and timing of maintenance for cargo airlines may also differ from other airline types,” Zachrau says. “On the one hand all airlines have the desire of a maintenance location near a major hub, which offers good capacity and affordable costs. On the other hand, the timing is different, as cargo operators schedule maintenance during their cargo off-peak hours and during seasons when there is less disruption to their cargo operations, such as during the day or in the summer. The night and the year-end are typically the most active times for cargo operations.”
New technologies and the digitalisation of the MRO sector mean that MRO operations can be optimised and costs reduced.
“For example, remote monitoring systems can provide real-time data on aircraft performance, allowing for proactive maintenance planning,” Zachrau says. “In addition, digital platforms can facilitate communication and collaboration between the airline and its MRO partners, streamlining the contracting and execution process. These tools are particularly relevant for cargo airlines as they often have a lean setup and may need to rely more on technology for efficient operations.”
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