MRO software market to grow 3.85% annually through 2022

The global aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) software market, estimated at $4.08 billion in 2017, is projected to reach $4.93 billion by 2022 – a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.85%. Increases in digitalization of MRO activities and high demand from MRO operators are projected to drive growth.

Research from ReportsnReports segments the MRO software market in aviation based on solution (enterprise resource planning and point solution), end user (original equipment manufacturers, MRO companies, and airlines), deployment (cloud-based and on-premises software solutions).

Major players include AerData (a Boeing subsidiary) (U.S.), HCL Technologies (India), IBM Corp. (U.S.), IFS (Sweden), Oracle Corp. (U.S.), Ramco Systems (India), Rusada (Switzerland), SAP (Germany), Swiss Aviation Software (Switzerland), and Trax (U.S.).

The highest CAGR is expected in the Asia Pacific region, where China, India, and Japan are key markets. Airlines currently account for the largest share of the aviation MRO software market, driven by the growing demand for operations and maintenance management. www.reportsnreports.com

Fidelity awarded E-3 MTS program at Tinker AFB

Fidelity Technologies Corp. won the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) Maintenance Training System (MTS) contract under Training Systems Acquisition (TSA) III multiple award contract. Fidelity will provide program management support, contractor logistics support (CLS), and a training system support center (TSSC) for the Air Force E-3 AWACS MTS program.

The MTS program supports maintenance and operational training for the 373rd Training Squadron 9 Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and the 552nd Air Control Wing (ACW), stressing maintenance procedures of the E-3 Sentry AWACS at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma.

The MTS capability includes the TSSC and associated training devices. The current E-3 training device suite represents direct E-3 subsystem mock-ups and computer- controlled AWACS subsystem platforms for training Air Force personnel in on-equipment maintenance. www.fidelitytech.com

On aircraft fiber-optic repair kit

Aurora Optics demonstrated a kit that can make permanent, like-new lifetime repairs to fiber optic cables on aircraft.

The portable MiniMod kit enables wire and cable personnel to prepare the cable, fusion-splice optical fibers, protect fibers post-splice restore cable strength and environmental integrity for the life of the aircraft. The kit is based on the world’s smallest fully-automatic fusion splicer. The fusion splices exhibit insertion losses, typically 0.05dB or less, and unmeasurable back reflection. The optical excellence and the cable restoration are unaffected by subsequent mechanical or environmental stress tests, including:

• Mechanical shock to 300g
• Sine vibration from 10Hz to 2,000Hz at 60g
• Random vibration from 10Hz to 2,000Hz at 43grms while thermal cycling from -67°F to 257°F
• Accelerated aging for 1,000 hours at 212°F while under tension, high humidity/temperature cycling, thermal shock from -67°F to 212°F
• Freezing in ice, altitude immersion, tension to 20 lb
• Exposure to aviation fluids including hot synthetic hydraulic fluid, runway de-icer, methyl propyl ketone

Flight qualified by the FAA, MiniMod is being adopted by Boeing Commercial Aircraft and major airlines around the world. www.aurora-optics.com

ST Engineering’s aerospace sector expands MRO network

ST Engineering’s Aerospace sector opened a new airframe maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in Pensacola, Florida. The facility, located at the Pensacola International Airport, can perform heavy and line maintenance, and aircraft modification work. It joins two other ST Engineering facilities in the United States, increasing the company’s ability to serve North America and its global clientele.

Costing $46 million, the 173,500ft2 hangar is one of the largest in ST Engineering’s global network of seven airframe maintenance facilities. The facility has an annual capacity of 600,000 labor hours and can accommodate two aircraft of the largest version of the 777 widebody series, or six A321 narrow-body aircraft at any one time.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), carriers in North America will continue to lead in financial performance in 2018, accounting for nearly half of the industry’s total profits with a forecasted net profit of $15 billion. www.stengg.com

Gogo Avance L5 flying on 200th business jet

In 12 weeks, Gogo Business Aviation reached its second major milestone for Gogo Avance L5 after the 200th aircraft took flight with the new system on board. Gogo Avance combines hardware and software to create an integrated, aviation-grade inflight connectivity and entertainment platform.

More than 400 Avance L5 systems have shipped with hundreds of additional systems on back order and scheduled for delivery in 2018. Gogo expects to have approximately 500 installations of the new system by the end of 2018.

Avance L5 systems are being installed at all MROs and aftermarket OEM service centers. Gogo and its OEM partners and dealers received type certificate and supplemental type certificate (STC) approvals for Avance L5 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) across more than 40 airframes. Gogo and its partners are securing STCs for more than 15 additional airframes in the coming months.

The Gogo Avance L5 system connects to the Gogo Biz 4G network, delivering faster speeds and enhanced network capacity for live streaming video and audio, video conferencing, on-demand movies, personal smartphone use, real-time data for cockpit apps, and remote diagnostics and support while in flight. business.gogoair.com