Jetrader - September/October 2012 - 34

JT: With airlines focusing on cost reduction, how is the maintenance industry responding with ideas for effective maintenance cost-control methods? LK: At TIMCO, we launched a reinvigorated continuous improvement (CI) program early last year to speciﬁcally help identify and implement opportunities for greater efﬁciency, reliability and cost control for our customers. With employee engagement at all levels, our CI efforts, coupled with Lean Process initiatives, have produced results on each of our large customer programs. We are making investments today in new systems, tooling, training and facilities layouts that will lead to additional beneﬁts in the months and years ahead. There is no question that this will become an ongoing exercise and one which our customers tell us they appreciate and expect. Additionally, we actually use many of the things we learn as an MRO provider about how aircraft materials and systems behave over time in the design and development of the products we make in our TIMCO Aerosystems interiors division. An

important example is our line of FeatherWeight™ seats, galleys and lavatories, where we reduced part count and replaced conventional with newer materials to reduce weight and ongoing maintenance costs. JT: As WiFi becomes more standard on aircraft, is the aircraft maintenance industry prepared to tackle the challenges with servicing this equipment? LK: As with any new system introduced on an aircraft, there can sometimes be a steep learning curve associated with maintaining and repairing it. We work hard to keep the curve as short as possible, and advance planning with customers and information-sharing by OEMs can help us do so. Further, we have had a long working relationship with most of the major IFE OEM’s, particularly through our TIMCO Aerosystems interiors division where we deliver integration project management for airlines and make aircraft seats and other interiors monuments. Work through Aerosystems gives us an important jump start when it comes to maintaining the systems once they are installed.

JT: How is the rapid change in technology challenging the industry, and how do you see the industry adjusting to these changes within the next 10 years? LK: Technological advances have been a mainstay of the aerospace industry since the ﬁrst aircraft took to the skies. The pace of change has accelerated somewhat in recent years, and it has created a need for maintenance companies to adapt. With every major innovation, the maintenance community has worked hard to quickly develop appropriate support solutions, and we should expect the same with new, forthcoming innovations on commercial aircraft. The real challenge will come from an inability to access enough skilled, credentialed people to meet the new demands—especially as aviation continues to grow globally. We are already seeing this in many regions around the world, where job positions seeking certain skill sets and experience are going unﬁlled. The growing challenge will require the development of education and training solutions with engagement

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Jetrader - September/October 2012

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