In the July issue of AviTrader magazine, MRO-PRO’s Managing Director, Scott Wells, gives his expert insight into the feature topic “MRO and Digitalisation”.
Q1. How would you define “digitalisation” in the context of MRO today, beyond the buzzword?
At its core, it’s not about digitizing paper records or installing new software, it’s about fundamentally changing how decisions are made. Digitalisation in MRO is best understood as the transition from fragmented, reactive processes to integrated, data-driven operations that enable more effective, faster decision-making. The real value emerges when data can be leveraged, particularly through AI, to improve predictability, streamline workflows, and enhance overall operational efficiency and bottom-line profitability.
Q2. Where do you see the biggest gap between digital ambition and execution in the industry?
There remains a clear gap between ambition and execution, largely because of the challenges around data integration and legacy infrastructure across the MRO industry. While many organisations have defined digital strategies, progress is often slowed by historically siloed systems and inconsistent data quality. As a result, ambition overtakes execution if AI cannot be deployed at scale, limiting its potential positive impact on efficiency and cost reduction.
Q3. What will MRO operations look like in ten years’ time if digitalisation continues at the current pace?
If current trends continue, MRO operations will become increasingly predictive and interconnected. AI will play a central role in analysing aircraft health data in real time, enabling more widespread adoption of condition-based maintenance. More importantly, MROs will begin forecasting maintenance outcomes before maintenance events even begin, predicting likely defects, parts requirements, tooling needs, and labour demand before the aircraft enters the hangar. Planning and scheduling will become more automated, and supply chains more responsive. However, progress may not be uniform across the industry, as the leaders will be running highly predictive, AI-driven operations with real-time maintenance decision-making and tightly optimised supply chains, whilst the rest of the industry risks lagging behind, still dealing with manual processes and inefficiencies.
Q4. Which emerging technologies are you most optimistic or sceptical about?
There is strong reason to be optimistic about AI and machine learning, particularly where they are delivering measurable improvements in predictive maintenance, planning optimisation, and operational decision-making. However, I am sceptical of organisations that simply bolt AI onto legacy systems and expect transformational results.
The reality is that AI is only as effective as the data it can access and understand. Most legacy MRO systems were never designed with AI in mind, and much of the industry’s data remains fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to analyse at scale. The real opportunity lies not in adding AI to existing processes, but in restructuring data and workflows from the ground up so that AI can systematically learn, identify patterns, and support decision-making. The organisations that build AI into the foundations of their data architecture will achieve significantly greater benefits than those that simply add an AI layer on top of existing systems.
Q5. What skills are becoming essential for the next generation of MRO professionals?
Alongside traditional aviation engineering expertise, there is an increasing need for digital and analytical skills. Data literacy is becoming particularly important, enabling professionals to interpret insights generated by AI and other digital tools. The ability to work effectively in a more automated, data-rich environment will be key to maintaining operational efficiency and supporting continuous improvement. The human role doesn’t disappear, but it needs to evolve into something more analytical and decision focused.
Q6. What processes in MRO remain stubbornly resistant to digital transformation?
I would argue that the biggest barriers are no longer technological. In most cases, the technology already exists to digitise, automate, and optimise many of the industry’s most challenging processes.
The greater challenge is organisational and cultural. Aviation is rightly a highly regulated industry, but many organisations remain reluctant to change established ways of working, particularly when digital transformation requires updates to procedures, training, or Maintenance Organisation Expositions (MOEs). Regulatory approval cycles can also slow adoption, creating a natural tendency to defer change rather than pursue it.
As a result, the bottleneck is often not the process itself, but the willingness of organisations to embrace new approaches. The industry has reached a point where technology is advancing faster than adoption. Unlocking the next phase of digital transformation will depend as much on mindset, leadership, and regulatory agility as it does on technology itself.
To view the whole feature in the July issue of AviTrader, click HERE