The MRO Lab is the point of convergence for AFI KLM E&M’s capacity and power to innovate. A vessel for the many ideas and initiatives that germinate within our business units and subsidiaries around the world, the program aims to encourage synergies between business lines which are distinct, yet share certain common issues. The effectiveness of solutions created by The MRO Lab stems from its direct links with operations, and its integration of the needs expressed in the hangars, workshops and on the runway.
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The MRO Lab
The MRO Lab
8 years of airline-focused innovation
About The MRO Lab
Since its launch in 2015, The MRO Lab program from AFI KLM E&M has helped to foster and industrialize high-added value innovations in the field of aviation maintenance. Its original solutions are designed and developed based on technical expertise and practical experience, and implemented so as to boost the efficiency of operations carried out on behalf of our airline customers.
More information about the MRO LabAhmoss Messayeh, Director of Innovation at AFI KLM E&M.
The goal of the MRO Lab is to design innovations with the support of local management, and based on information reported from the field.
Follow Ahmoss Messay on LinkedIn“It’s with this mindset that ambassadors are positioned within the Business Unites (BUs), and certain subsidiaries or BUs have their own satellite units, such as The MRO Lab CRMA. And while we retain an aviation-focused vision, we also allow ourselves to look at innovations in other industries, in order to study their potential applications for airlines. Take healthcare and medical science, for example: AFI KLM E&M already uses X-ray and imaging technologies in combination with robotics and AI in order to automate and improve the reliability of certain non-destructive inspection and testing operations, enabling us to qualify defects with greater precision, allowing our agents to concentrate on other tasks that provide significant high-added value.”
Ahmoss Messayeh
Director of Innovation at AFI KLM E&M
From idea to reality
Notable high-profile projects to have been birthed by the MRO Lab include Prognos®, AFI KLM E&M’s home-grown suite of predictive maintenance solutions, which today has become a standalone product and will soon be available for IFE (following on from Aircraft, Components, Engines and APUs). Training is another area to have experienced the benefits of these innovation efforts, with the creation of Engine Virtual Run-Up. This program offers an immersive experience in a 3D cockpit environment using an AR headset, and is currently available for training on the most recent aircraft types such as A220, A350 and 787. Additive manufacturing (or 3D printing) has also been introduced into Cabin Maintenance operations – in particular, its use facilitates the production of easily breakable parts such as galley handles, curtain hooks, etc., even allowing them to be modified and made more robust, thereby avoiding the need for time-consuming and costly replacements.
Preparing the future
At the forefront of innovation, The MRO Lab is constantly exploring new ground and continues to project itself toward new horizons.
“It’s about thinking ahead toward the aviation of the future.We work alongside airlines, OEMs/OAMs, and leasing companies in order to discern their future needs and share our expertise in areas with major operational impact: electric and hybrid propulsion, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), etc.”
Ahmoss Messayeh
Director of Innovation at AFI KLM E&M
Such is the case, for example, with the agreements recently signed with Ampaire and Ascendance Flight Technologies in order to explore the future of maintenance and airworthiness solutions for the new air mobility . The MRO Lab’s Innovation teams will be on hand at the AFI KLM E&M stand at the Paris Air Show 2023, and we hope to see all of you there to discuss and prepare the aviation of the future!
