At Aviation Week Network’s MRO Europe event, Airbus and Liebherr Aerospace solidified their strategic partnership by signing the Digital Alliance agreement, marking a significant step toward enhancing predictive maintenance technology within the aviation sector. The collaboration will further improve Airbus’ Skywise Fleet Performance+ platform, aiming to streamline scheduled maintenance and reduce unscheduled interventions.
Liebherr’s interest in predictive maintenance aligns with its core competencies as an OEM. “We believe our vast component repair activity places us in the best position to contribute to algorithm development for predictive maintenance,” said Joel Cadaux, director of business and services at Liebherr Aerospace & Transportation.
Since its inception in 2019 with Delta Tech Ops and GE Aerospace, Airbus’ Digital Alliance has continuously sought to optimize operational efficiency through advanced digital tools. Claude Houver, head of Airbus digital solutions, noted that Liebherr’s inclusion will “enhance our capacity to improve predictive maintenance capabilities.”
The alliance focuses not just on anticipating maintenance needs but also on integrating material management to ensure timely part availability—critical amid ongoing supply chain challenges.
This partnership is expected to further digitize the maintenance process, with Airbus expressing hope that more system suppliers will join the alliance. Airbus’ Skywise Fleet Performance+ has already seen success, as evidenced by EasyJet avoiding 80 flight cancellations this past summer using the tool.
This collaboration highlights the growing importance of digital solutions in maintaining aircraft efficiency and reducing operational disruptions across the aviation industry.
Credit: Airbus
