# Optimizing Aviation Maintenance through Algorithmic Approach of Real-Life Data
## 4 Discussion  
MRO management has become increasingly complex due to business growth, specialization, and diversity. The complexity of MRO management, which requires deep and specialized expertise for inventory management, forecasting, procurement, and repair management, is forcing companies to rethink their MRO strategies. Being a labor-intensive industry, attracting and retaining a technically skilled workforce is one of the many challenges. To achieve cost savings, and thus improve reliability, airlines often outsource some or all of their MRO management to third-party companies. In aviation terminology, the term MRO describes processes such as inspection, replacement of damaged or broken parts, logistical supply, replacement of sealants, application of coatings, and replenishment of lubricants or gasses in damping cylinders, hydraulic accumulators, and air conditioning systems. Thus, the goal of MRO is to ensure the airworthiness of the commercial aircraft and compliance with applicable regulations during each flight. MRO is essential to ensure safety, which is why the processes under this term are strictly regulated by national aviation authorities, such as the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) for the USA, TC (Transport Canada) for Canada, and EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) for European countries. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) also issues general guidelines and recommendations for maintenance processes. The FAA and EASA are also responsible for certifying technicians involved in maintenance. This is because aircraft maintenance is a complex, time-consuming and, in some ways, risky task that can lead to an aviation incident in the worst-case scenario. Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) processes have a major impact on lifecycle costs, and therefore play an important role in development. The purpose of MRO is to keep machinery and equipment in operation without loss of performance. For old machines, a decision on replacement or modernization should be made at the right time. The maintenance plan is generally considered a confidential and internal company document. Repair processes are unique processes because of the variety of defects, e.g., a crack on an engine  
Figure 4: Gantt diagram of process sequence (own design), PN—process number. part that has a specific depth, length, and shape. While small cracks are relatively easy to repair, larger cracks must be replaced with a spare part that is either stocked, ordered, or custom made. Advanced inspection technologies are needed to digitally capture, interpret, and clearly describe product status to enable and simplify subsequent decisions. In addition, there is a lack of information and data exchange between the design phase of components and MRO within the lifecycle. These issues also prevent full automation of MRO processes and contribute to huge downtime costs. MRO systems in Industry 4.0 will enable the entire management, planning, and organization of operations and maintenance processes, including documentation, to be performed in a single integrated system. This means that all changes resulting from service bulletins and maintenance processes will be communicated in real-time to the relevant department via a digital thread. Safety is also improved by \"virtual training\", which streamlines maintenance processes. In practice, MRO means technicians must follow checklists that detail assembly and disassembly procedures with clear pictures and a list of processes to be performed. Components that need to be replaced with spare parts should be properly identified and fed \"just in time\" into the maintenance logistics chain, to avoid wasted time and the potentially confusing accumulation of unnecessary parts in warehouses. Aircraft structures are quite complex entities, and several problems can arise when maintenance is performed in the traditional way using paper manuals.