Airlines are placing orders for newer aircraft like never before. Just like demands for better cars, airlines and their passengers are demanding more fuel-efficient and comfortable aircraft. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, for example, is 20% more fuel efficient than the one it is replacing, the 767.
In 2017 the fuel bill is forecasted at $129 billion (accounting for near 19% of operating expenses at $55 per barrel), according to IATA
Boeing 787
Boeing 787 Benefits
- 20% less fuel burn than the Boeing 767
- Super quiet, super wide cabins with high ceilings
- Audio and video on demand to all seats
Although the newest aircraft operate much more efficiently than the aircraft they are replacing, there’s plenty of room for MROs and airlines to save even more.
Airline Operating Cost Structure*
With new fuel efficiency saving airlines money, why stop there?
The third most costly category for airlines is Maintenance. This includes component replacement.
There are many costly parts that didn’t come from the OEM with a repair manual, and therefore are categorized as expendable. Airlines are forced to throw away these costly components, many of which have a price tag of over $10,000 when purchased new. But, what if airlines were able to repair the part rather than throwing it away away? Overhauling parts not supported by OEMs is an ACP speciality. It’s called DER Repair.
Related: What’s a DER Repair? Part 1 and Part 2
Related: How DER Repairs Are Approved by the FAA
DERs, or Designated Engineering Representatives, are expert aerospace engineers who specialize in developing repair manuals for overhauling expendable parts that either have no repair manual, or aren’t supported any longer by the original manufacturer (OEM). Read more…
ACP, an Aereos operating company, specializes in this type of repair. They not only develop a repair manual so costly expendable parts may be overhauled, they work with Atlas Aerospace, another Aereos operating company, to replace the part immediately in AOG scenarios, saving airlines additional costs from what would have been grounded aircraft (Learn more).
DER repairs present an option that can save up to tens of thousands of dollars per expendable part. By having DERs develop a repair manual and gaining approval by the FAA, previously expendable parts are turned into rotable ones. This opportunity is a “gold mine” for MROs and airlines who take advantage of it.