Airframers Push the


By Charlotte Adams Boeing Shanghai is bustling.


Envelope in Aftermarket Support


hen we hear that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are expanding in the aftermarket, we typically think of the engine makers, with their large share, or the component OEMs, with their rapidly growing share. But the airframers are busily scooping up business, as well, especially through packages that combine component maintenance and management at a fixed price per flight hour. Data analytics programs are also growing, as the aircraft manufacturers leverage their increasing volumes of operational information. Boeing has a large share of the commercial aftermarket. Its aftermarket


revenues put it, year to year, in the top three—with Lufthansa Technik and General Electric—says Dennis Floyd, the airframer’s vice president for fleet services in the Commercial Aviation Services (CAS) organization. A lot of Boeing’s success is driven by its parts business, but its footprint also includes flight planning and navigation services, flight and maintenance training, aircraft modifications, analytics and even heavy and line maintenance. Fleet scale and an intimate knowledge of the airplanes they build help the airframers. Their position at the top of the food chain also enables them to cut long-term support deals when they are most attractive and timely—at fleet renewal. And from their position at the hub of the supplier network, they are well-placed to obtain attractive component and maintenance pricing. A third OEM advantage is data—not just design data but operational data.


Through joint ventures and alliances with service providers, as well as through direct relationships with the airlines, the airframers are enjoying greater access to operational data and are using it to create valuable monitoring and analytics packages.


30 Aviation Maintenance | avm-mag.com | April 2013


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