will bring significant opportunities and challenges to opera- tors and maintenance providers alike. Drone package deliv- eries from Amazon, UPS, FedEx and others are just around the corner. Repair stations are experimenting with the use of drones to conduct airframe inspections using video equipment; and, several companies are working on “Uber in the Skies” business models that comply with FAA regula- tions related to pilot training and aircraft maintenance. Technological advancements are improving GA safety and efficiency. The inflight connectivity that we experience as air- line passengers, and on our business aircraft, continues to evolve. More connectivity means improved opera- tional monitoring, such as the ability to track the health of engines from takeoff to landing. This availability of operational data allows the maintainer to see a problem before it causes a delay and handle it while on the ground, or resolve it in the air. The result is smarter, predictive maintenance schedules for operators and maintainers. There are a host of potential benefits. GA aircraft own- ers who install electronic engine monitors can submit data from their piston engine aircraft to companies that per- form reliability data analysis. These companies aggregate the data to analyze trends in engine parameters and may find impending maintenance issues or even pilot tech- nique adjustments needed to make flights more efficient. Equally exciting as the developments in engine moni- toring, is the work being done on the use of alternative power sources with a focus on solar, electric, and elec- tric hybrid. Electric and electric hybrid are consistent with what the automotive industry has determined as the most viable new technologies. These automotive advancements serve as the base technology for aircraft. Several companies are developing electric powerplants that we are currently seeing in gliders and small ultralight aircraft. At AirVenture, I saw two small aircraft with elec- tric engines. Needless to say, the decibel level was almost nonexistent; at flight idle, I could carry on a conversation. Let’s bring all this technology and change back to the hangar and the shop. Given the pace of change, how ready are we for the impact of the maintenance aspects of new technologies on the general aviation fleet? As discussed at NATA’s Aviation Business Conference (see page 27), maintainers and operators need to focus on three things: Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2017 1. We must build and continually develop our workforce. This includes training, hiring, and mentoring techni- cians who have the skills to navigate new aircraft designs and operations. Just as technology has advanced, so must the skill set of the aviation maintenance techni- cian. This may be another area that would benefit from performance-based regulations. The FAA could develop a set of technician attributes (or characteristics) and establish the framework to accept industry stan- dards as a method to meet certification regulations. 2. We must build and maintain efficient repair stations. Increased reliability of aircraft and engines, along with the predictability of maintenance and inspection visits, will directly influence the amount of time an aircraft spends in repair stations and not on the flight line. Less frequent maintenance visits or “just in time” inspec- tions will become the norm as manufacturers revise maintenance programs. While not a safety issue, it will be a business operating issue affecting the bot- tom line for repair stations, resulting in the need for repair stations to become more lean and efficient. 3. We must consider a cultural shift regarding regula- tory requirements. The regulator’s role is changing and may be very different in the future. The FAA’s new performance-based approach for small aircraft certifi- cation is a good start. The next step will be extending this philosophy to other parts of the regulations. Aside from the regulatory challenges, this shift will require a significant cultural change within the agency. A century ago, general aviation, just as it is today, was the laboratory for aviation. In 1917, the industry was liter- ally experimental. The technological improvements result- ing from World War I and civil aviation created an industry that would change the world. Back then, GA operations involved mostly barnstorming and transporting mail. Today, there are the many operations that GA supports, as I noted at the beginning of this article. I cannot begin to imagine how long that list will be in just a few years. The future in General Aviation is exciting. I cannot wait to see what comes next and feel privileged to be a part of it. We must all continue to fulfill our responsibility for stewardship and work together to promote a safer, more efficient and effective century of general aviation. Carol E. Giles is President of The Giles Group, global aviation consultants. Previously, Giles led the FAA’s aviation maintenance division. 71
