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IATA's Maintenance Cost Technical Group (MCTG) is the only airline volunteer group that gathers and analyzes maintenance cost. MCTG is dedicated to supporting Technical Operations (Maintenance and Engineering) in an environment where costs are ever increasing.
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Warranty Management Essentials - 1st Edition (2024)
The Warranty Management Essentials (pdf) provides a common understanding on warranties, explains the different contractual bases which could lead to a warranty claim and identifies claimable items related to warranty in aircraft maintenance.
Position Paper - Adopting Aircraft Electronic Records - 1st Edition (2024)
The Adopting Aircraft Electronic Records position paper (pdf) reviews some of the benefits, challenges, use cases and going forward steps as highlighted by recent surveys of the aviation industry. This pulse-check of priorities and lessons shared by aviation stakeholders is a snapshot of themes and elements dominating at this time the digital transformation wave of the aviation operations domain.
White Paper on AHM - 2nd Edition (2023)
IATA’s white paper From Aircraft Health Monitoring to Aircraft Health Management (pdf) provides an overview of the status, perspectives, and challenges which the community of AHM stakeholders is engaged in. The document initial release (in Feb 2022), cumulating several aspects of the AHM path evolution, dominant themes, and main takeaways, was updated (in Nov 2023) to include AHM relevant achievements and changes emerged in the meantime. This white paper is geared to incite involvement of airlines, OEMs, regulators and other relevant actors to join forces in shaping the AHM solutions that civil aviation needs.
Aircraft Operational Availability - 2nd Edition (2022)
The Aircraft Operational Availability paper (pdf) aims at defining the different types of availabilities based on a common approach developed by operators and aircraft manufacturers, the measure being done on the unavailability times. It enables the identification of the Aircraft Unavailability drivers in planned and unplanned maintenance activities to identify all possible causes that will result in an aircraft becoming unavailable.
Guidance Material and Best Practices for Life-Limited Parts (LLPs) Traceability - 1st Edition (2020)
IATA’s Guidance Material and Best Practices for LLPs Traceability (pdf) covers all topics that play a role in back-to-birth traceability of aircraft life-limited parts (LLPs). It's meant for a technical audience (engineers working at the airline technical/engineering departments as well as technical representatives from leasing companies, parts providers & distributors). It explores key challenges of capturing data/information and gathering support documentation to enable tracking of LLPs, and provides a methodology for accurate traceability of LLPs through their lifecycle. It tackles technical, regulatory, legal and commercial considerations.
Best Practices Guide for Cabin Interior Retrofits and Entry into Service Program - 1st Edition (2019)
The Best Practices Guide for Cabin Interior Retrofits and EIS (pdf) created in collaboration with Engineering and Maintenance specialists aims to ensure that cabin safety operational risk is included within a cabin layout design or change program. It includes program management guidance as well as raises awareness of many of the risks involved in the introduction of a new cabin.
Maintenance Costs for Aging Aircraft - 1st Edition (2018)
The Maintenance Costs for Aging Aircraft paper (pdf) defines three types of aircraft aging (technical, economic and financial), what factors can influence them, and how they can be measured. Various parameters influence maintenance costs, such as routine and non-routine maintenance, service bulletins (SB) and airworthiness directives (AD). Quantifying the evolution of maintenance costs requires the collection of data throughout the life of the airframe. Data accuracy and consistency are critical. This document proposes an approach to produce curves based on direct maintenance costs by tail number.
Aircraft Leases - 4th Edition (2017)
The Aircraft Leases (pdf) manual is intended for engineers working at the airline technical/engineering department as well as technical representatives from leasing companies, and offers guidance on lease-related issues during the aircraft lease life-cycle.
Alternate (PMA) Parts and Approved (non-OEM) Repairs (DER) - 2nd Edition (2015)
The Alternate (PMA) Parts and Approved (non-OEM) Repairs (pdf) manual provides guidance and best practices for airlines to achieve maintenance material cost savings by use of alternate replacement parts (e.g. under Parts Manufacturer Approval – PMA) and approved (non-OEM) repairs, while remaining in compliance with regulatory requirements.
Annual data collection and benchmark analysis
Our goal is to provide the tools, methodology, and definitions to be able to determine how much it costs an airline to maintain its fleet and be able to use the data in cases of new fleet introduction or expansion, “make vs. buy” decisions, year-over-year trends, etc.
We collect maintenance cost data from more than 50 airlines worldwide (representing about a quarter of the world’s fleet and MRO spend) on an annual basis.
Participating airlines receive exclusive IATA Maintenance Cost Reports with benchmark data, key performance indicators and 5-year trend analysis. Check out an excerpt (pdf) of the FY2022 report.
As confidentiality is a major concern, reported data is de-identified and/or aggregated.
How to participate
Download the latest version of the MCTG toolset (zip) to submit your maintenance cost data to MCTG.
Maintenance Cost Conference (MCC)
The Maintenance Cost Conference (MCC) is MCTG's annual event held over three days in the Fall, in a different location and with a different theme every year. Experts in aircraft maintenance gather to discuss hot topics and industry trends. The conference typically welcomes an average of 150 delegates.
MCC 2023 was held on October 4-6 in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Previous Conferences
| Hanoi 2023 |
| Geneva 2022 |
| Athens 2019 |
Who attends the conference?
Based on our past experience, the following professionals, amongst many others, attend:
| Manager, Finance | Manager, Technical Contracts |
| Maintenance Cost Analyst | Chief Engineer |
| Manager, Cost Control | Technical Director; Director, Engineering |
| Director, Finance | Head of Maintenance |
| Engineer | VP Maintenance and Engineering |
| Fleet Manager, Engineering | General Manager |
| Manager, Supply Chain | Executive VP Operations |
IATA/Rolls Royce Commitment to Open Aftermarket Best Practice
In July 2021, IATA and Rolls-Royce plc have signed a joint statement that clarifies the engine manufacturer’s ongoing commitment to an open and competitive approach to its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services.
The document was finalized after several months of productive and collaborative dialogue on industry best practice for engine MRO services.
Both organizations are aligned on four key principles that underpin the Rolls-Royce approach to the MRO ecosystem and are included in the official statement:
- Rolls-Royce does not prevent the development of legitimate non-OEM parts or non-OEM repairs by MRO providers and independent parts manufacturers, as long as they are approved by the appropriate airworthiness regulator;
- Rolls-Royce’s policy is to grant airlines, lessors and MRO providers non-discriminatory access to OEM parts, repairs and support (including access to Rolls-Royce Care);
- Rolls-Royce does not discriminate against airlines, lessors or MRO providers that use non-OEM parts or repairs;
- Rolls-Royce will not insist that airlines or lessors subscribe to Rolls-Royce services.
Related Documents
IATA - Rolls-Royce Statement (pdf)
IATA - Rolls-Royce Statement Annex (pdf)
IATA/CFMI Settlement Agreement
In July 2018, IATA announced that it had entered into an agreement with CFM International (CFM) that will lead to increased competition in the market for maintenance, repair and overhaul services (MRO) on engines manufactured by CFM, a 50/50 partnership between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines.
Under the agreement, CFM has adopted a set of “Conduct Policies” that will enhance the opportunities available to third-party providers of engine parts and MRO services on the CFM56 and the new LEAP series engines. Among the many elements of the agreement, CFM has agreed to:
- License its Engine Shop Manual to an MRO facility even if it uses non-CFM parts)
- Permit the use of non-CFM parts or repairs by any licensee of the CFM Engine Shop Manual)
- Honor warranty coverage of the CFM components and repairs on a CFM engine even when the engine contains non-CFM parts or repairs)
- Grant airlines and third-party overhaul facilities the right to use the CFM Engine Shop Manual without a fee)
- Sell CFM parts and perform all parts repairs even when non-CFM parts or repairs are present in the engine)
Related Documents
- CFM conduct policies and implementation measures (pdf)
- Corrective plans and contractual penalties (pdf)
- IATA-CFM Agreement on Engine Maintenance: IATA’s Guide to Key Principles (pdf)
IATA Master Airframe Maintenance Agreement (AMA)
In an effort to make maintenance agreements more efficient, the Master AMA is available for industry use.
Following the best practices in aircraft operations and industry templates, the Master AMA has been developed to facilitate negotiations for heavy maintenance events, such as C-checks, D-checks, structural checks and other types of airframe maintenance.
Download
- IATA Master Airframe Maintenance Agreement (main section, rev. 2014) (pdf).
- IATA Master Airframe Maintenance Agreement (fillable Annexes) (pdf).
The Parties of this Agreement can:
- Customize the commercial and technical details using the Part II of Annex 1 - Airframe Maintenance Agreement and other Annexes
- Modify, add, remove, validate or invalidate the Articles of this Agreement using the Part III of Annex 1 - Airframe Maintenance Agreement
IATA Master Engine Maintenance Agreement (EMA)
This document is similar to that of AMA, but it applies to the engine.
- IATA Master Engine Maintenance Agreement (main section, rev. 2016) (pdf)
- IATA Master Engine Maintenance Agreement (fillable annexes) (doc)
Leasing
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)
Learn more about Structural Health Monitoring and find out how Delta TechOps works with industry stakeholders to use technology and innovate in aircraft maintenance.
MCC 2021 Webinar Series
- Episode 1: Industry status
Watch the recording - Download the presentation (pdf)
- Episode 2: OEMs and supply chain in the post-COVID era
Watch the recording - Download the presentation (pdf)
- Episode 3: Digital aircraft operations
Watch the recording - Download the presentation (pdf)
- Episode 4: Operating in the post pandemic
Watch the recording - Download the presentation (pdf)
MCC 2020 Webinar Series
- Episode 1: Industry forecast; implications of aircraft parking/storage strategies
Watch the recording - Download the presentation (pdf)
- Episode 2: Adapting to exceptional circumstances (transport of cargo in the passenger cabin; aircraft cleaning & disinfecting; fuel testing & biocide treatment)
Watch the recording - Download the presentation (pdf)
- Episode 3: How COVID-19 is reshaping the aircraft leasing and MRO businesses
Watch the recording - Download the presentation (pdf)
- Episode 4: The role of Used Serviceable Material (USM) in the industry restart
Mission
Our mission is to be the focal point on commercial airline Maintenance Costs, including MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) cost strategies.
Activities
The MCTG is run by a Steering Committee (SC) made up of airlines, IATA, and OEMs representatives; up to 12 airlines can have seats on the Steering Committee. The SC meets twice a year, holds quarterly conference calls, and organizes the agenda for the annual Maintenance Cost Conference (MCC).
We offer a unique data collection and benchmark analysis with more than 50 airlines representing 25% of world fleet and maintenance expenses.
We also initiate industry surveys (e.g. aircraft depreciation and maintenance cost capitalization, paperless supply chain, MEL) and projects (e.g. maintenance agreement standardization, aircraft leasing and maintenance reserves) for the benefit of the airline community.
Download MCTG Flyer (pdf)
Membership
Membership to the MCTG is open to all airlines, including cargo, charter and low cost carriers.
Participants in the IATAs Strategic Partnership Program can also attend the functions of the group upon request and approval from the SC.