Older aircraft are remaining in service for longer than expected; as such, the industry is experiencing production constraints.  AviTrader asks AJW Group Chief Commercial Officer Scott Symington what this means for the MRO industry over the forthcoming year. 

 

Symington says the situation has fuelled a greater reliance on MRO service providers such as AJW Group’s component MRO facility, AJW Technique. To mitigate this, “AJW has invested in inventory and streamlined its inventory strategy and operations processes to ensure we can meet the demands and needs of our customers,” he states. 

 

Leading players appear optimistic about the growth opportunities and challenges facing the industry, with new technologies leading the way to improved inventory management and predictive maintenance solutions.  

 

How are MRO providers coping with the increased demand for maintaining older aircraft? 

Scott sees a high demand for parts for older aircraft continuing into 2026 and beyond. While the Group has invested heavily in inventory, this is supported by using “digital tools and advances in technology to better understand demand variation to predict customers’ requirements, which enables us to allocate parts to support their future needs.” 

 

Will current workforce shortages in the MRO industry continue in 2026, and how will that affect operations? 

Covid saw the shrinking of aviation's skilled workforce due to early retirements and movement out of the then volatile industry. Six years after the global pandemic, this challenge persists, putting further pressure on an industry trying to improve turnaround times and delivery. This is no quick-fix situation, however, and will take time to resolve. 

 

One of AJW’s solutions, says the Group CCO, is for its recruitment teams to “encourage and promote careers in aerospace at job fairs and events like Air Canada’s Young Women in Aviation Day. Our recruiters and specialists share their knowledge and experiences to spark interest in the sector and highlight exciting career opportunities and long-term prospects.”  

 

The Group is building a diverse pipeline of talent through outreach, apprenticeship programmes, and partnerships with educational institutions.  

 

Symington emphasises the importance of making the industry an inviting career opportunity for incoming generations. “We need to create an industry that excites and welcomes the next generation, inspiring them to be part of our journey into a more technology–focused sector.” 

 

Do you feel the ongoing supply-chain issues for OEM parts will continue in 2026? 

Answers from the experts interviewed for the article were not optimistic, with most feeling that nothing will change in the near future. Symington’s concern is that things may never fully recover to pre-pandemic levels, so we must adapt to deal with the situation. 

 

How important is the availability of USM? Are there sufficient aircraft teardowns available? 

AviTrader believes Symington offers excellent insight in his reply to this question.  

 

Scott mentions that the USM market remains strong, with the mature aircraft platform being a major portion of this. The overlap between neo and ceo platforms means current teardowns are providing operators with much needed spare parts. He says, “The balance between new and used material will keep shifting, but there is no doubt USM is here to stay as a cornerstone of the aviation supply chain.” 

 

If there are insufficient aircraft of a type available for teardown, what inventory strategies should MROs and airlines adopt to ensure specific parts availability? 

AJW Group has a clearly defined strategy for this circumstance, says Symington, “We have adopted a multifaceted approach...we’re investing in resilience measures, enhancing collaboration, and innovating towards enhanced process efficiency.” 

 

Find out more about AJW’s services and tailored MRO programmes.