"MRO is not that profitable business"

Sukhoi Superjet 100 after-sale maintenance is the key focus of this aircraft’s promotion campaign on the world market. The infrastructure for maintenance and personnel training for this aircraft still loses out to Western competitors’. Gediminas Ziemelis, Chairman of the Board of Avia Solutions Group from Lithuania, speaks about his company’s part in the project and his vision of the MRO market development.

Mr Ziemelis, Avia Solutions Group’s affiliates such as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider FL Technics and AviaAM Leasing, take part in SSJ 100 program. What are some reasons behind the decision to get involved? Have you encountered any problems as yet?

— We have thoroughly studied the aircraft and its components to gain understanding of both the direction that we may take while providing maintenance services and of the impact this is likely to make on the promotion of the type. We have already entered in collaboration with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SСАC) in the Indonesian market. While Indonesia has only few aircraft of the type, this proved a good chance to explore the logistics of its components and the accompanying issues, study the components replacement rate — in line with the newly issued manufacturer’s guidelines.