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access only to the information they’re entitled to, blockchain could simultane-
ously improve partici pants’ visibility into their own businesses while safeguard-
ing their data from competitors.
Potential maintenance applications for blockchain in aerospace include the
following:
Improving routine efficiency. A continually updated ledger of each part’s
condition and usage could help reduce time spent on routine inspection and
maintenance by air craft operators. And that would boost utilization. A block-
chain led ger could also streamline heavy maintenance visits, shaving days off a
process that often requires signifi cant labor. And combined with pre dictive ana-
lytics, it could allow air craft operators to shrink spare parts inventories.
Defeating mercenary parts re sellers. When an airline or MRO provider
needs to procure an uncommon part, it often turns to vendors in the market-
place. Because there’s no central clearinghouse of aircraft components, it can be
difficult to know which vendor has the part they’re searching for. And it’s not
unusual to find that many vendors are
offering to sell something they don’t
yet own. Dealing with resellers in this
way adds unnecessary expense in the
form of marked-up prices and delays.
Participants in a blockchain-powered
aerospace ecosystem would be able to
compare the serial number of a part be-
ing offered against an indeli ble, real-time record of ownership, location, and uti-
lization. That would allow them to cut out the middle man, reducing the cost of
obtaining scarce parts.
Reinventing aircraft mainte n ance. Today, much maintenance is reactive, con-
ducted only after a problem surfaces or after an issue with a single component has
already created knock-on effects. If techni cians could review the configuration and
history of every aircraft in a fleet on a blockchain ledger, they would be able to en-
gage in more predictive maintenance, and poten tially head problems off before they
affect operations. The ability to pre dict the cost of maintaining each individual
plane with confidence could also significantly alter the eco nomics of fixed-price
If technicians could review the
configuration and history of
every aircraft in a fleet on a
blockchain ledger, they would
be able to engage in more
predictive maintenance.