In 2017, Aeroflot Group continued to further enhance its aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) system keeping the fleet in good condition and ensuring high reliability, flight safety, and on-time performance. Aeroflot Group services both its own fleet and third-party aircraft.

Aeroflot Group’s MRO policy provides for strict compliance with the requirements of countries of registration, maintenance programmes, and aircraft lease agreements. It is focused on enhancing capacity and technical competencies, rolling out cutting-edge technological solutions, and employee training and development, while constantly improving performance.

Aeroflot Group’s MRO facilities

MRO divisions at PJSC Aeroflot are the Aircraft Maintenance Department, Airworthiness Department, and Quality Assurance Department. Aeroflot subsidiaries also have relevant departments; however, the Group consistently centralises MRO to separate base and line maintenance.

Aeroflot Group has own maintenance centres in Moscow’s Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports, as well as in Saint Petersburg, Orenburg, Vladivostok, and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk airports.

Maintenance facilities at airports and types of maintenance

PJSC Aeroflot holds and maintains certificates issued by European, Bermudian, and Russian aviation authorities for maintaining airworthiness of the following types of aircraft and components:

• A320 Family (line maintenance, A-check, C-check, 6YE check)
• Boeing 737 (line maintenance, base maintenance)
• Airbus A330 (line maintenance, A-check, C-check)
• Boeing 777 (line maintenance)
• RRJ-95B (line maintenance, base maintenance).

Scheduled maintenance of all types of operated aircraft is performed under programmes developed in line with guidelines provided by aircraft and key components manufacturers. In 2017, PJSC Aeroflot serviced 121.2 thousand take-offs at Sheremetyevo airport, up 10.7% year-on-year. Labour intensity per flight hour of Aeroflot fleet aircraft was down from 2.36 hours in 2016 to 2.20 hours at the end of 2017.

Along with its own fleet, Aeroflot also serviced third-party customers, including approximately 20 carriers and 50 aircraft maintenance organisations, in 2017. Individual maintenance operations, such as maintenance of key aircraft components, are performed by third-party contractors. During 2017, around 80% of Aeroflot airline fleet maintenance operations were performed by in-house maintenance facilities and 20% were subcontracted.

Aeroflot continued the construction of Hangar 4 at Sheremetyevo airport, launched in 2016, to perform maintenance and repairs for wide-body Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s, a maintenance annex building, and the foundation for a special-purpose vehicle MRO facility.

The Group continued to expand A-Technics, its specialist aircraft and component maintenance and repair subsidiary, which was cleared for Boeing 737 NGs heavy maintenance at Vnukovo airport and obtained a C6 approval for disassembly and certification of aircraft seating sub-assemblies. In the autumn of 2017, the maintenance centre at Vnukovo airport was certified to perform heavy maintenance (C-checks and overhaul checks) for Boeing 777s and Boeing 747s, with a special dock system installed in the hangar and an EASA audit passed. Aeroflot prepared to extend the C14 scope of authorisation to its Orenburg arm to perform maintenance and overhaul for Boeing 747 wheels and brakes.

MRO divisions at PJSC Aeroflot