MRO – The Backbone of Aviation

On June 10, 2026 (14:00–14:45 CEST, Berlin) at the ILA STAGE AVIATION, Hall C, we brought a critical but often overlooked reality into the spotlight:

Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) is the true backbone of aviation.

✈️ Five years in development – six months in production – 30 years in operation.

MRO keeps the world flying.

This high-level panel brings together leading voices from airline, MRO, OEM, and research to reveal why MRO is far more than maintenance — and why it defines availability, competitiveness, and the future of aviation.

🎙️ Speakers:
• Heiko Holm – Managing Director, Chief Technical Officer & Condor Technik: Managing Director, Condor Airlines
• Harald Gloy – Chief Operations Officer, Lufthansa Technik AG
• Dr. Ottmar Pfaender – Chief Program Officer at MTU Aero Engines
• Andreas Mayer – Head of Conversion and Maintenance, Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH
• Dr. Markus Fischer – Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics, DLR

Host: Ilkay Özkisaoglu

🧩 Three key themes:

1. Availability & lifecycle thinking – Why ~99% readiness is non-negotiable

2. Germany as an MRO powerhouse – Industrial strength, talent, and $100bn+ market scale

3. High-tech MRO – Predictive maintenance, digital twins, P2F conversions, innovation

🔥 This panel reveals what usually stays invisible — the system that actually makes aviation work.

YouTube Episode: https://youtube.com/live/SK4C_rYv6-w