Airbus has disclosed a new digital alliance with Delta Air Lines, aimed at developing new predictive maintenance and health-monitoring solutions "for airline customers worldwide" from 2020.
The "cross-fleet solutions" will be accessed via a unified portal through Airbus's Skywise platform, says the aircraft manufacturer, and will "harness each member's expertise in airframes, systems and engines".
Delta will serve as the first user of the "enriched predictive maintenance solution".
Don Mitacek, the US major's senior vice-president of technical operations, states that the partnership will combine "the deep analytical prowess of Airbus's Skywise platform" with "the rich technical and operational knowledge of the Delta predictive maintenance team". Mitacek expects "significant enhancements of prediction accuracies through this combination".
Norman Baker, Airbus's senior vice-president of digital solution, believes the alliance is "a world first", noting that it will leverage "the major skills needed by airlines to keep their aircraft operationally ready".
He asserts: "Predictive maintenance, powered by Skywise, is now widely proven with our customers as the best way to achieve comprehensive insights into aircraft operation issues, enabling them to maintain higher levels of fleet availability."
In December 2018, Delta enrolled its Airbus A320 and A330 fleets – some 400 aircraft – in the airframer's Skywise predictive maintenance programme under a multi-year contract.
In June, the companies joined forces to offer A220 component repair and material services under Airbus's Flight Hour Services programme.
