AFI KLM E&M Accelerates Digital MRO Transformation with PROGNOS and Data-Driven Solutions

• AFI KLM E&M is focusing on predictive, data-driven maintenance through its advanced Prognos platform, reducing AOG events and maintenance costs.
• The company’s digital roadmap includes innovations like digital twins, eTechLogs, drones, and robotic solutions to improve accuracy and turnaround times.
• With operations expanding across regions, AFI KLM E&M is tailoring digital tools for local airline needs while upskilling technicians in AI-based diagnostics.

On the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in New Delhi recently, four global airline majors, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and IndiGo, signed a trail-blazing agreement that would lead to ‘unprecedented cooperation’ in the field of aircraft maintenance and engineering. 

The convergence of shared MRO infrastructure, such as component pooling arrangements, collaborative maintenance programmes, and technician exchange initiatives, is expected to optimise resource utilisation, reduce turnaround times, and harmonise maintenance standards, which is the need of the hour. Importantly, as we are in the digital era, the implementation of advanced digital enablers such as predictive maintenance platforms (e.g., PROGNOS^®), AI-driven diagnostics, and end-to-end electronic records is likely to gain momentum.

As the aviation industry rapidly embraces digital innovation, AFI KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) is positioning itself at the forefront of this evolution by investing in an integrated suite of digital solutions that enhance predictive maintenance, streamline operations, and offer clients unprecedented visibility and control over their fleets. At the core of this transformation is ‘Prognos’, AFI KLM E&M’s advanced predictive maintenance platform, which monitors and analyses thousands of flight parameters to anticipate component failures before they occur. It is reported that ‘Prognos’ pulls data during flight, taxi, or at gate, then conducts continuous AI analysis to flag anomalies, enabling repairs 10 to 50 flights ahead of actual failure.

AFI KLM E&M introduced ‘Prognos’ in India in 2023 when it signed up Akasa Air for APU (auxiliary power units) to monitor real-time health parameters of the Honeywell GTCP131‑9B APU used in their Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet. Prognos helps detect abnormal behaviour or early signs of wear, predicts potential failures before they occur, and enables planned interventions, reducing aircraft-on-ground (AOG) events. The contract includes full engineering support from EPCOR, the AFI KLM E&M subsidiary managing APU services. 

Akasa thus gains access to EASA-certified component repair and APU services within India, resulting in significant cost savings—often 30–40% compared to servicing abroad—plus reductions in ferrying downtime and logistics complexity. 

Explores Other Airlines

AFI KLM E&M is pitching the same to other airlines in the region. Prognos was first introduced in 2016, and the Executive Vice President of AFI-KLM E&M, Anne Brachet, had said how the company was moving from ‘reactive’ to ‘proactive’ maintenance and that “Prognos allows us to prevent disruptions and optimise fleet availability – it’s a game-changer for airlines.” The digital solution currently supports a wide range of aircraft types and engines, and continues to expand in scope and sophistication. Airlines using Prognos have reported measurable reductions in aircraft-on-ground (AOG) events and significant savings in maintenance costs.

AFI KLM E&M has chalked out a digital roadmap that includes ‘digital twins’, which simulate real-time aircraft system performance, and eTechLogs and e-Signatures, which reduce the use of paper and improve traceability. At its global maintenance facilities, it has started deploying drones for structural inspections, cutting turnaround time and improving accuracy. It has in place robotic solutions which aid in repetitive tasks like parts sorting and tool management.

With a growing international footprint, AFI KLM E&M’s digital tools are being deployed across its network—from Europe to Asia and the Americas. In Singapore and Bangkok, digital platforms are enhancing turnaround time for A330 and B787 fleets. In the Middle East, customers benefit from predictive maintenance tailored to extreme weather operations. India is next on its radar. Brachet has indicated this while stating that the company worked “closely with regional partners to tailor digital solutions to local fleet profiles and environmental conditions.”

Recognising that digital transformation goes beyond tools and platforms, AFI KLM E&M has started upskilling its workforce. Technicians and engineers receive regular training in digital systems, AI-based diagnostics, and virtual reality-based procedures.

As Indian airlines continue to modernise their fleets, AFI KLM E&M is aligning its capabilities accordingly. It supports A350, B787, and A220 aircraft. It has indicated that it will push for preventive data-driven maintenance as it would lead to fewer AOG (aircraft on ground) events; longer component life; and smarter inventory planning (reducing spare part stockpiling). 

Presently, AFI KLM E&M has a running joint venture with Max Aerospace in Mumbai, where the JV offers component maintenance support for various aircraft types, including pool and exchange & repair services as a part of its maintenance solutions package. As of now, AFI KLM E&M does not have a full engine shop in India, while it has in Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam-Schiphol airports. Aviation experts believe that only when the installed base of modern engines (CFM LEAP, Pratt & Whitney GTF) matures and volumes reach a certain scale (perhaps by 2030), will full engine MRO become commercially viable in India.

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