Exclusive Interview with Pablo Fuentes Moruno- Head of Sales, In Service Support at ITP Aero
Right from acquiring the Rolls Royce facility at Hucknall in spite of pandemic challenges, ITP Aero has steadily grown to be the ninth largest aircraft engine and component companies of the world. ITP aero plans to strategically focus on their Core 21 recovery plans by taking advantage of digital technologies and enhancing their capabilities. In a candid chat with our Assistant Editor, Swati.k, Pablo Fuentes Moruno- Head of Sales, In Service Support at ITP Aero speaks about the challenges faced during pandemic and how he overcame them, the efforts at achieving carbon neutral aviation by 2050 and much more… Read ON!
Q – First of all, congratulations on signing the latest contract to provide engine MRO for Gulf Helicopters. Can you tell us something more about the latest Engine Condition Trend Monitoring technology or ECTM for predictive engine maintenance that you will be applying for the Gulf Heli fleet?
A – Certainly, the agreement we have reached with Gulf Helicopters for their CT7-8A (Sikorsky S92) and CT7-2E1 (Leonardo AW189) engines is great news. We are very proud to contribute to supporting the fleet of one of the leading helicopter operators in the Gulf region. Our contract includes our ECTM service which provides valuable information to the operator about the condition of the engines and the main parameter trends. This data allows the operator to make decisions about preventive maintenance actions in advance and when needed, a much more focused corrective action to reduce maintenance costs. It also gives the opportunity to choose the best time to execute theses maintenance sessions and have the least impact in fleet operations. All this makes the ECTM a highly appreciated tool by different aviation companies.
Q – What are operators requesting the most from MRO suppliers?
A – The operators are very focused on their business. The operator only calls the MRO shop when they have a problem. We at ITP Aero are changing that classic approach. We prefer to create the environment to work with the operator in advance, before that problem shows up. That is why ITP Aero has significantly grown on Engine Condition Trend Monitoring (ECTM) service for the AW189 and S92 engine operators, and in the case of the NH90 helicopter, the version with CT7-8F5 engine also. To have the ability to predict when an engine is going to fail entails more time for the operators to define actions, mitigate that risk, reschedule their operations and manage cash flow.
Q – Recently you acquired Rolls-Royce’s former site at Hucknall, enhancing ITP’s position as a major global aerospace company. It is one of the major milestones for ITP. Can you elaborate on the deal?
A – Hucknall enhances ITP Aero’s position as a major global aeronautic company. The products manufactured in Hucknall, which include fabrications, combustors and fan outlet guide vanes (OGVs), are complementary to those manufactured in other ITP Aero facilities and will add to the company’s product portfolio. As a consequence, Hucknall’s integration will bring the enlarged business potential new opportunities.
Q – You signed this milestone deal during the COVID-19 pandemic times. What were the challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them?
A – Covid-19 has generated the worst crisis we have ever faced as an industry and as a company. We know that recovery will be very slow. While the news on vaccination is encouraging, and while air traffic is expected to begin its gradual recovery in the coming months, we do not expect our programme volumes to reach the 2019 level until at least 2024-2025.
In response to the impact of the pandemic on ITP Aero’s core markets, the company launched in July a recovery plan, CORE 21, aimed at initiating a necessary transformation process to increase competitiveness and accelerate, as much as possible, recovery. It is worth mentioning, that during 2020, ITP Aero has made important efforts towards laying the grounds for a profound digital transformation of the company that will continue in 2021.
Q – You are one of the ninth largest aircraft engine and component companies of the world with production centres in Spain, United Kingdom, Mexico, Malta and India. Going ahead what are your expansion plans
A – At the time being, we have no expansion plans. As mentioned before, we are currently focusing on our Core 21 recovery plan, including taking advantage of digital technologies as a strategic driver to achieve a differential leap in efficiency and competitiveness after the crisis caused by Covid-19 in the aeronautical sector.
Q – ITP Aero is the first Spanish aeronautics company to commit to net zero emissions by 2050, as per the UN’s initiative to become carbon neutral by 2050. Hybrid engines, electric engines, fuel-efficient aircraft are a part of experimental Next-Gen technology for sustainable aviation. How challenging do you think it is for aviation industry to achieve this goal? What steps is ITP taking towards a sustainable future
A – ITP Aero focuses on the development of proprietary technology as a competitive advantage in the global aeronautic market. We are proud to be able to say that half of the aircraft we see flying have ITP Aero technology, we make it possible for aircraft to fly all over the world.
At ITP Aero we are aware of the need for aviation to become a sustainable sector, we are committed to play an active role towards a carbon free aeronautic industry. Having said that, ITP Aero is the first aeronautic company in Spain to sign up to the UN’s Race to Zero programme. What this means is that we are committed to making all our operations carbon neutral by 2030.
This is already a major challenge but our commitment goes even further: to make all our activities as a company carbon neutral by 2050. This includes our operations and also the products we produce.
As far as technology development is concerned, we are working on a two-term strategy:
- First, in the short and medium term, the future lies in new engines to reduce the environmental impact of air transport and in the use of sustainable fuels to replace traditional fuels. We are already working in these areas. In particular, we are involved in the development of the new Rolls-Royce UltraFan engine, a new engine that will be a breakthrough in efficiency, reducing fuel consumption by up to 20% compared to some of the engines flying today. In addition, we are also currently focusing on manufacturing technology excellence, including, for example, additive manufacturing, i.e. 3D printing.
- In the medium to long term, with the challenge of minimising the impact of air transport, we are investing in the development of technology that will lay the foundations for hybrid and hydrogen propulsion. Both electrification and hydrogen propulsion will be the major revolutions expected in the world of aviation.
Q – ITP has undertaken digitalization as a part of its work culture and has developed a design criterion to manufacture certain components using additive manufacturing. Can you tell our readers more about the practical application of this technology in ITP and its scope in future?
A – We have developed our own additive manufacturing (3D printing) design criteria that has enabled the manufacture of aeronautical components now certified and currently operational in flight.
Thanks to this technology, we estimate significant cost savings and a reduction of up to 40% in the weight of the components, which translates into fuel consumption savings in the engines. It is also worth noting that at ITP Aero we have applied our own standards and specifications for the application of this technology, which gives us a significant competitive advantage.
