HAECO Americas CEO Todd Navin
Todd Navin was appointed CEO of HAECO Americas in January. Ahead of MRO Americas, he spoke with Aviation Week Network about how market dynamics are affecting business, as well as the company’s technology, sustainability and training strategies.
The U.S. is experiencing tight capacity for heavy maintenance services. How has this dynamic impacted HAECO Americas?
Capacity is tight, but not nonexistent. People, materials and technology all play a role in affecting capacity. Our approach has been to partner with strong airlines that value quality and safety, allowing us to have open communication about demands and constraints to grow with our customers and to support additional needs. Additionally, we always prioritize transparency with our partners and will be upfront if we find we can’t adequately support a program.
The MRO workforce shortage has been an ongoing concern for years now, but recently some stakeholders have raised alarms about the “juniority” problem driven by technician retirements and increased recruiting efforts of young people. How is HAECO Americas approaching workforce growth and training strategies?
We understand the importance of knowledge transfer between our senior and junior technicians. We have a number of strategic initiatives to better enable it. First, we are strengthening our community partnerships and increasing the use of technology and analytics to improve the quality of candidates we extend offers to.
Once hired, our new employees undergo an improved onboarding experience and meet our new training & development supervisor whose sole focus is setting our trainees up for success. This supervisor helps sharpen the core skills and competencies in aviation maintenance so trainees can more quickly adapt and succeed.
We are preparing to deploy video-based learning on the hangar floor, to include short videos as an added resource on key maintenance tasks. Our training department is also leveraging best practices across the HAECO Group to include virtual reality technology labs to teach key maintenance skills.
What other types of MRO technologies do you have your eye on? Are you testing or rolling out any new technologies in the hangar?
Automation can drive sustainable growth by overcoming the challenges in manpower and shortage of technicians. At the same time, these technologies help optimize our operations, improving our resources efficiency to deliver more value to customers.
By utilizing drones for exterior inspections, we’re improving efficiency and reducing the need for heavy support equipment. The HAECO Group began this program in 2018 in Xiamen, and we’ve recently adopted it in the U.S. for interested customers. We plan to expand capabilities through the integration of computer vision technology, allowing for precise and automated analysis of inspection data. This integration enhances the speed and accuracy of our inspection processes, providing near real-time insights for proactive maintenance planning.
We are also tapping into artificial intelligence (AI) to test how the technology can further help us enhance our core business in planning, proactive resource deployment and service delivery. In the longer run, we aim to leverage AI to drive more frontline productivity and material savings while reducing overhead.
Considering the aftermarket’s ongoing supply chain shortages and delays, what strategies is HAECO America using to reduce impacts on its business?
To navigate the ongoing supply chain shortages and delays, HAECO Americas is focusing on diversifying our supplier base to avoid dependence on a single source and establishing strong relationships with key suppliers to ensure better communication and priority during times of need. In addition, we work toward implementing inventory management systems that allow for predictive analysis and early identification of potential shortages and will consider bulk buying strategic critical parts. Lastly, we are exploring opportunities for local sourcing to mitigate disruptions from international supply chain challenges.
HAECO Americas has previously introduced sustainability initiatives such as wastewater recycling and free EV charging stations for employees’ cars. What are some of the most recent sustainability moves the company has been making?
HAECO is making a major investment in a 4.6-megawatt solar energy solution at our Greensboro, North Carolina facility with expected completion in the first quarter of 2026. In Lake City, Florida, we’re committed to a modernization plan that will increase capacity and incorporate sustainability features.
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