The first APAC edition of the Predictive Aircraft Maintenance (PAM) conference in Singapore has commenced, welcoming delegates to the Marina Bay Sands convention centre.

Some of the sessions that took place today included:

Nicholas Tan, VP of the Singapore Institute of Aerospace Engineers who presented about The Three Pillars of Predictive Maintenance Success. Nicholas shared that the gap isn’t technology, it’s integration and that working with existing workflows and human expertise remains the critical bottleneck for progress. Tan said: “Predictive maintenance is not an IT project. It is a fundamental transformation of aviation. Let’s foster this ecosystem and develop the talent required for aviation’s future. Let’s build this future, together.”

David Harper & Dermot O’Hara from GE Aerospace explained different use cases including engine health monitoring and how AI can expand the number of conditions that can be monitored 24×7, how GE’s Diagnostic Engineers work closely with airline engineers to share regulatory insights to enable more efficient maintenance planning, advancing analytics with QAR data, and vision-enabled automated borescope inspection.

The audience heard that predictive maintenance has promised transformation, yet adoption lags under the weight of complexity and mistrusted records – from Mahmoud El Sawah – Founder/CEO, AirNxt. In his talk, he explored how living digital twins can rebuild trust, cut through operational noise, and prove that in aviation’s next flight plan, simplicity wins.

A panel discussion at the event examined how Asia-Pacific airlines are advancing the use of predictive maintenance, highlighting that the era of ‘recreational maintenance’ is being left behind as the industry sees measurable, data-driven gains.

Joan Ng of Singapore Airlines stressed the importance of collaboration and data capture: “As an airline we have our own predictive maintenance needs, so collaboration industry-wide in terms of understanding standards is crucial. Full flight data and using Skywise is our focus, making sure we can capture as much data as possible across as many aircraft components as possible. Working closely with our partners helps us keep on top of our goals in predictive maintenance. We use an in-house developed AI application to support overall maintenance activities across several areas, and we expect to expand this use.”

Nithia Kumar of Malaysia Airlines emphasised the value of data from new-generation aircraft: “New generation aircraft are data-rich, so it is important for predictive maintenance to enter the industry to drive efficiency and keep aircraft flying. Our focus is leveraging the data from our sensors, so we need to understand how the industry can really help us harness that insight.”

Mark Mazarek of Boeing pointed to growth opportunities and the need for supply chain alignment: “The more airlines and aircraft are entering the region, the more scope and potential there is to push predictive maintenance forward. Supply chain and parts providers need to incorporate new technology too, to ensure they keep up with the efficiency the industry is seeing. Predictive maintenance is all about sharing developments and how the journey is for different airlines – the more collaboration the better. I am very optimistic about the use of AI in the industry, especially with data cleansing. There are a lot of opportunities, and we are looking at more ways we can use AI to open up more efficiencies for airlines.”

Jaemin and Jonghoon Oh from Korean Air  presented how the airline is moving from theory to a fully operational in-house predictive maintenance programme. Its ‘Smart MRO’ strategy represents a future-oriented approach that goes beyond fault response to a proactive, data-driven model. The airline identified several keys to success, including data access and resource support, the importance of dedicated teams: with clear roles and responsibilities and collaboration: working closely with OEMs and other airlines.

Other highlights from the event included:

• Dave Purfurst from Veryon explained as aircraft become increasingly data-rich, the aviation industry faces a pivotal challenge: transforming massive volumes of operational data into actionable insights that enhance reliability, reduce downtime, and improve safety. He explored how AI is ushering in a new era of predictive maintenance – where real-time diagnostics and intelligent automation are reshaping how MROs and operators manage their fleets.
• Mark Mazarek of Boeing explained that while maintenance will always remain essential, the focus is on reducing the burden by cutting turnaround times – particularly through autonomous inspection technologies. He highlighted Boeing’s mission to help the industry evolve and outlined how the company is advancing with its Predictive Fleet Health Advisor solutions.
• Conference chairman Richard Brown moderated a panel to focus on engine health monitoring and management with Derek Cecillo from GE Aerospace, Barry Flynn from elfc and Yukifumi Ueda from ANA. With rising operational demands and tighter schedules, this panel highlighted why predictive maintenance is essential for the future of engine health management.
• Jeff Smith from Parker Aerospace shared with the delegates how the company digitses LEAP fuel nozzles, enabling OEM-operator collaboration, transforming maintenance from reactive to proactive.
• Anthony Wilkinson from Gamit presented about the new functions of ROAM (Records Online Asset Management) and how GAMIT uses historic data to predict future events.
• Sadanari Shigetomi of ANA outlined the airline’s current status and long-term vision for predictive maintenance.
• Job Arnold from STRADE shared his view that foresight alone does not keep aircraft flying – execution does. Job explained that an alert that a component may fail has little value if the part isn’t available at the right time and price.

A big thank you to the conference Chairman Richard Brown, MD of NAVEO Consultancy for steering the day. Thanks also to all our speakers for the insights and valuable contributions from the audience.

MORE: PAM Singapore Day Two Round-Up