Delta TechOps celebrates 25 years of powering third-party customers at MRO Americas

MRO Americas Keynote

John Laughter, President of Delta TechOps and E.V.P. – Chief of Operations, opened the show, outlining the current state of the MRO industry and how we’re positioning our MRO for the future, from expanding our engine shops to doubling down on technologies like AI and drones.

“It’s so important as we’re celebrating this special centennial year, that we remember the people in Delta TechOps and all that they’ve done over this century to fuel this great airline,” said Laughter. 

Reflecting on Delta’s decision to offer both legacy and next-gen MRO capabilities, he said, “Our ability to support the legacy fleets is an area where the great knowledge and expertise that you have over 20 and 30 years of working on a platform gives us the ability to really deliver value in the final decades of a platform’s life. But just as critical is investing in the next-gen opportunities. I look forward to our industry all working together to power our next hundred years.”

Delta TechOps Announcements

Pratt & Whitney announced an agreement to expand GTF overhaul capacity at Delta TechOps' Atlanta facility over the next decade. Under the agreement, the facility’s annual capacity will increase by more than 30 percent with the ability to overhaul up to 450 engines per year, making it one of the largest member facilities in the Pratt & Whitney GTF™ MRO network.

Delta TechOps joined Airbus in welcoming Collins Aerospace to the Digital Alliance, which develops new predictive maintenance and health-monitoring solutions for airline customers worldwide via a unified portal through the Skywise platform. The cross-fleet solutions harness each member’s expertise in airframes, systems and engines. 

Metro Atlanta Chamber Panel

Before MRO Americas opened, Penny Jacob, VP – TechOps Business Development, joined Dave Holtz of WheelsUp and Glen Burks of Archer Aviation to address attendees of an aviation panel at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Penny spoke to Delta’s focus on innovation through areas like predictive maintenance and drone technology, emphasized Delta’s focus on sustainability with SAF and addressed how Delta TechOps fosters a pipeline of talent in the next generation of the aircraft maintenance workforce through Delta’s school partnership efforts.

Other Delta TechOps speakers at MRO Americas

• Director of Predictive Technology Engineering, Alice Belcher, spoke on Delta's journey of adopting and scaling predictive capabilities, showcasing the tangible value and benefits, and offering insights into how to overcome the hurdles of proving ROI in predictive maintenance.  
• Director of TechOps Strategy, Justin Bevington, participated in a panel discussion on what regional MROs are doing to stay agile in an unpredictable environment.
• Senior Engineer, Emma Galarza, along with Mainblades, shared Delta’s pioneering journey in the use of drones for aircraft inspections. From initial assessments in 2017 to groundbreaking FAA acceptance in 2024, she shared how drones are revolutionizing the inspection process.
• VP - Technical Supply Chain & Delta Material Services, Ken McCue, participated in a panel discussion on best practices in airline and MRO material management.