Idrus Moin Primary Author Khir Harun Primary Author Noraida Rahman Primary Author Fakhrulnizam Mohammad Primary Author

The introduction of the “connected” aircraft by aviation original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offer opportunities for airline operators and other aviation industry sectors to improve productivity, reduce maintenance costs, enhance safety and enriched customer experience. This revolutionary opportunity has arisen with the development of digital platforms, ecosystems and software applications enabling greater connectivity and higher mobility in the aviation industry. It is crucial for aviation Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) organizations to embark on a digital transformation initiative enabling it to seize and actualize this opportunity to remain relevant. MRO has two contributions significant to the industry. Firstly, aircraft maintenance is an essential part of continuing aircraft airworthiness certification. Without this certification, no commercial flight will be allowed by regulatory authorities of any country. Secondly, aircraft maintenance activities represent a high proportion of the airline operating cost and typically can be as high as 35%. The global MRO expenditure is huge with potential spending of US$110 billion. Asia Pacific region will be the 2nd largest spender amounting to US$23 billion. Among South East Asian nations, Indonesia has the highest demand for MRO services spending US$1.5 billion in 2018.Aircraft maintenance personnel competency development is the strategic pillar that will ensure the success of the digital transformation initiative. This paper aims to establish the competency framework needed to complement this initiative. The method used for this paper is based on literature reviews from journal articles, interviews with subject matter experts and online news related to the keywords and research area.