by Elsie Clark | Oct 29, 2025 | AI & ML, Flight Ops IT, Innovation
Dubai-based carrier Emirates has reported a measurable decrease in unexpected turbulence incidents over the past year thanks to onboard data and analytics.
Changing atmospheric conditions due to climate change are making inflight turbulence more regular and more severe. Notably, scientists at Reading University in the UK found that severe turbulence has increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020 over the North Atlantic. Professor Paul Williams, one of the scientists leading the project, told the BBC earlier this year that turbulent incidents could soon double or treble in length due to changes in temperature and wind patterns.
Turbulence hit the headlines in 2024 after one died and many more were injured on a Singapore Airlines flight from London Heathrow. Additionally, ICAO reported in 2023 that 40% of all inflight injuries were the result of turbulence.
Emirates takes action to mitigate unexpected turbulence
Over the past year, Emirates has been investing in multiple systems that can provide pilots with real-time analytics and help its aircraft avoid severe turbulence. Captain Hassan Alhammadi, Divisional Senior Vice President Flight Operations at Emirates, said:
While we cannot promise turbulence-free flights, these initiatives have contributed to a significant reduction in unexpected severe turbulence incidents over the past year, helping make journeys safer and more comfortable for our customers.
One technology partner is SkyPath, which uses AI and machine learning (ML) to detect and predict turbulence hotspots that traditional weather forecasting might overlook. Alongside this platform, Emirates has deployed Lufthansa Systems’ Lido mPilot application, which provides pilots with high-resolution weather data and real-time alerts.
Emirates is also participating in IATA’s Turbulence Aware programme, sharing data with airlines to help other aircraft adjust flight paths in advance to minimise the impact of turbulence.
Alhammadi added:
Our multi-layer approach with weather prediction and technology partners and active participation in the IATA Turbulence Aware programme also enables us to contribute valuable data and insights to the broader aviation industry as we collectively work to address this growing meteorological challenge.
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by Elsie Clark | Sep 18, 2025 | AI & ML, Flight Ops IT, Innovation
Korean Air and Boeing will partner on predictive analytics for proactive fleet maintenance, they announced at the MRO Asia-Pacific 2025 conference in Singapore.
The South Korean national carrier has established an early lead in predictive maintenance, setting up a dedicated team in 2023 that has since developed an in-house MRO solution. The partnership with Boeing will focus on advancing data-driven maintenance from this foundation to optimise fleet availability.
Chan Woo Jung, Senior Vice President and Head of Maintenance and Engineering at Korean Air, said:
We have made substantial progress in enhancing fleet reliability through our Smart MRO strategy, specifically by leveraging predictive maintenance. This strategic collaboration with Boeing will build on that success, taking our capabilities to the next level.
As we continue to expand our fleet, this partnership is key to enhancing our maintenance operations.
The announcement comes after Korean Air signed the largest-ever single aircraft order in history in late August 2025. 103 new Boeing airliners of different types are set to replenish and expand the airline’s fleet as they merge with Asiana Airlines.
The new predictive maintenance partnership with Boeing will support the US$36 billion investment, ensuring that Korean Air get the most out of their new aircraft while minimising passenger disruption.
Boeing’s suite of intelligence tools includes the Insight Accelerator, a custom predictive maintenance solution that helps avoid flight delays and minimises aircraft time on ground (AOG). Powered by machine learning (ML) algorithms, it is the first tool of its kind to launch on the MRO market.
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by Elsie Clark | Sep 3, 2025 | AI & ML, Innovation, Video
Artificial intelligence (AI) for aviation is forecast to be a $4.96 billion by 2030 — and infrastructure is set to be the largest solution segment.
At Aerospace Tech Week 2025, we sat down with Tahsin Istanbullu, Executive Vice President – Technical at Pegasus Airlines, to tap his insights on aviation’s ongoing tech transformation.
Pegasus, a low-cost carrier (LCC) based in Türkiye, operates 37 domestic and 109 international routes. Aiming to become Türkiye’s most on-time airline, adopting tech is key to optimising its operational and maintenance processes.
Everyone is talking about AI, which maybe two years ago people weren’t hearing about. Now everyone is trying to find the right way to use it.
Amid this innovation boom, the range of solutions on offer can be overwhelming. In our exclusive interview, Istanbullu emphasises the importance of planning when integrating new tech.
I think the first challenge is to decide where to start, because the potential [of technology] is huge and promises so much, but you have limited resources.
As well as discussing how AI is reducing downtime and unscheduled maintenance, Istanbullu makes predictions on how he thinks the industry will transform over the next decade. With supply chains continuing to fracture, predictive analytics and maintenance could become essential tools in the aviation industry’s arsenal.
I think in ten years’ time, everybody will be using AI.
🎥 Watch the full interview to hear more about Istanbullu’s predictions for the future of aviation.
Questions asked include:
- How do you see emerging technology reducing aircraft downtime, particularly as the industry struggles with supply chain challenges?
- Are there any specific technologies that you think have the greatest potential?
- What would you identify as the main challenges of innovative tech adoption in the industry?
- Ten years in the future, how will airlines approach fleet maintenance and technical operations differently?
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