MAAS Aviation’s Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Marston, spoke to LARA at MRO Europe outlining the significant challenges and opportunities facing the aircraft painting and livery business, pointing to extended paint lifespan and a global labour shortage as primary concerns.

Marston, whose company has long-term contracts with major European carriers like Ryanair and easyJet, provided insights into how technological advancements and broader aviation industry trends are impacting maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) schedules.

A major theme of the discussion was the increased longevity of aircraft paint systems, which directly reduces the frequency of repaints—a key service offered by MAAS Aviation.

Airlines are pushing the time between repainting aircraft from a historical four or five years out to six, seven, eight, and even longer. This is possible due to advances in coating technology.

The use of new, more sophisticated pre-treatment systems, such as sol-gel technology, has improved paint adhesion and protection.These water-borne, environmentally friendlier liquids go on before the main paint system to give better protection and adhesion, particularly to rivets.

The move to using clear coats has significantly enhanced UV protection, eliminating the “chalky” or faded appearance that used to be common on older liveries.

The company specialises in narrow-body aircraft painting, with current operations running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a practice the CCO noted is key to achieving market-leading turnaround times.

MAAS Aviation has standardised its entire process across its MRO facilities—including those co-located with Airbus in Germany and the US—using the same original equipment manufacturer (OEM) process, technology, and docking systems to ensure consistent, fast turnaround times. The company currently offers a full strip and repaint for a narrowbody aircraft like a Ryanair or easyJet airframe in six days.

Marston identified several critical challenges currently impacting the aircraft painting sector, many of which stem from the global supply chain crisis and post-pandemic dynamics.

The backlog in new aircraft deliveries from major manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing is having a significant knock-on effect. Fewer new aircraft are entering service, leading to lease extensions for existing airframes. This means there are “very little lease handbacks” and less volume for MAAS Aviation, as aircraft are not changing hands, being stripped, and repatriated with new liveries as frequently. The CCO noted this situation may not normalise until at least the first quarter of 2027.

Marston highlighted the shortage of skilled people and engineers as the most significant issue facing MAAS Aviation and its partners, alongside challenges in securing parts.

“The biggest challenge everyone is facing is people. Training people, attracting people, keeping them in the business,” he said.

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Article courtesy of LARA.