Digital twin – new trend in aircraft maintenance

Abstract

Safety has always been the main concern of successful aircraft operation. Key part of the operation has to be maintenance, which not only removes defects should they arise, but also prevents them from happening in the first place. For this very reason it is necessary to have a reliable maintenance program and practices. In recent years emphasis has been posed on thorough analysis of aircraft and its systems. This is made ever so easier thanks to tools such as the digital twin. Our goal is to research this recent trend and showcase its possibilities. This wouldn't be possible without our previous underlying studies about Industry 4.0, its related matters including maintenance, as well as digital twin itself. Finally, it is important to note that the main goal of our work is not necessarily the creation of the twin, but rather the subsequent measurements, tests and analysis.