What with the aerospace industry’s constant growth and innovation of new technologies, it is imperative to have top-notch supply chain logistical management.  This can refer to both airplane companies and spacecraft alike.

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As seen in the graph above, the market for just international passengers has risen drastically in the last decade, which has prompted constant reevaluation of operation and logistical management in order to stay efficient and timely as air traffic rises 4.5% annually.

Third party logistical advisers are called upon frequently by airline companies to supply efficient analysis and recommendations to maintain the logistical chain. For instance, if one were to look at simple airline travel, several key resources are crucial to have on time and in the right quantity to facilitate timeliness. Those would be: tools and resources for airplane maintenance, airplane fuel and the airplanes themselves, and perhaps uniquely, labour.

Airline labour is particularly unique compared to other industries. They are equal rate limiting steps to capital; the airplane cannot take off or deliver passengers without all personnel on board and in the tower. Therefore personnel management as a factor of logistics is imperative for functioning. Time tables, scheduling, and transportation are key.

From an operational point of view, as the airline industry is a services industry as opposed to a goods one, the key products and metrics are maintaining a steady supply of maintenance and fuel equipment. The stakes are also relatively high for these supplements as they’re expensive alongside being needed in a timely fashion. In goods industries, timeliness of goods are necessary to meet demand, but occasionally a delay will not temper demand within a reasonable time frame. Oppositely, no sales can be made in services industries without the maintenance equipment present.

The operations and logistics of aerospace industries is vast compared to smaller companies. Punctuality is of the utmost importance and equipment must be perfect, as customers are relying on their airline for safety. Spacecraft travel adds an entirely new layer of consistently updating technology as discoveries and innovations are made, and organising the management of resources and products could change at any time.