Leadership from Arora Engineers (Arora) and EDI recently brought together airport asset management professionals, Maximo users, and industry consultants in Washington, D.C. for our annual Airport Maximo Users Group (AMUG) event, which was hosted this year by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA). The annual gathering provides a unique forum for aviation experts to exchange ideas, discuss emerging challenges, and explore innovative ways to maximize the value of IBM Maximo across airport environments.

By fostering collaboration among airport operators and industry partners, AMUG helps organizations stay ahead of evolving technologies, regulatory requirements, and operational best practices that are transforming the aviation industry. Several key themes emerged throughout the conference that are shaping the future of airport asset management.

Artificial Intelligence Is Moving from Concept to Operational Tool

Artificial intelligence (AI) was one of the most discussed topics throughout the event, reflecting growing interest in how airports can leverage AI to improve efficiency, decision-making, and operational resilience.

Rather than replacing existing processes, attendees focused on how AI can enhance Maximo by automating routine tasks and surfacing actionable insights, such as:

• Predicting work order classifications to improve data consistency
• Identifying similar work orders to accelerate troubleshooting
• Supporting Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Enabling AI-assisted visual inspections

As airports continue to generate vast amounts of operational data, attendees agreed that AI’s success will depend on strong data quality, governance, and integration with enterprise platforms like Maximo MAS, GIS, and mobile solutions.

Expanding Opportunities for Real Estate and Property Management

Many airport operators are exploring ways to leverage Maximo beyond traditional asset management. A growing area of interest is Maximo Real Estate and Facilities (MREF), which extends the platform to support real estate, workplace, and lease management.

Sessions highlighted how airports can centralize property information, optimize space utilization, streamline lease administration, and monitor facility performance through workplace analytics and IoT-enabled insights. As airports continue to expand non-aeronautical revenue streams, integrated property management is becoming an increasingly valuable business tool.

Business Analytics Is Transforming Reporting and Decision-Making

The evolution of reporting and analytics capabilities within Maximo MAS continues to be a major focus for airport organizations.

Rather than relying on static reports, airports are increasingly using business intelligence dashboards to monitor asset health, maintenance performance, capital planning, and operational KPIs in real time. By connecting asset, maintenance, financial, and operational data, organizations can make faster, more informed decisions and better communicate performance across the enterprise.

Arora/EDI, for example, include business analytics dashboards as part of every solution implementation, providing airport teams with actionable insights that support continuous improvement and operational excellence.

FAA Expectations for Airfield Inspections Continue to Increase

Regulatory compliance remains a critical priority for airport operators, and discussions highlighted increasing FAA expectations surrounding airfield inspections and documentation.

Airports are under growing pressure to demonstrate consistent inspection processes, accurate recordkeeping, and timely corrective actions. Many attendees shared strategies for using Maximo to digitize inspection workflows, improve documentation accuracy, and create auditable records that support compliance efforts.

The trend reinforces a broader industry shift toward mobile inspections and integrated compliance management systems. By combining Maximo with purpose-built mobile solutions like Arora ATLAS, airports can improve inspection efficiency, standardize data collection, and gain greater visibility into findings, corrective actions, and compliance performance.

Looking Ahead

This year’s AMUG reinforced a common theme across the industry: airports are looking beyond traditional asset management to maximize the value of their technology investments through connected data, streamlined processes, and more informed decision-making.

Whether through AI-enabled workflows, advanced analytics, integrated property management, or mobile inspection solutions, airport operators are transforming Maximo into a strategic platform that supports safer operations, stronger compliance, and smarter business decisions.

At Arora, we’re proud to help airports turn these opportunities into reality through integrated asset management, GIS, mobile inspection and work order solutions, business analytics, and enterprise technology consulting.

If you’re looking to unlock more value from your Maximo investment, contact our team to learn how solutions like Arora ATLAS, GIS integration, and advanced analytics can help your airport operate smarter, stay compliant, and prepare for what’s next.