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Aviation is moving through one of its most transformative eras. And for fleet leaders outside the cockpit, the changes happening in the skies offer a preview of what every fleet will soon face.
In a recent episode of The Fleet podcast, Shail Oza, Director of Supply Chain at WestJet Airlines, shares how real-time diagnostics, reimagined supply chains, and next-generation aircraft are reshaping operations at a scale—and speed—that should capture every fleet leader’s attention.
Aviation’s evolution is more than an industry story. It’s a roadmap for where fleet management is heading.
Real-time data is now a competitive advantage. Airlines are using in-flight diagnostics to mobilize technicians and parts before an aircraft even lands, dramatically improving availability.
Supply chain resilience is no longer optional. Shocks from the pandemic, labor shortages, and geopolitical events revealed just how vulnerable traditional aviation supply chains can be.
Next-generation aircraft will redefine fleet operations. Electric aircraft, eVTOLs, and drone systems are introducing entirely new infrastructure needs, maintenance models, and mobility patterns.
Real-time data is now a competitive advantage. Airlines are using in-flight diagnostics to mobilize technicians and parts before an aircraft even lands, dramatically improving availability.
Supply chain resilience is no longer optional. Shocks from the pandemic, labor shortages, and geopolitical events revealed just how vulnerable traditional aviation supply chains can be.
Next-generation aircraft will redefine fleet operations. Electric aircraft, eVTOLs, and drone systems are introducing entirely new infrastructure needs, maintenance models, and mobility patterns.
Anyone who has worked in aviation will tell you: the industry runs in continuous motion. Assets, people, data, and decisions move together and fast. Nobody knows this better than Shail Oza, Director of Supply Chain at WestJet Airlines. That’s why Shail notes, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. And in an airline, you get punched in the face every hour.”
That combination of pace, precision, and unpredictability creates an environment that mirrors the growing complexity of modern fleets. And it offers insights every fleet leader can use.
Below are the most important shifts, and what they mean for your fleet.
Running an airline is like running a manufacturing plant, except the plant never stays still. Aircraft aren’t repaired in neatly controlled facilities. Maintenance follows the asset, wherever in the world it may be.
Shail describes the daily balancing act of:
Getting the right parts to the right place across long distances
Mobilizing technicians the moment a fault appears
Keeping aircraft “dispatch available,” where every hour on the ground equals lost revenue
What this means for fleets:
As fleets become more distributed and more connected, supply chains, and the technology that powers them, must operate in real time. The ability to anticipate needs instead of reacting to them is quickly becoming the baseline for operational excellence.
This aligns directly with Element’s belief that when intelligence is in motion, fleets move with greater confidence and fewer surprises.
Aviation has always generated enormous amounts of data, but airlines are now learning how to turn that data into immediate action.
Shail shares examples where a plane is still in the air, but the maintenance team already knows the issue, has the parts ready, and has dispatched a technician to be waiting at the gate. Downtime drops. Cancellations are avoided. Customer experience improves.
What this means for fleets:
Predictive analytics and real-time fault detection are no longer “nice to have”, they’re critical to reliability. The fleets that win will be the ones that use their data, not just collect it.
This is the same principle behind Element’s analytics and advisory approach: helping clients turn complex data into decisions that maximize uptime and performance.
Aviation experienced a perfect storm of disruption over the past several years:
Repairs and purchases paused during the pandemic
Sub-tier suppliers lost capacity and labor
Demand surged faster than anticipated
Tariffs and geopolitical factors disrupted raw materials
Retired aircraft reduced available components
Each challenge amplified the next.
What this means for fleets:
Lean and resilient don’t compete with each other, they complement each other. Aviation showed how quickly a single disruption can cascade across the entire operation.
At Element, we see resilience as a design principle, not a reaction. Building flexible supply chain strategies, diversified sourcing models, and intelligent planning tools will be essential for every fleet moving forward.
The most exciting shift Shail highlights is the rise of electric and autonomous aircraft such as eVTOLs, drones, and all-electric planes. He recently witnessed an all-electric aircraft test flight in downtown Toronto, a preview of what mobility could look like within the next decade.
These platforms introduce:
Fewer moving parts and simplified maintenance
New point-to-point delivery possibilities
Charging requirements instead of fuel logistics
“Vertiports” and new air-traffic management frameworks
What this means for fleets:
Electrification and automation are accelerating across all mobility modes, not just aviation. The boundaries between air, ground, and software-driven logistics will increasingly blur.
Element is already helping clients prepare for this multi-modal future through EV advisory, data-driven route planning, and partnerships that enable more connected, adaptive fleet ecosystems.
Whether you manage aircraft or service vehicles, Shail’s insights point to three universal truths about the future of fleet.
Data maturity is the new competitive differentiator. Fleets that harness real-time intelligence will outperform on uptime, cost, and customer experience.
Supply chain resilience must be engineered intentionally. Anticipation, not reaction, will separate the leaders from the laggards.
The mobility revolution will reshape fleet operations. From electrification to automation, the systems surrounding fleets (charging, infrastructure, software, workflows) will evolve together.
These themes align with Element’s Purpose to Move the world through intelligent mobility and our commitment to helping clients navigate what’s next with clarity, confidence, and actionable insight.
Shail’s perspective is a powerful look at where aviation and fleet management are headed next. Get deeper insights into the future of mobility. Listen to the full episode of The Fleet podcast.