The Paperless Paradox in MRO

In an era where most industries have embraced end-to-end digital workflows, aviation MROs are still navigating a paradox: “paperless” hangars that run on printed job cards, pen-and-paper CRS sign-offs, and scanned maintenance records. 

While cloud platforms, mobile devices, and planning dashboards have made their way into MRO environments, paper continues to play a surprising — and costly — role in day-to-day maintenance execution. This disconnect not only limits operational efficiency but exposes MROs to regulatory risk, lost time, and avoidable rework. 

The Persistence of Paper: A Known but Underestimated Issue 

According to the AircraftIT MRO Survey 2023, 83% of MROs still rely on paper job cards at some stage of the maintenance process. Even organizations that have invested in ERP systems or digital interfaces still revert to printouts and manual signatures due to limited integration between systems, tools, and regulatory workflows. 

The result? 

  • Delayed sign-offs and job card closures 
  • Disrupted CRS issuance due to missing or inconsistent documentation 
  • Rework caused by referencing outdated or mismatched versions 
  • Audit exposure when traceability is incomplete 

In highly regulated Part-145 environments, these seemingly small issues accumulate into serious operational and reputational risks 

The Compliance Reality: EASA and FAA Approve Digital Records 

There is a persistent myth in the industry that regulatory agencies still “require” paper. In fact, both EASA and FAA explicitly accept digital records and electronic signatures, provided the system in use guarantees: 

  • Verified user identity and role-based permissions 
  • A secure, immutable audit trail 
  • Controlled access and certificate validation 

Yet, many legacy systems — and even some general-purpose ERP platforms — lack the deep integration needed to support these standards across task cards, job cards, CRS, and component documentation. 

Purpose-Built for Paperless MRO: The Sensus Aero Approach 

At Sensus Aero, we believe that true paperless operations don’t start with dashboards — they start with digitally secure, operationally embedded signatures. 

Our Paperless module includes native support for: 

  • Routine and non-routine job card closures 
  • Task card annotation and mobile sign-off 
  • EASA Form 1 and FAA 8130-3 documentation 
  • CRS issuance with digital seals 
  • Component repair documents and serviceable tag tracking 

All signatures are: 

  • Role-authorized via user PIN and authentication 
  • Traceable with automatic audit logs 
  • Legally compliant using digital certificates and company seals 

With real-time status updates, mobile execution tools, and cloud access, Sensus Aero replaces the bottlenecks of paper-based workflows with seamless, regulation-ready digital processes — from line maintenance to heavy checks. 

What We’ve Learned from MRO Operations 

In test simulations of typical narrow-body heavy checks, we’ve identified up to 20 hours of avoidable idle time caused by manual document handling — rework, untraceable sign-offs, and delays in job card closure. 

It’s not just paperwork. It’s lost productivity and risk that scales with every aircraft. 

The Path Forward: Paperless is Not a Trend, It’s a Transition 

As MRO organizations face growing demands for faster turnaround, increased labor utilization, and demonstrable sustainability, paper-heavy workflows are no longer just inefficient — they’re unsustainable. 

Going paperless isn’t just a checkbox for innovation. It’s a foundational shift toward: 

  • Tighter compliance 
  • Reduced rework 
  • Lower risk 
  • Higher operational resilience 

At Sensus Aero, we’re proud to help MROs navigate this transformation — one digitally signed job card at a time. 

April 30, 2025