How Aerospace Manufacturers Keep Critical Operations Running
James Brett of Carbon Aerospace on maintaining 1,200+ assets across a 650,000 sq ft facility — proactive maintenance, CMMS-driven decisions, and preparing for equipment obsolescence in aerospace manufacturing.
Behind every aircraft component is a team of professionals working to keep production moving, equipment reliable, and operations running efficiently. On a recent episode of Maintenance Manufacturing Insights, I sat down with James Brett, Senior Facilities Manager at Carbon Aerospace, to discuss what it takes to maintain reliability inside a large aerospace manufacturing facility.
James oversees facilities, tooling, composite repair operations, and more than 1,200 assets across a 650,000-square-foot operation in Milledgeville, Georgia. During our conversation, he shared valuable insights into the maintenance strategies that support the production of advanced carbon fiber aerostructures used in commercial aviation.
Building Reliability Into Every Process
One of the topics that stood out was the importance of proactive maintenance. James explained how his team leverages a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) to monitor asset performance, track maintenance metrics, and identify potential issues before they impact production. Rather than waiting for failures, his team focuses on finding and correcting issues during planned maintenance activities — reducing downtime and improving reliability across the facility.
Turning Data Into Better Decisions
We also discussed how maintenance data drives better decision-making. By tracking uptime, response times, and repair metrics, James and his team can identify recurring issues and implement long-term solutions. This data-driven approach allows maintenance teams to move beyond simply fixing problems and instead focus on improving overall operational performance.
Preparing for the Future
Another interesting part of our discussion centered on equipment obsolescence and emerging technologies. James shared how Carbon Aerospace has worked to standardize critical equipment and spare parts, helping simplify maintenance while reducing inventory requirements. We also explored how artificial intelligence could transform maintenance programs in the coming years by helping predict failures and automate maintenance planning.
More Than Maintenance
Outside of work, James enjoys spending time bass fishing on the lake near his home — a great reminder that even the busiest maintenance leaders need a way to recharge and reset. If you work in maintenance, manufacturing, facilities management, or reliability, this episode is packed with practical insights and real-world experience.
Watch or Listen
Be a guest: Are you responsible for keeping machines running and production on track? If you're a maintenance manager, tool crib manager, or shop leader, we'd love to hear your story. Apply to be a guest and share your expertise with an audience eager to learn from your experience.
