Different Thinking, One Team: Meet AEI Yerevan

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What makes the AEI team in Yerevan unique? Discover the story behind our cooperation, the people who keep the station running, and the challenges they face in everyday aircraft maintenance. From unexpected technical situations to the importance of trust, teamwork, and safety, get an inside look at life at our Yerevan station. Find out why the team describes itself in three words: unconventional, reliable, and united.

In this interview with Ripsimeh Kostanyan, Station Manager in Yerevan, you’ll discover:

• How the cooperation between AEI and the Yerevan team began – and how it has evolved over the years

• What makes the Yerevan team unique and why thinking differently can be one of its strengths

• How the team handles unexpected situations, operational pressure, and tight deadlines

• Why trust, open communication, and teamwork are key to a successful long-term partnership

• What working in aviation has taught Ripsimeh personally – about responsibility, discipline, and staying calm under pressure

When did your journey with AEI begin, and how do you remember the early days of the cooperation in Yerevan?

​Our cooperation with AEI officially began on 1 June 2023. I remember it as a busy and important period for us. Like any new partnership, it took a lot of coordination and mutual understanding, especially since aviation maintenance is an environment where reliability, safety, and precision matter from day one. 
What stood out to me early on was AEI’s professional and supportive approach. We built a solid working relationship fairly quickly, based on clear communication and a shared understanding of what was expected from the Yerevan station. That cooperation has kept growing since then.

How would you describe the team behind the Yerevan station? What makes it work well together?

Our team has a unique, sometimes unconventional and funny approach, influenced by our national characteristics, but we are all professional, responsible, and genuinely committed to our work.
Aircraft maintenance is a team effort — everyone has an important role, and cooperation between colleagues is essential. Our team works well together because of technical competence, mutual trust, discipline, and a willingness to support each other when it’s needed.
We know our work directly affects the safe and reliable operation of aircraft, so people take their responsibilities seriously. At the same time, we’ve built an environment where communication stays open and challenges get tackled together rather than alone.

What do you value most about working with AEI and being part of the wider AEI team?

Professionalism, trust, and a real sense of partnership. Even though we work in different locations, there’s a clear feeling that we’re part of one wider team working toward the same goal: safe, reliable, high-quality maintenance support for our customers.
I also appreciate how open AEI is to communication and cooperation. When operational or technical questions come up, having direct communication and knowing support is available makes a real difference.
Being part of AEI also means being part of an international aviation environment where we can exchange experiences, learn from each other, and keep improving how we work.

Is there a particular project, customer, or challenging situation that you are especially proud of?

Rather than one specific project, I’m proud of how our team handles demanding operational situations — the ones that call for flexibility, quick decisions, and strong teamwork. 
Unexpected situations are part of the job in aviation maintenance. Aircraft schedules change, technical issues come up with little notice, and sometimes a solution has to be found within a very tight window. 
In those moments, our priority is to stay calm, follow the required procedures, keep safety standards high, and still give the customer the best possible support. Whenever we resolve a difficult situation efficiently and the aircraft gets safely back into operation, it gives the whole team a strong sense of achievement.

What is the most challenging part of managing an aircraft maintenance station – and what do you enjoy the most?

Balancing operational efficiency with uncompromising safety and quality standards is probably the biggest challenge. A station has to manage personnel, technical requirements, documentation, tooling, and communication with customers and headquarters — often while responding to operational changes that happen quickly. 
That’s also what makes the work interesting. No two days look the same. 
What I enjoy most is seeing the team pull together, work through technical and operational challenges, and know that what we do contributes directly to safe aircraft operations. It’s especially rewarding when a complex situation gets resolved through good coordination and teamwork.

Yerevan has been part of the AEI network for many years. What do you think has been the key to building such a long-term and successful cooperation?

I’d say the key has been mutual trust, professional communication, reliability, and a shared commitment to high standards. 
Successful cooperation in aviation can’t be built on procedures or contracts alone — it also depends on people being able to rely on one another. We try to stay responsive, flexible, and solution-oriented while still respecting maintenance procedures and safety requirements, and we value the support and communication we get from AEI in return. 
When both sides uphold the same professional standards and approach challenges as partners, strong, lasting cooperation tends to follow naturally.

What has working in aviation and with AEI taught you personally?

Responsibility, discipline, attention to detail, and the importance of teamwork are probably the biggest lessons. This is an industry where even small details matter, so you learn to approach every task carefully and systematically.
It’s also taught me to stay calm and solution-focused under pressure — operational situations can change quickly, and important decisions sometimes have to be made in a short time.
Working with AEI has reinforced how much clear communication and international cooperation matter. When people from different locations and backgrounds work toward the same goal with mutual respect, the results speak for themselves.

If you had to describe the Yerevan team in three words, what would they be – and why?

Unconventional, reliable, and united. 
Unconventional, because our national characteristics influence the way we think. We often approach things differently from Europeans, with a unique and unconventional way of thinking. 
Reliable, because our customers and colleagues need to know they can depend on us, especially when operational support is needed at short notice. 
United, because our best results always come from working together. Individual experience matters, but real success in aviation maintenance is a team effort.
Thank you again for the opportunity to share the story of the Yerevan station.