Building More Than an MRO Company

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In this interview with Branislav Cifra (CEO & Accountable Manager) and Róbert Piľa (CEO), you’ll discover:

• Why quality and safety are the responsibility of every employee – not just the Quality & Safety Department.
• What Branislav Cifra took away from Good to Great and how it shaped AEI’s philosophy.
• Why AEI doesn’t aspire to be just another supplier, but a long-term partner to its customers.
• How the founders’ contrasting personalities have created a successful partnership that has lasted for nearly 30 years.
• Why the founders believe that technical expertise alone is not enough to build a successful business.

What were your beginnings in aviation like?

Braňo: Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be around aircraft. At first, I dreamed of becoming a pilot—just like many people who work in aviation today. However, when I graduated from secondary school in Trenčín, the pilot training programme was not opened that year, so I chose the path of an aircraft mechanic instead. I look back on those days very fondly because it was a fantastic environment—we were surrounded by aircraft, hangars, and experienced technicians every single day.

Robo: It was quite similar for me. I wanted to become a military pilot, so I enrolled in the CVO 430 programme at the Military Secondary School, specializing as an Aircraft Technician. The programme focused on aircraft maintenance, repairs, and technical inspections, giving students a comprehensive understanding of aviation engineering. My plan was to continue my military career as a pilot. However, after completing my aircraft technician training, I was informed that, due to the high cost of pilot training, there was no guarantee I would ever progress to a pilot position.

Your paths crossed at a very young age—you met in the military when you were just 18 years old. How did that happen?

Braňo: After graduating from school in Trenčín, I continued my studies at another military aviation school specializing in the maintenance of military aircraft. That was where I met Robo. After completing our military education, we were both assigned to the same air base in Malacky.

At that time, following the split of Czechoslovakia, Slovakia still had a strong military aviation sector. However, it gradually underwent major restructuring, aircraft types were phased out, and flight operations became increasingly limited. What had once felt like the reality of Top Gun slowly turned into routine and, eventually, frustration, as flying activities declined, experienced professionals left the military, and our vision of military aviation gradually began to fade.

Robo: That was a turning point for us. I left the military in 2003 because it had become clear that aviation was heading in a different direction and there was less and less room for the kind of work we wanted to do.

Braňo: I left a year later. By then, the job no longer fulfilled me. We were working on aircraft types that no longer inspired us, and everything had changed.

What happened after you left the military?

Braňo: For a while, our professional paths went in different directions. I moved into commercial aviation as an aircraft mechanic, while Robo entered the commercial sector through real estate.

Towards the end of 2009, our paths crossed again by chance, and in January 2010 we founded Aeroengineers International (AEI).

Robo saw an opportunity to invest, and I knew I couldn’t build something meaningful without the right partner. We agreed that we wanted to create our own company—a place where we would work alongside people who genuinely loved what they did and where we would strive to build an ideal environment in which quality would never be compromised and meaningful rules would always be respected.

On top of that, thanks to my first business venture—which unfortunately did not succeed—we still had an open door with Lufthansa Technik. We seized that opportunity and built AEI on both the experience we had gained and the lessons we had learned from our previous mistakes.

Robo: We never wanted to build a company that would be “for one-time use.” We wanted to create something that would continue to grow and thrive even without us one day.

The military also gave us two invaluable qualities: the ability to perform under pressure and a strong sense of teamwork. We often had to step in for different specialists—one mechanic was capable of working on several aircraft systems. That’s quite common in military aviation but much less so in civil aviation. That versatility eventually became one of our competitive advantages.

I made the translation sound natural for an international business audience while preserving the original meaning and tone.

What are the core values your business is built on?

Braňo: About a year after we started the company, we found ourselves facing the possibility of shutting down. Whether I liked it or not, I had to take a hard look at myself and understand why my first company had failed. I also realized that the situation our second company was in was entirely my personal responsibility.

That was when it truly hit me: if you have the authority to make decisions that affect an entire company, you must also take responsibility—not only for its successes but equally for its failures.

Until then, I couldn’t understand why the outcome always seemed to be the same. We started both companies with good intentions, yet both turned out very differently from what we had expected. That’s when I realized that managing a business requires far more than the technical perspective we had as aircraft mechanics.

So I began searching for answers. I started reading books and articles on management and economics, trying to understand what we were doing wrong.

Jim Collins and his book Good to Great had a profound impact on me, as did many other thinkers, including Peter Drucker, who is widely regarded as the father of modern management.

After reading their work, we came to a clear conclusion: passion, discipline, and working together would become the pillars of our company.

These are not just nice words. They guide how we select people for our team and how we make decisions every single day. Over time, we realized that the principles on which every company should be built are actually quite simple. The real challenge lies in putting them into practice.

It’s an ongoing journey of learning, experimenting, making mistakes, and improving. And if you persevere long enough, success eventually follows.

Robo: Braňo always says we’re looking for the right people—and it’s not just a cliché. Passion and the desire to do great work have to come from within. Discipline keeps you on course, and working together is what makes you part of a team. Character isn’t something people learn in a training course—you either have it or you don’t.

How would you summarize your vision in one sentence?

Braňo: To be a trusted and respected MRO partner that combines technical expertise with a human approach, balancing heart and reason—with a touch of playfulness, because business should have room for that too.

What motivates you to keep moving the company forward?

Braňo: We want to leave behind something meaningful—not just a company, but a community of people who share the same vision and understand that what they do creates value for customers, employees, and society as a whole.

We want our know-how, our team, our way of working, and the system we’ve built to remain in place. A system that continuously creates value for customers, employees, and the wider community. We don’t want the company to disappear simply because the two of us are no longer here one day.

People sometimes ask why that matters to us if we won’t be here ourselves. Our answer is simple: if the people who founded companies more than a hundred years ago hadn’t thought beyond themselves, none of us would enjoy the quality of life we have today.

We believe we owe something to the generations before us, and we also have a responsibility to contribute something to those who come after us. Perhaps that’s a little idealistic, but we’re both driven by what we genuinely believe is right.

Robo: Exactly. We’re looking for our successors—people who will one day take on the responsibility and continue building what we’ve started. They may even take it in a different direction, but with the same philosophy.

Braňo: And that philosophy is a far greater motivation for us than any specific revenue target or financial result. We believe business success is ultimately a by-product of a well-functioning system built on the right values. If a company consistently lives by those values, success should naturally follow.

How does AEI aim to stand out from other players in the market?

Braňo: Through our flexibility and determination to overcome challenges. We know how to adapt to our customers’ needs without ever compromising on quality. We also believe that every problem has at least one solution—and finding it is largely a function of the time and effort you’re willing to invest.

Robo: We don’t want to be just another supplier. We want to be—and we are—a true partner to our customers. We understand their needs and communicate with them not only as technical experts but also on a human level. I believe that’s something they genuinely appreciate.

What are you most proud of as a company in terms of expertise and services?

Braňo: That we built something from scratch that now employs dozens of people, serves satisfied customers, and creates value for society.

It’s not about replacing an aircraft engine—that’s simply our job. What truly matters is the positive impact we’ve had on the people around us, on those who are part of our company, and on the communities where we operate.

Robo: AEI is like a watch—you remove one gear, and the whole mechanism stops. Fortunately, we have a team that sticks together. That loyalty and team spirit are reflected in the quality of everything we do.

How do you approach quality and safety at work?

Braňo: Like any company—not only in our industry—we have strict control processes in place. At the same time, it’s important to emphasize that quality and safety are everyone’s responsibility, regardless of their role within the company.

It’s not just about having control processes; it’s about personal accountability. Sometimes a decline in quality happens as a chain reaction. Someone whose role is only indirectly related to a process overlooks their part, which creates additional work for someone else. Due to time pressure, that person may then overlook something that directly affects the quality of the service we provide to our customers.

Our control processes are essentially the framework and boundaries of our system—they provide the structure within which we all operate.

Equally important is working with the right people. We strive to reward them fairly and place them in positions where they can succeed. In many ways, it’s the same principle as our business success: it is the outcome of a system built on values that guide how people behave within it.

Without the right people, achieving quality and safety is extremely difficult. Thanks to our pillars, principles, and values, we know we can rely on our employees.

Robo: Quality and safety are two sides of the same coin. One simply cannot exist without the other.

What do you look for in the people you hire?

Braňo: For us, character is the most important quality. Technical expertise can be learned, but attitude and values cannot.

We’re proud to have people with diverse educational and professional backgrounds on our team. What truly brings us together is a shared set of values and the same mindset. Very often, that’s far more important than formal education.

Robo: I’d just add that we’re also looking for people with genuine passion for their work and the desire to do things properly. Most importantly, they need to genuinely identify with our philosophy—without that, it simply doesn’t work.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in the MRO industry?

Braňo: Stay curious. Ask questions. Observe. And never settle for mediocrity.

Always strive to build a better world, even though perfection will never exist. If you become comfortable with mediocrity, things will only get worse. But if you keep aiming for excellence, you’ll continue improving the world around you.

This industry needs people with open minds and genuine passion for what they do.

And remember—work is work, and hobbies are hobbies. Also remember that money isn’t everything. If it were, every wealthy person would be happy.

Robo: Don’t be afraid to start from the bottom and learn from everyone around you. Creativity is valuable, but it must always go hand in hand with responsibility.

How do you support the development of your employees?

Braňo: Beyond training programmes, we give people trust and the freedom to grow professionally. When people feel trusted, they take ownership and continue developing.

We encourage open discussion and try to lead with less direction and more transparency, support, and motivation. In return, we expect the same level of openness and responsibility from our people.

Robo: We don’t want anyone to feel like just another cog in the machine. Everyone has the opportunity to grow, learn, and bring forward their own ideas, knowing they will be listened to with respect and implemented whenever possible.

Where would you like to take the company over the coming years?

Braňo: We want to expand into additional maintenance segments and further strengthen our international presence.

We’re launching operations in new destinations. Last year, we established a new operation in Norwich, United Kingdom, and in 2024 we became the majority owner of the Czech company HeliBuddy, which specializes in helicopter maintenance.

Robo: Alongside our expansion, we want to preserve our personal approach and strong team spirit. That’s what truly sets us apart from large, impersonal corporations.

Last year, AEI celebrated its 15th anniversary. What does this milestone mean to you personally?

Braňo: To me, it’s proof that even when the beginnings are difficult, perseverance and the right people can build something that lasts. I also believe that in another fifteen years, AEI will be in a completely different place, creating an even greater positive impact than it does today.

Robo: For me, it’s also a great opportunity to look back and thank our colleagues, business partners, and our families. None of this would have been possible without them.

Your long-standing friendship has grown into a successful business partnership. Do you have a recipe for making it last?

Braňo: I think it’s like any good relationship—opposites attract. Robo and I simply found each other.

I don’t think it would be fair for us to pretend we have a formula for finding both a great friend and a great business partner. It simply happened, and we’re both incredibly grateful for it.

If I were to offer one piece of advice, though, it would be this: be a little less stubborn and a little more understanding. The world isn’t about any one of us individually—it’s about all of us. Living and working together is ultimately about compromise. Perhaps that mindset can help others find greater satisfaction in their professional lives as well.

Robo: Exactly. Braňo and I have completely different personalities, and that’s precisely our strength. I’m more impulsive, while Braňo is calmer and more thoughtful. We balance each other out, and I believe that’s the main reason why our friendship has lasted for almost thirty years—and why our business partnership has been successful for so many years as well.

How AEI Earned Lufthansa’s Trust and Secured Wizz Air (Part III.)

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Even today, a few veterans at Bratislava Airport occasionally recall how, back in 2010, they helped their boss Branislav choose a proper coat. He was heading to Germany to personally present a young Slovak company to the renowned Lufthansa Technik Maintenance International. The goal was clear: to position the company as a provider of aircraft maintenance services on the international aviation market. And for that, one must dress accordingly.

They had already established contacts with the Germans. Branislav had written to Germany several times before, offering Slovak services to the company responsible for maintaining Lufthansa aircraft worldwide. It took time, but persistence paid off. Eventually, Hamburg responded and invited him to the headquarters. He must have made an impression, as he received a surprising offer: to provide line maintenance in Romania for a young, ambitious Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air.

One Introduction That Changed AEI Forever

This rapidly growing ultra-low-cost airline had already been known to Lufthansa since late 2009, as Lufthansa had been providing Wizz Air with valuable advisory support. They knew Wizz Air was preparing to open routes from Romania and needed high-quality aircraft maintenance, yet lacked the capacity to build its own demanding maintenance base. Lufthansa therefore introduced the new Bratislava-based company, Aeroengineers International (AEI), to Wizz Air. The partnership proved successful for all parties. AEI guaranteed 24/7, fast, and reliable service. A mutually beneficial three-way cooperation was born.

In August 2010, AEI opened its first line maintenance base for Wizz Air in Timișoara, Romania, followed within weeks by Cluj. Craiova, Iași, Sibiu, and Bucharest Otopeni followed. When Wizz Air launched flights from Yerevan, Armenia in 2020, gradually connecting the city to sixteen European destinations, it once again entrusted maintenance to the Slovak team.

Wizz Air had attempted to launch a route from Bratislava to Rome in 2009 but was unsuccessful. In 2015, it began operating from Košice, and the following year it returned to Bratislava. From late 2025, it has been expanding significantly there, with seventeen routes planned from the Slovak capital by spring 2026. AEI won tenders to maintain Hungarian-based Airbus aircraft, and Ryanair entrusted the maintenance of three Boeing 737 aircraft based in Bratislava to AEI- a partnership that continues today.

In 2017, Wizz Air opened operations in Chișinău, the capital of Moldova, flying to thirty-six European destinations. Slovak passengers might wonder why the airline focuses on relatively less affluent regions of Southern and Eastern Europe, while withdrawing from markets such as Abu Dhabi, certain post-Soviet countries, Vienna, the Czech Republic, and several major Western European hubs. The answer lies in the low-cost model. Unlike traditional carriers targeting wealthier clientele with business-class comfort, prime-time frequencies, hub connections, and onboard services, low-cost airlines emerged strongly after the fall of the Iron Curtain. They connected smaller regional airports, enabled labor mobility from East to West, offered affordable travel for students, and provided low-cost holiday options. They are flexible, quick to open new routes—and equally quick to close those that prove unprofitable.

Today, AEI operates at six airports across five countries. While some Romanian bases were eventually closed, a new addition to the portfolio since late 2025 is Norwich Regional Airport in the United Kingdom.

The company now employs around one hundred people. Over its fifteen-year history, AEI has employed Slovaks, Czechs, French, Hungarians, Italians, Spaniards, Croatians—even an Icelander and a Filipino living in Ireland. In Armenia and Moldova, AEI has trained and developed local personnel, meaning Slovak staff no longer need to travel there – reducing travel, accommodation, and per diem costs. These efficiencies contribute to the company’s performance. Last year, AEI reached a turnover of EUR 19 million.

Although the company primarily specializes in Boeing 737-800 Next Generation and MAX aircraft, as well as the Airbus A320 family – including the 239-seat A321neo – it also holds approval for hangar maintenance of Fokker 100 aircraft and Airbus A319 aircraft operated by the Aviation Unit of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic, as well as their Leonardo AW189 helicopter. AEI is also authorized to maintain Embraer 170/190 aircraft and, in Bratislava, services 388-seat Airbus A330 aircraft operated by the Spanish airline World2Fly for winter charter flights to the Dominican Republic and Vietnam.

AEI continues to diversify its services strategically. It supplies airlines with certified spare parts and consumables, and together with partners, provides aircraft painting and post-maintenance weighing services. Weight control is critical in aviation – airports charge fees based on aircraft weight, and even paint selection or cabin configuration can influence overall mass. At Hradec Králové Airport in the Czech Republic, AEI established HeliBuddy, a company specializing in maintenance of Airbus Helicopters aircraft, aiming to become a strong partner for both civil and governmental helicopter operators in Central Europe.

When Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: The Turning Point That Shaped AEI  (Part II.)

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“Robo saw an opportunity to invest, and I knew that without the right partner it wouldn’t work,” recalls Branislav Cifra, CEO and Accountable Manager of Aeroengineers International (AEI), as he reflects fifteen years later on the restart of their project. “We told ourselves we wanted to build something of our own, to work with people who put their heart into what they do, and to create an environment where quality is never a compromise and meaningful rules are respected.”

Róbert Piľa, Board of Directors & CEO, adds that they never wanted to build a “single-use company,” but something that would grow and outlive them. While military discipline is often criticised or mocked, he says they carried two essential lessons from their army years into business: the ability to work under pressure and a strong team spirit. In the military, they often substituted for specialists, and one mechanic was capable of working on multiple systems. That was standard with military aircraft types, but rather exceptional in civil aviation. This versatility later became one of their competitive advantages.

The journey was far from smooth. After just one year, the company again faced potential end. Branislav had to reflect deeply on why his first business had failed. He realised that he bore responsibility not only for the direction of the new company, but also for every failure along the way.

“Until then, I didn’t fully understand why things turned out the way they did. In both the first and the new company, we had good intentions, yet the outcomes were completely different from what we expected,” Branislav says. He came to understand that good intentions alone are not enough to lead and manage a company. A purely technical, aircraft-mechanic perspective is insufficient. Their partner Lufthansa  recognised this and raised a warning flag. Branislav was given three months to prepare a turnaround plan for the company, after which it would be decided whether cooperation with their client Wizz Air would make sense.

At AEI, they realised that technical excellence alone was not enough. Being outstanding in maintenance services must be supported by effective management and solid economic performance. Branislav began studying intensively. Among the literature he explored, he was significantly influenced by the respected American author Jim Collins. His bestseller Good to Great, published in more than three million copies worldwide, explains how a good company can become a great one.

At AEI, they agreed that passion for work, discipline to stay on course, and working together that makes individuals part of something bigger are the pillars on which to build their team. Over time, they realised that the principles on which any company should stand are relatively simple. What truly matters is implementation – an ongoing process of learning, testing, and sometimes making mistakes. Success, however, eventually follows.

Both co-owners emphasise character when selecting new colleagues. “No course can teach that. Expertise can be learned, but mindset and values cannot. That’s why we are glad to have people with different educational backgrounds on our team, united by shared values and inner alignment. That is often more important than education alone.”

Their vision is to be a reliable and respected partner in the industry – combining expertise with a human approach, heart and reason, and even a touch of playfulness. Because that, too, belongs in business.

“We would like to leave behind something meaningful – not just a ‘company,’ but a community of people who know that what they do brings value to customers, employees and society as a whole,” explains Branislav. “We want the know-how, the team, and the way of working that functions as a system creating added value to remain. We don’t want the company to disappear simply because the two of us are no longer here. Some people ask why we care about what happens after we’re gone. But if companies founded a century ago had not thought that way, their successors today would not enjoy the quality of life they do. Perhaps it sounds naïve, but we are both rather emotional people and we act according to what we believe is right.”

Last year, during AEI’s fifteenth anniversary, they were asked how they differentiate themselves from other players in the market. According to Branislav, through flexibility and persistence in overcoming challenges. “We can adapt to our customers while maintaining quality. We believe every problem has at least one solution.” Róbert adds that they do not want to be just another supplier. They want to be  and are a partner. They understand their customers and can communicate with them not only technically, but also on a human level.

They are most proud of having built, from zero, a company that now employs around one hundred people whose work satisfies clients. It is not about replacing an aircraft engine – that is simply their duty. “What truly matters is what we have contributed to our surroundings and what it has meant for the people who are part of the company and the communities where we operate. A company is like a watch – remove one gear and it stops. Fortunately, our team holds together,” say the two co-owners. Their loyalty and cohesion are reflected in the quality of their work.

Dreams, Takeoff and Restart (Part I.)

Both were born in 1977. They did not know each other at the time, yet they shared the same boyhood dream. Branislav Cifra from Trnava wanted to become a pilot. So did Róbert Piľa from Bratislava. Both studied to become aircraft technicians – Branislav at the Secondary Vocational School of Aviation Technology in Trenčín, Róbert at the Military Secondary Aviation School in Košice.

Their first shared steps came only after graduation – first during military roll calls, and later on the local football field, where they played in their spare time. Róbert was finishing his fourth year when Branislav, after completing his studies in Trenčín, came to Košice for a course that would allow him to continue in the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic as an aircraft technician. After finishing school, Róbert was assigned to Kuchyňa Air Base near Malacky, and a few months later Branislav was deployed to the same base after completing his course. As friends and colleagues, they reunited at the Su-25 squadron, working as aircraft technicians.

However, the division of Czechoslovakia brought unexpected changes to the lives of these young men. The once-strong Slovak Air Force gradually underwent reorganisations, aircraft types were phased out, flight operations were reduced, and many skilled professionals left. Branislav’s vision of becoming a “Top Gun” faded into routine, replaced by frustration as he watched talented colleagues move into civilian life. He says the job no longer fulfilled him, so in 2003 he left the military. Róbert had left a year earlier. Branislav found work as a mechanic with a private airline, while Róbert even ventured into real estate.

The Leap into Entrepreneurship

Times were changing, though. Civil aviation was expanding and creating new opportunities. During the first decade of the new century, many new airlines emerged not only in Slovakia but also in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania. These carriers needed reliable partners for various services – especially technical ones. Continuous maintenance, without which safe and reliable air transport cannot exist, was essential.

Large airlines have their own maintenance teams at major airports. Smaller airports with lighter traffic, however, require flexible companies capable of serving several smaller carriers – from rapid technical checks to scheduled interventions in accordance with prescribed maintenance programmes. That is why, in Bratislava, a group of mechanics began to form around the idea of establishing a maintenance company focused on older Boeing 737 Classic aircraft as well as the newer 737 Next Generation models, which were increasingly present in Slovakia.

“The idea emerged spontaneously among people who had never done business before, had no economic or managerial education, but had a strong inner motivation to provide line maintenance in Slovakia and a vision to cooperate as effectively as possible with people who shared the same mindset,” explains Branislav Cifra about the company’s beginnings. He and a fellow aircraft mechanic stood behind the project. Their enthusiasm was so strong that, despite having secure positions at an airline that was then at its peak, they resigned. Especially as their former employer began facing financial difficulties, creating an opportunity to offer work to former colleagues. In 2008, Aeroengineers, s.r.o. was founded, employing fifteen mostly young, qualified professionals.

Although line maintenance does not require a hangar – much of the work can be performed outdoors on the apron – it still requires facilities, basic tooling, spare parts stock and operational infrastructure compliant with strict regulations. That required initial investment, which they had to secure.

They had no investor behind them and not even a preliminary agreement with a potential client. To operate commercially, they had to pass demanding international audits and so they applied. By the end of their first year, they obtained EASA PART-145 approval for maintenance of Boeing 737 jet aircraft from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Half a year later, they received approval for Airbus A320 aircraft as well. They then secured their first client, the Trenčín-based airline Seagle Air, which gradually expanded its fleet to include two A320-200s and four B737-300s for charter operations, primarily transporting Slovak holidaymakers to seaside destinations.

Lessons and a New Beginning

Despite a promising start, in autumn 2009 Seagle Air unexpectedly declared bankruptcy. Logically, Aeroengineers faced collapse as well. Bankruptcies of small airlines in post-communist Europe were not uncommon; owners often lacked sufficient capital and operational experience, accumulated debts, failed to pay invoices, taxes and social contributions, and frequently left employees unpaid.

Aeroengineers had to let all employees go – including friends – because there were no funds to pay them. The founders quickly realised their chances of survival were close to zero. Yet they did not give up. They searched for a new client and investor, determined to try again. At the turn of 2009 and 2010, however, their paths diverged. One of the owners left the business, but Branislav was not ready to quit. He had learned valuable lessons from the company’s collapse – among them, that in this industry, relying on a single client is too great a risk.

It is often said that success will eventually come, you simply need to be in the right place at the right time, with your eyes open. For them, that place was a shopping centre in Bratislava. Fifteen years ago, old friends Branislav Cifra and Róbert Piľa quite literally ran into each other there by chance. They sat down for coffee, reminisced, and arranged another meeting. A few days later, they agreed to try building a business together again.

And so, in 2010, they founded Aeroengineers International s.r.o. – today known as AEI^®.