The AEI success is not based on coincidences. It’s the people.

• 2026-10-11 09:04

Read our interview with Luboš Záborský (COO) and Matej Pecek (CTO).

You have both been with AEI for more than 10 years. What has your professional journey looked like from the day you joined the company to your current positions?

Matej: I joined AEI in November 2011 as a Station Manager. It was a combined role, and I was responsible for managing our station in Timișoara.

When that position was discontinued in the spring of 2012, Branislav offered me a position at the headquarters, where I became Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Later, I moved to the Quality Department while continuing to serve as CTO.

Around 2017, further organisational changes took place, and I moved fully into Quality, first as Deputy Quality Manager and later as Head of Quality. In 2023, I returned to the role of CTO. This year marks my 15th year with the company. There have certainly been many changes, but they all happened naturally and smoothly.

Luboš: I joined AEI at the end of August 2012 as a PPC Officer, working a 7-days-on, 7-days-off rotation. When PPC operations expanded to a 24/7 schedule, the Bratislava Operations department was established, and Matej and I both became part of it. Over time, my role evolved into Chief Operating Officer (COO). Besides overseeing operations, I also became involved in invoicing, customer communication, and contract negotiations.

Together with Matej, we are among the company's veterans. We've worked across most of AEI's stations – Bratislava, Chișinău, Yerevan, and Košice – and know how they operate from the ground up.

How would you describe the main role of the Maintenance Department within AEI's overall operations?

Matej: Maintenance is the cornerstone of our company. Without it, none of the other departments or services we provide could function. Branislav often jokes that 95% of all problems come from the Technical Department, simply because that's where everything important happens.

Luboš: And now, seriously! Our role is to ensure that our mechanics have everything they need to do their jobs – sufficient manpower, planning, contracts, and all the necessary support. My job is to connect all those pieces and coordinate them.

Which technological or process innovations in maintenance are you currently most interested in?

Matej: Anything that genuinely helps us move forward. When I joined the company, we relied on emails and Excel spreadsheets stored on Google Drive. Since then, we've introduced an intranet and several internal systems. I believe that every new technology should deliver real efficiency and save time.

Luboš: Personally, I'm very interested in using artificial intelligence to search maintenance documentation, so mechanics don't need to know the exact name of every document. Another major topic in our industry is tool control – tracking tools to ensure they are always returned to the right place after use.

Matej: We've also tested drones for aircraft damage inspections. It's an interesting idea, but it comes with many challenges. At AEI, we see ourselves more as implementers than developers, so we prefer adopting proven solutions and putting them into practice.

What has been the biggest challenge you've had to face?

Matej: It's difficult to choose just one because whatever challenge you're dealing with at the moment always feels like the biggest. The common denominator is making sure everything is planned well enough to satisfy both the customer and the team.

Luboš: For me, it was definitely operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, most of our operations were in Romania, while most of our personnel came from Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Travel restrictions were in place, but the aircraft still needed maintenance. Some colleagues had to remain at the station for three months without returning home. We also had to deal with extremely complex logistics for materials and tooling.

 

What have been the defining moments of your careers at AEI?

Matej: Definitely my first meeting with Branislav. It was open and honest, something quite unusual in the Slovak aviation industry. And, of course, every major challenge we have overcome has helped me grow professionally.

Luboš: From the very beginning, I appreciated that AEI had clear values – Passion, Discipline, and Working Together – and, more importantly, that the company genuinely lives by them.

 

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Matej: Seeing processes work better than they used to. Sometimes the improvements are small, but together they create significant progress.

Luboš: I enjoy seeing things come together, whether it's securing a valuable contract with a customer or welcoming a customer back after a period away.

 

What do AEI's values mean to you personally?

Matej: They make my professional life easier. I know what's expected of me, and I know my colleagues approach their work with the same mindset.

Luboš: Thanks to those values, we believe that every problem has a solution – we simply have to find it.

 

In your opinion, what is the secret to a successful team?

Luboš: Having the right people who share the same vision. If everyone is pursuing different goals, the team simply cannot function effectively.

 

If you had to describe what AEI means to you in one sentence or even one word, what would it be?

Matej: Bringing together people who share the same values to make aviation more effective.

Luboš: A strong team with a shared direction.