The effects of digital transformation on the civil aviation sector in Turkey and aviation 4.0 applications

Digital transformation is defined as the movement towards digitalization that occurs in all aspects of our lives as a result of Industry 4.0. Industrial revolutions bring about profound changes in business practices, social life, and daily living. The term Industry 4.0, which emerged at the Hannover Fair in 2011, has experienced rapid and significant development over the years, leading to its current form. Some experts also refer to this industrial revolution as the "digital age" or "digital transformation" Its most important feature is integrating easily accessible digital products into every aspect of life. Understanding, monitoring, and incorporating digital transformation into processes are crucial in today's world, where everything is managed through digital channels. Industries such as healthcare, automotive, finance, and aviation closely follow digital transformation and have largely changed their ways of doing business accordingly. The aviation sector, which is characterized by high safety and security measures, high costs, and low profit margins, benefits considerably from digital transformation applications. These developments significantly facilitate operations within the industry. Digital transformation encompasses fundamental components such as big data technologies, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and simulation technologies. Almost all of these components play a role in the sector's transformation. Thanks to big data technologies, data that could not be analyzed with traditional methods can now be collected and analyzed easily, thereby shortening decisionmaking processes. Artificial intelligence enables the development of applications that analyze and record aircraft conditions and needs in real-time, facilitating both scheduled maintenance and unexpected repairs. These solutions help identify potential issues before they result in costly disruptions. Simulation technology, used in flight training simulators, aids pilot candidates' training, reducing high costs associated with actual flight hours. It also allows pilots to gain experience in predetermined scenarios, preparing them for various conditions they may encounter throughout their careers. The aviation sector has effectively managed and benefited from digital transformation, adding significant value through innovative applications. The stance of countries (particularly regarding airport construction and management) as well as airline companies and related stakeholders, is also crucial in this process. This study investigates the impacts of digital transformation on civil aviation and examines the changes and developments in civil aviation activities in Türkiye in response to these effects. The research employs observation, literature review, data collection and analysis, data interpretation, inference, and comparative analysis methods. It explores the pioneering companies and countries' civil aviation applications developed during the digital transformation process and investigates the structure and operation of leading airports in Türkiye. As a result of the study, it has been determined that Türkiye is prominent in civil aviation, highlighted by its advanced airports and the high-quality services provided by flag carrier Turkish Airlines (THY). The development of Türkiye's civil aviation history and its current status demonstrate the sector's close follow-up of global trends. Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, and other Türkiye-based airlines closely monitor worldwide digital transformation developments and continuously enhance their own applications. Furthermore, Türkiye has integrated the digital transformation applications within civil aviation into its airports and continues to improve these facilities through research and development initiatives. Keywords: Industrial Revolutions, Industry 4.0, Digital Transformation, Civil Aviation, Türkiye