Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is among eight university teams selected as finalists in NASA's 2026 Gateways to Blue Skies competition, a research and innovation program designed to tackle some of the most persistent operational challenges in aircraft maintenance and MRO. The competition, now in its latest cycle, targets solutions that could begin reshaping maintenance operations within the next decade. The eight finalist concepts span a range of technologies, with several teams presenting systems that move beyond theory into demonstrable prototypes. Concepts include robotics and artificial intelligence applied to inspection workflows, augmented reality overlays for technician guidance during complex maintenance tasks, and digital diagnostics tools designed to reduce the time technicians spend identifying fault sources during unscheduled maintenance events. The competition culminates at the 2026 Gateways to Blue Skies Forum on May 18 at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where student teams will present their systems to panels of industry and government evaluators. Embry-Riddle, based in Daytona Beach, Florida, has deep integration with the commercial and military MRO workforce pipeline -- the university reports 100 percent placement rates for its aviation maintenance graduates, with starting roles in positions such as Director of Maintenance and MRO Manager. University programs developing new MRO technologies increasingly need to communicate their research findings to industry partners, airline customers, and government stakeholders. Structured aviation maintenance video production helps research institutions and MRO organizations translate technical findings into formats that procurement, operations, and compliance audiences can act on. Sources: AerospaceGlobalNews.com -- NASA Backs Student Ideas to Fix Aircraft MRO; ERAU News -- Embry-Riddle Becomes First Part 147 School to Implement dentCHECK (aviationweek.com, news.erau.edu)