Professionally Managed Maintenance Now Available to Owners of High-Performance Singles and Twins

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, May 12, 2008. Mike Busch, well-known general aviation maintenance expert, announced today the formation of Savvy Aircraft Maintenance Management, Inc. (SAMM), a new company providing professionally managed maintenance for owner-flown aircraft ranging from high-performance single-enine airplanes to cabin-class twins and very light jets.

During the past four years, Busch has put more than 1,000 aircraft owners through his renowned "Savvy Owner Seminar" that teaches them how to get better aircraft maintenance and spend much less money doing it. Many owners who have taken this training report spectacular results in reduced maintenance bills and improved dispatch reliability.

However, the approach Busch teaches requires significant time, effort and involvement by the aircraft owner. "It became clear to me that many owners are simply too busy running their business or raising their family to manage their own maintenance properly, and would benefit from hiring a professional to manage it for them," Busch explained. "Professional maintenance management has long been the norm for corporate jets, but has never been available for owner-flown aircraft until now."

SAMM's professional management is designed to improve an aircraft owner's overall ownership experience by making the aircraft safer and more reliable, doing away with most maintenance-related hassles, and saving the owner substantially more money (through reduced parts and labor charges) than the management fee SAMM charges.

For a modest fixed annual subscription fee ranging from $500 to $1000 for most piston singles and twins, SAMM assigns an account manager to oversee the maintenance of the client's aircraft and act as the owner's maintenance advocate to ensure that the aircraft receives the best possible maintenance at the lowest possible cost. SAMM's account manager does not perform maintenance, but rather works with the owner to select the best maintenance facilities and technicians for each job, then provides specific direction to, interface with, and oversight of the selected maintenance providers.

SAMM's account management team is one of the most superbly qualified groups of GA maintenance professionals ever assembled. All are veteran A&P/IA mechanics with more than 20 years of experience. Many are FAA-designated airworthiness representatives (DARs) and two are FAA "National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year" award winners.

Gordon Feingold, who recently placed his 2003 Cirrus under SAMM management, explained his motivation for doing so: "I've owned my aircraft for five years, and the variability in the quality of business practices of maintenance facilities and personnel has been an ongoing source of frustration, not to mention expense. As CEO of a computer software company, I just don't have the time to effectively manage maintenance for my airplane. It gives me great peace of mind to know that SAMM's award-winning technical team is looking after my maintenance, and making sure that it is both thorough and cost- effective."

Each SAMM-managed aircraft is placed on a cutting-edge condition- monitoring program, including spectrographic oil analysis, borescope inspections, and regular analysis of downloaded digital engine monitor data. SAMM employs a reliability-centered maintenance philosophy (RCM) that emphasizes condition-directed maintenance and reduces reliance on scheduled maintenance and fixed TBOs.

"This RCM approach has been used for decades by the airlines and military aviation to achieve greater safety and reliability while greatly reducing maintenance expense and downtime," Busch said, "but for some reason it remains virtually unknown in the GA maintenance community. We intend to change that." Busch was recently honored by the FAA as National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year for 2008.