Savannah, GA., -- Gulfstream Aerospace recently completed its 1,000th Airborne Product Support flight since the business-jet manufacturer first introduced its on-demand maintenance service in May 2002. Of the 1,000 flights, 78 have been flights to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.
"We were the first business-jet manufacturer to offer this value-added customer service and are still the only one to dedicate a plane solely for this purpose," said Larry Flynn, president, Product Support, Gulfstream. "In addition to maintaining our already high customer satisfaction level, it has proven to be a compelling selling factor for new aircraft. Gulfstream operators know they can count on us when they need our help the most."
Despite dispatch reliability rates in excess of 99.5 percent among Gulfstream's large-cabin business jet fleet, incidents such as a blown tire or a cracked windshield can ground a plane. An Airborne Product Support assistance flight can save two days or more of waiting for a replacement windshield or tire.
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, Gulfstream's Airborne Product Support uses a dedicated G100 aircraft to transport technicians and/or flight-essential parts to aircraft under warranty at airports within North America, Central America and the Caribbean. In cases where an operator's aircraft is located outside the G100’s range of service, Gulfstream will fly the needed parts and technicians to a major hub where they can connect to commercial airline flights to reach the customer's aircraft.
Airborne Product Support employs eight dedicated pilots and a full-time manager who oversees the operation. When Flynn created Airborne Product Support, he insisted the service manager on duty at Gulfstream's headquarters in Savannah, GA, had the authority to dispatch the G100 without seeking approval from senior management. "It's very important for our customers to know that no one is deciding whether or not to send the G100 based on the operational costs for this service," Flynn added. "Every time we have the opportunity to dispatch the G100, we're glad to do so because we know we've made all the difference to that operator."
Airborne Product Support is managed under Gulfstream Product Support, which consistently ranks at the top of product support surveys in aviation trade magazines.
