Maintenance on Call: Part 2

Maintenance shops have been kicking it into gear the last few years when it comes to AOG situations and emergent maintenance needs, creating dedicated response teams, specialized mobile maintenance vehicles and upping their response time and capabilities.

By utilizing mobile or rapid response teams, customers can reduce downtime, save money and benefit from convenience by not having to schedule a crew, fuel the plane, arrange for travel and add cycles to the aircraft just to move it to a facility.

AMT talked to a number of maintenance facilities. Earlier in 2021, we published Part 1, where we talked to Burlington Air Center, Dallas Airmotive, Duncan Aviation and StandardAero. Today, in Part 2, we catch up with Clay Lacy Aviation, West Star Aviation and Textron Aviation to find out what new services they are offering "on the road" and how far they reach.

Expanding Locales and Capabilities at Clay Lacy

Clay Lacy first established a mobile response team (MRT) in Van Nuys (VNY) in 2010, but over the past 10 years have added mobile response teams in Orange County (SNA), San Diego (CRQ), Seattle (BFI), added a second team in Van Nuys (VNY) and introduced its newest Mobile Response team in Oxford, CT (OXC).

Each mobile response team is comprised of two to four technicians, and can be scaled to the scope of the maintenance request. “Most are dedicated, but we do supplement our mobile teams with technicians from our FAA Repair Stations in Oxford, San Diego and Van Nuys,” mentioned Ed Mirzakhanian, vice president of maintenance. “Clay Lacy currently employs 84 maintenance technicians at our repair stations and are adding new team members on a monthly basis.”

Line maintenance and AOG support is available for all business jet models, notes Mirzakhanian. Clay Lacy is an Embraer Authorized Service Center and maintains tooling on most Gulfstream, Falcon and Bombardier models.

“Our AOG capabilities continue to expand, continually adding capabilities, especially at our repair stations in Connecticut and Los Angeles, along with better equipped MRT vehicles in Seattle, San Diego and Orange County. At our two large MRO locations in Connecticut and Los Angeles, we are able to support all makes and models of corporate aircraft with both scheduled and un-scheduled events. This can vary from a simple avionics cockpit discrepancy to a major avionics modification along with heavy scheduled airframe maintenance events.”

Clay Lacy MRT vehicles are being outfitted with more tooling and equipment to be able to function more efficiently and effectively when responding to an AOG event on the road. Additionally, Mirzakhanian says, the company is more focused than ever to ensure all of its MRT technicians have the necessary factory maintenance training and troubleshooting skills which will enable them to successfully support clients, getting them back in the air quickly.

The company’s mobile support services have been expanded to offer scheduled maintenance events to be conducted at the operator’s facility, which is especially attractive for smaller maintenance packages to minimize aircraft relocation costs.

Clay Lacy also has the ability to provide mobile maintenance service and mobile aircraft cleaning, disinfecting and detailing services, making coordination for the operator simple with just one call.

Make Just 1CALL with Textron

Textron Aviation has long been committed to providing its customers with support no matter their location. The company’s first mobile service unit (MSU) was introduced to New York in March of 2007.

Now, there are currently more than 60 technicians stationed at 27 locations, outside of the company’s regular service center locations. In addition, there are 30 dedicated Go-Team members who support its customers and dispatch from its network of global service centers. Textron Aviation’s mobile service unit can serve any of its Cessna, Beechcraft or Hawker turbine-powered aircraft.

Textron Aviation has a dedicated 1CALL facility to support customers if they have any AOG or unscheduled maintenance event. “1CALL will connect customers with our mobile service units (MSUs),” explained Brian Rohloff, senior vice president, customer support. “Every MSU is equipped to deliver factory-direct support in the field. That includes service for engines, tires, brakes and more.”

1CALL also provides support to LinxUs system subscribers. LinxUs is Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation aircraft monitoring system. For LinxUs Air subscribers, if an issue occurs in flight, LinxUs emails a customer’s maintenance team so they can begin planning a solution. 1CALL representatives also receive the LinxUs notification so they can efficiently coordinate with the service center for technical assistance and delivery of parts, if needed, for an expedited resolution.

Textron Aviation service technicians have access to transmitted LinxUs maintenance and fault data which in many cases allows them to identify the cause of the issue prior to dispatching. With this information, technicians can take the appropriate parts with them, reducing on-airplane troubleshooting and greatly improving speed to fix.

Technology is an important part of Textron's business whether it’s communicating with its customers or the way our mobile technicians communicate with its network of service centers and parts distribution warehouses. The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed the comapny to grow in how it leverages technology to stay connected across the globe.

“We provide our customers with support that is just ‘one call’ away,” mentioned Rohloff. “Our customers have a single point of contact who will prioritize deploying personnel and support, as well as dispatch parts to their location.”

Textron has nearly 70 mobile service units and Go Teams strategically placed around the world to serve nearly 20,000 turbine-powered aircraft customers. “In an AOG situation, this mobile service solution essentially allows us to bring the service center to our customers, simplifying their experience,” he said. “For customers, an AOG or unscheduled maintenance event can be unsettling. Using an MSU ensures they receive assistance as quickly as possible and can get flying again.”

For example, last year during the COVID-19 pandemic, a customer in Rome need to replace an engine after a bird strike. This was during the height of the crisis in Italy. The team arrived on site on May 25 at 8p.m. and began work on May 26 while remotely managing the arrival of the engine stand. The team also managed the difficulties of importing the rental engine in conjunction with the team at the Paris service center. Working all weekend of May 30 and 31 on the ramp and in the rain, the aircraft was returned into service on June 1, 2020.

There’s an App for That at West Star

“Early on, we had a small group that could/would go to a customer for immediate help, but not on a regular basis,” explained Sharon Klose, director of engine and MRT development. “After realizing that there was indeed an increase in demand for this type of service, it was apparent that we needed a more robust and responsive option for these customers.”

In 2014, West Star Aviation formally assembled a team of people that were strategically located throughout the country and empowered them to be able to respond by appointment or by AOG when a customer called. “Our AOG/MRT Teams are now able to respond to needs for virtually all business jet airframes flying today, with a full scope of capability,” Klose noted.

The team consists of 26 dedicated technicians that provide extensive expertise on all major bizjet airframes flying today. This is where the West Star team shines – they offer mobile response for every aircraft/platform; maintenance, avionics, engines and structural on aircrafts such as Bombardier, Embraer, Gulfstream, Falcon, Citation, LearJet and Hawkers.

The West Star Aviation AOG/MRT Team mentality has always been flexible to the needs of the customer. “Timing is everything,” Klose said. “And, if we can assist in a remote capacity, then we will do that. Our capabilities have evolved to include all basic and common AOG services and even solutions for major tasks that require heavy equipment when necessary. (jig for a tail etc.) Our teams are designed with certain members to have expertise in specific areas (avionics, power plant experts/borescope capabilities, structures, etc.)

When it comes to mobile response, Klose says the biggest limitations are where the facility that aircraft is located and potentially the availability of specialized equipment on short notice. But in general, there isn’t much West Star doesn’t offer as far as on the road service.

“From our perspective, the benefits of having a top-notch AOG/MRT team are far reaching,” explained Klose. “It gives us the opportunity to support new customers who have never had the chance to use West Star Aviation before. When we go above and beyond on the road and provide these customers with the service and solution they need, we have a much better chance of earning larger jobs. These are major events that would be handled at one of our four full-service facilities or through our network of satellite locations.”

From the customer perspective, it’s all about timing and convenience. Keeping the work at a customer’s hangar eliminates the need to move the aircraft. This means they are back in the air sooner.

"In the current environment where there are COVID concerns, our AOG/MRT team can follow up with customers in their hangars to perform warranty work in some cases. “This is very beneficial because it minimizes risk to both the customer and our team,” Klose mentioned.

As technology evolves – so does the MRT team. For West Star’s AOG/MRT, it has been about developing specific expertise and technical knowledge. This experience is particularly valuable in a mobile environment, since you are in different locations and facilities, sometimes with limited resources.

“We are continually adding more experts to our team to ensure a world-class response,” Klose said. “We pride ourselves on using available technologies for MRT applications. Staying proficient and being able to access OEM digital data files with iPads that are uploaded directly from aircraft that have an issue. West Star plans to continue to provide needed support to our customers and give OEM-level capabilities and service. When these standards are maintained and encouraged, growth will come to our AOG/MRT Teams.”

West Star has a MRT/AOG App for iphones and Androids. With the App you can simply touch your phone screen and it will dial the company’s 855 number immediately and you will be in touch with an expert who will get the resources you need where you need them.