5 MRO MAINTENANCE.qxp_Finance 21/06/2022 15:04 Page 1
MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS
Hourly Maintenance Programs: Getting Value for Money Do today’s aircraft maintenance programs offer owners and operators flexibility to get optimal value for money without significant exposure to expensive maintenance risks? Gerrard Cowan asks the experts and highlights some of the ‘gotchas’.
H
ourly maintenance programs offer business jet and turboprop operators a high degree of security, with the knowledge that their engines, avionics, airframe, APUs, and/or parts will receive the maintenance they need. But in a challenging economic climate, how can operators ensure they get the best value for money, while still guaranteeing the coverage they need? According to Francisco Zozaya, Jet Support Services Inc’s (JSSI’s) Chief Revenue Officer, the Hourly Cost Maintenance Programs (HCMPs) offered by JSSI are “a bespoke service for our 28 Vol 26 Issue 7 2022 AVBUYER MAGAZINE
customers”, with different coverage options, depending on their requirements and level of risk tolerance. It includes a “tip-to-tail” program for the entire aircraft, along with engine-only, or partsonly coverage. With concerns on the horizon for operators, notably supply chain shortages which are unlikely to end any time soon, Zozaya believes “in the coming years there will be more demand for HCMPs, since having a maintenance program in place means better access to scarce parts and engines, and additional peace of mind.” JSSI provides coverage for a range of aircraft equipment and
components, from engines, to avionics, to APUs – and the nature of the coverage is strongly affected by the system in question. “It will also depend on an operator’s use of the business jet because scheduled maintenance is determined by either calendar date or usage,” Zozava adds. “An operator with a more intense schedule and higher hourly and cycle usage is going to need inspections sooner. “They may see higher maintenance costs within a smaller time, compared to a low usage user – especially when their maintenance is hourly, and cycledriven.” Moreover, operators of older www.AVBUYER.com
