Aircraft Parts: Why you Should Keep a Pool of Spares

Corporate flight departments rely on high dispatch availability to deliver seamless transportation and a high level of safety to our passengers. That will require a high level of organization, including keeping a pool of spare aircraft parts. Here’s why…

Before our flight crews get the opportunity to provide exceptional transportation service to our principals, however, the mechanics must ensure the airworthiness and reliability of the aircraft. And since technicians are the backbone of airworthiness, I take great care in investing in their training and development within my flight department.

Like the pilot shortage afflicting our industry, it is also difficult to attract and retain mechanics with the experience and work ethic fitting what we do in private aviation. Unlike the airlines where a single maintenance facility may have dozens of mechanics with specialized skills, Business Aviation mechanics must be multi-faceted to support the ongoing airworthiness of an aircraft.

A private aviation mechanic must not only perform the physical aspects of maintenance, but the legal requirements of paperwork upkeep, regulatory mandates and understanding new certification directives and industry trends.

With that in mind, it’s important for flight departments to create opportunities for internships and hands-on apprenticeships that will pair experienced people with newly minted professionals. After all, there is nothing more valuable than learning from someone with years of experience.

Within my flight department, we practice trust, believing that if we select, hire and train the right person, they’ll be capable of managing their schedules and work hours and still maintain a healthy work-life balance without the need for micromanagement.

But there are other core elements that enable our mechanics to succeed. For example, a successful maintenance program requires proactive management, helping ensure our team members have access to everything they need to perform their jobs efficiently.

The Challenge of Aircraft Parts Procurement

This includes maintaining a stable supply of high-quality aircraft parts critical to maintaining the level of reliability and safety that our passengers expect from their aircraft.

In the current environment of supply chain shortages, locating spares to keep a well-stocked pool of parts can be as challenging as finding and retaining a qualified aircraft mechanic – and the situation is taking a long time to right itself.

As an example, on a recent contract flight I discovered that the aircraft’s head-up display (HUD) was stuck in the down position, unable to be stowed away. Unfortunately, the HUD manufacturer had a one year waiting list just to be able to accept shipment for repair and overhaul, and replacements had an even longer wait time for delivery.

Fortunately, the aircraft operator secured a waiver from the FAA to maintain airworthiness, because neither the Minimum Equipment List nor any other procedure would have provided long-term operational relief.

With the many challenges to secure spare parts these days, I now rely on a procurement service to help source parts on the market when we’re unable to locate and obtain what we need, when we need them.

The extra expenditure is worthwhile. Missing a trip would cost a hefty sum in charter flights and possible lost business opportunities for our principles who invest in the service our flight department provides. Therefore, stocking expensive, but hard to obtain parts for future use looks like the right thing to do.

We’ve also had to learn to be less picky about the parts we accept. Whereas we would previously scour the market for the best part, today we’re forced to be much more flexible in our standards.

If you are new to aircraft management, ask for guidance from experienced operators and part suppliers in how to build the right inventory of spare parts and consumables. The investment may appear significant initially, but the assurance that you have the right tooling, shop equipment and components available could yield high returns when you really need them.

The Basics of a Good Pool of In-House Supplies

After canvassing maintenance departments, I learned that if you are not already stocking tires, lubricants, grease, fittings, and other miscellaneous supplies needed for the completion of regular maintenance tasks, you risk being yet another person joining the long cue for undeliverable supplies.

Keep in mind that some consumables may have a short shelf-life requiring rotating and re-stocking. That could require you to accept some waste as the cost of business.

Without a thick rolodex of industry-wide contacts and a network of suppliers, you may not get a return call when the going gets tough.

At a time when aircraft replacement parts are hard to obtain, it’s even more crucial that your reputation is established as someone who makes prompt invoice payments, returns your cores in a timely fashion, and – above all – is respectful, demonstrating goodwill in all transactions.