If you’re a Dash 8 operator, aircraft MRO, or lessor, this post is for you.
This is your go-to resource for the current major Dash 8 components we have available now or in the near term.
Bookmark this page as it’ll be updated often.
Do you have surplus aircraft part inventory?
This unnecessary buildup occurs when you order inventory in preparation for near term consumption.
When that consumption never occurs. Voila! Surplus inventory builds up.
Here’s the impact that this causes to your operation.
It’s not the price you pay, how business savvy you are, or how excellent your negotiation skills are. This is the MOST IMPORTANT skill you need when purchasing aircraft parts.
Your surplus aircraft material was sitting. Rotting. Wasting away on your shelves.
Slowly eating away at your operational results. Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.
Cash was being sucked down the surplus drain. And the only thing you could do was…
Price. How important is it to you? How often do you try and get the lowest price? I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, “It’s incredibly important.” and “Every chance I get.” And that’s fair. It’s also common to ask how much something costs. Or to reduce the cost of something. We often use price and cost interchangeably. That’s a mistake.
You clench your fists. You squeeze your lips, and you...
POP!
Why is it on every aircraft maintenance check project you’re involved with, there’s always an issue?
Always the last minute rush.
It happens to every airline. Every aircraft maintenance facility. Unforeseen issues and problems.
Just between you and me, it happens here at Skylink as well.
It's a key reason we’ve built in “be willing to accept and solve problems” as one of our living core values.
I’ve been fortunate to be a part of hundreds, if not thousands of maintenance check projects.
Over the years, I’ve noticed a trend. During the maintenance project, there’s always panicked emails and phone calls. Half of the calls are for material that should have been pre-planned.
It’s guaranteed. It’ll happen. Maybe even today.
Maintenance teams wait too long to purchase the material they need. So when they do purchase, they’re in a frantic rush.
You put a ton of effort in shortening your repair turn around times. You, just like me, are crazy.
Everything you do pushes the MRO for an early completion. You yell, scream, beg and maybe even threaten.
When you have this approach is your effort in the right place? Is your time and money being allocated to the right cause?
Yes and no, but before you start throwing CMM books at my head trust me, I get it. Repair TAT is important.
It's crucial yet I urge you to not focus all your attention here.
[Tweet "Focusing all your attention on repair TAT is crazy. #avgeek"]
We recently received thrust reversers. We began inspecting them and soon realized that these beauties had more modifications done to them than a Los Angeles actor.
They were fitted onto a modified aircraft. They're literally the only thrust reverse's of their kind on the planet.
When we were preparing for this project, they took 12 days to get to us off of an aircraft undergoing a routine c-check. We 
scheduled our truck to pick the units up but we got a call that the thrust reversers we’re improperly crated and they had to bump the pick-up. It took 2 additional days to get them into transit.
Once they got to our facility they were inspected and the nozzle was beyond physical repair. We could save these units but the price of repair would become double the standard repair rate. Remember, these are the only two of their kind.
A lot of work will have to be done to bring these two units back to airworthy condition. After the initial quote it took 14 days for approval…and yes while the c-check was still in progress. No loaners, no exchanges, no replacements, we had to repair these units.
We still had 21-30 days after approval to get these units done and when they were approved, it was advised that we get these done fast. Yet, it took 28 days to get the thrust reversers to approve the quote.
And that leads me to my next observations…
From this story you can see where some of the problem occurs. Now, the fault isn't pointed at anybody. Some decisions are hard to make and yes, sometimes it takes multiple approvals to get things done. I get that.
In this situation there's nothing the MRO could do to rush as a large chunk of time was spent in processing and outbound logistics activities.
By focusing some of your time and effort on internal processes you can cut your aircraft component repair time dramatically. In the story I shared, half the time could have been saved.
Start to focus more attention on areas that create the longest drag, meaning where does the component do most of it’s sitting and waiting.
Here are some areas to start on:
There's plenty of areas to focus on but start with one. It'll be less stressful and less bureaucratic to make small changes over time.
Reducing your internal process will help reduce your component TAT and you’ll see a dramatic improvement in your overall rotable cycle times.
It's often a fight, you versus your aircraft maintenance c-check.
The doors close behind you and it's an all out battle. You're up against a deadline and it's all or nothing.
Either you're on time or you're not. If you fail, money is lost, the pressure thickens, and your bosses get angry.
It’s a time of intense pressure.
When it comes time for your c-check you begin preparing to be stressed. You prep for your 23 hour days.
You visualize how you would like it structured, but until your aircraft is in the hangar it’s a guessing game.
But it’s not all lost, having a plan is a perfect starting point.
Here at Skylink we have a battle plan for certain activities.
If it’s a maintenance project we organize the logistics in our project management software and prepare for contingencies.
Your battle plan is specific to your operation, but there's a general truth of how it should be organized.
It should be structured around your primary goal.
Are you looking to significantly reduce costs, or reduce aircraft down time?
It’s a question you should think about. If you have one, usually the other will suffer.
Once you have your primary goal in place, you set your foundation.
You never go into battle alone and the same is true for your aircraft c-check.
Think about who you want to take to battle. Who do you trust? Who communicates well with you? Who has a positive track record?
You probably already have your aircraft MRO chosen, but you’ll also need a logistics company, rotable and consumable support, and possibly a component MRO.
It can get messy fast so having your partners in place will alleviate a lot of pressure during your maintenance check.
A word of caution, don’t just have your own plan, share it with your partners. Let them get ready to support you. Tell them your goals and what your looking to get out of the project.
Open lines of communication is critical.
The moral of the c-check story is to not go into battle ill prepared.
Have a plan and have partners to help support your plan. It’s a simple as that.
P.S. Our c-check program is designed for complete rotable and consumable support. One shipment and all supporting spares will arrive to your MRO when and as needed. P.P.S. Click here and tell us about your upcoming c-check and we’ll tell you how we can support you for maximum efficiency.
Your aircraft C check is a big project. To most it may seem planned and straightforward but you and I know that's far different from reality.
It's not just a scheduled maintenance check. It's a group of planned undertakings that involve multiple parties, departments and partners depending on what strategy you've adopted.
While your aircraft undergoes it's C check there are many things running through your mind and just as many decisions to be made.
Who's responsible for the project? Are certain activities outsourced or is everything being accomplished internally? What about component support? Do you let the MRO supply components at inflated prices or do you supply your own? Are there contingency plans in place?
Most of these questions should be answered prior to the aircraft arriving at the maintenance hangar but it's always good to review and see what areas are causing problems.
Nothing ever goes to plan. Here are few tips to avoid aircraft C check problems:
Set roles and boundaries: By setting roles and boundaries, internally or externally, accountability can be achieved. This doesn't mean job descriptions, this means a collaborative effort for specific projects. Dedicate one person as the team lead.
Minimize decision making: Delegate all tasks that aren't a part of your core function and eliminate wasteful time spent on decision making to someone else.
Use a project management system: By using a project management system you can collaborate internally and with your partners in one easy interface. You'll be able to see what's getting done, where you're behind and who's taking on what role all in one place. This is also a great way to collaborate with your MROs and support partners.
Create a work flow diagram: By creating a work flow diagram you'll see what's supposed to be done at every stage of the aircraft C check process. Nothing will be overlooked.
Utilize a component support partner: By utilizing a component support partner you'll avoid the costly inflation and labor costs MROs put on components. Your component support partner will take this specific role off your MRO, or you, and streamline the process.
Stream line logistics: A lot of money is spent shipping components from many different vendors from around the world. If you choose to use an aircraft C check component support partner, everything will be consolidated from one facility.
Maintain cost integrity: Don't let component parts inflate beyond a reasonable point, otherwise you're spending more money than necessary. Your component support partner will be able to manage this for you.
Establish trust: When dealing with anybody, make sure trust is established. The more you have trust in someone, the more you can delegate to them.
Your aircraft C check can be a stressful endeavor. Once you streamline processes, outsource specific tasks to trusted partners and avoid inflated mark-ups the less stressed you'll be.
With support you can achieve a reasonable amount of sanity.
