Category: Issue Highlights

Cessna's New Head of Product Support

Kelly Reich has a new challenging position. Not only are his responsibilities diverse but so also is the fleet of aircraft for which his organization plays a major support role. BY DAVID JENSEN
Cessna Aircraft recently promoted Kelly Reich to vice president of product support in its Customer Service organization. In his new role, Reich is in charge of Cessna’s customer hotline, aircraft-specific product teams, worldwide field operations organization, maintenance engineering and technical information sales and distribution. It is a big – and complex – job, especially for an airframe manufacturer with a product line that ranges from small, propeller-driven aircraft to modern, mid- size corporate jets.

A 15-year veteran with Cessna, Reich would appear to be up for the task. He holds a master’s degree and a commercial pilot’s license with multiengine, instrument and flight-instructor ratings.
Reich took time from his busy schedule to talk to Aviation Maintenance. The interview began with an elaboration of Reich’s experience in aircraft product support.

AM: Tell us more about your background. Reich: My first position at Cessna was supervisor in charge of sales and marketing for our propeller spare-parts division. I was then sales manager in the same division, then director. I had interim stints working with McCauley Propeller Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cessna.

About four years ago, I transferred into the Citation world. As director, I was responsible for all sales and marketing for Citation spares and support, as well as for all our ProAdvantage programs: ProParts, PowerAdvantage+, TapAdvantage, ProTech, all those paid-by-the-hour programs. AM: What are the challenges of supporting such a broad range of aircraft models? Reich: When you look at the fact that we started producing the Cessna 120 in the 1940s and now have the Citation X model today, that speaks for itself in terms of diversity. So there are two aspects to the challenge: the length of time the products have been out there and the variety of models. Some challenges are regulatory. We’ve seen a lot of regulatory changes over 70 years. We’ve also seen a lot of changes with suppliers. People we worked with 20 or 30 years ago are no longer in business or not supporting aviation any more. So finding new suppliers to support those products can be a challenge, especially when you get into complex aspects.

However, the good part is that, internally, we have a great personnel base to work from. A fair number of our folks [in Product Support] come from either our production area or our experimental and advanced design area. They come over and help us support products after [the products] were introduced. Their experience is very helpful for supporting this diverse product line.  AM: I assume you still work quite a bit with vendors. Reich: Yes.

While with Cessna, I’ve spent a lot of time working with suppliers. And prior to working here, I was an OEM rep; I represented a lot of companies into the aircraft manufacturers. Today, I get very involved with suppliers, particularly if there is a systems issue. When working on a service bulletin, we’re looking for technical solutions and for that we need to get very involved with our suppliers. MORE ONLINE

Leveraging Lean

For an investment primarily of time, Lufthansa Technik (LHT) Group has achieved faster turnaround times (TATs), improved quality and dispatch reliability, and in the process saves “in the high two-digit millions of euros per year,” says Christian Langer, head of Lean activities for LHT Group. Man-hours are the single biggest cost driver, he says. LHT’s most notable success statistically has been with its component overhaul division. Composed of 40 workshops, the unit in 2007 had an average TAT of about 17 days to repair items such as flight control, hydraulic and avionics units. Determined to improve, the division planned a two-year Lieferung in Fu?nf Tagen (LIFT—Delivery in Five Days) project. The end result: five-day TAT and no layoffs, Langer says. The division now works on a strict first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis—with no priorities to interrupt the flow.

Customers with urgent needs are supplied via pools. Lufthansa Technik concentrates not only on the infrastructure side—moving materials and tooling—but also on the people side, a Lean fundamental. There are “daily performance dialogs” in every part of the company that does Lean. Shift leaders meet with their shifts at least five to 10 minutes daily to talk about “key figures” relating to what the group wanted to achieve during its shift vs. what it actually achieved. It isn’t always easy to get people into the Lean mindset. Langer tells how one shift leader asked him whether he had to do all the Lean exercises in addition to his regular work. Langer explained to him that “Lean is an essential part of your job.” The idea of the dialogs, besides communicating about problems, is to change the way people talk about performance and to generate ideas from the ground up. It’s also intended to foster teamwork and confidence. Shift leaders are initially very shy around top management, but at the end of a 12-week project they blossom at these meetings because they are proud of what they do, Langer says. Another challenge is “keeping spirits up” to drive Lean’s continuous improvement (CI) cycle. Shift leaders have weekly performance meetings with their section managers or department managers. These are viewed, not as tests, but as a way to get help. An issue with an outside supplier, for example, may need to be addressed at a higher management level. LHT heavy maintenance faces constant change because of its wide range of business. It may have an economy-class in-flight entertainment project followed by a first-class seat modification. It takes a couple of weeks to prepare a new Lean campaign, but this is scheduled in the period before the project starts. Last year LHT took in at least 80 new projects across its six divisions worldwide.

When a Lean project produces unsatisfying results, it’s often because the goal wasn’t appealing enough to motivate people, Langer says. At one time LFT Philippines had a percentage- based goal for on-time A-checks. When Langer visited the facility three months later to see how the project was going, they had come up with a more appealing goal—the number of consecutive A-checks completed on time. The facility was at 48 in a row—a big number—and if they reached 50 in a row, there would be free pizzas. If they got to 100, there would be an even bigger prize. “You don’t want to be the one who screws up the A-check the next morning because that’s a big deal,” Langer says. Goals work best when they have an emotional element. Langer recalls a line maintenance unit’s goal for reducing technical delays. They were already at a very high on-time percentage but wanted to go even higher. A mechanic told Langer about being called one day by the captain of a long- haul flight to fix a technical problem. An elderly lady on board recognized the mechanic as a technician because of his uniform. She asked whether he could fix the problem and he said he didn’t know yet. Then she told him she would miss her daughter’s wedding if the plane couldn’t take off. That information was a real motivator. The mechanic said he had never worked that hard before. He felt that if he didn’t fix the airplane the old lady risked missing a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “We are always looking for figures that are in any way emotional for people,” Langer says. It’s important for technicians to understand that “it’s not just an airplane.” It’s a cabin full of people, at least one of whom has a special goal. The MRO is just starting to apply the methodology to administration, Langer says. One of the challenges for administrators is how to identify their products. Another is how to measure the value created for the company. Preliminary results aren’t in yet, but he is confident of success. MORE ONLINE

Greenpoint and ATS Team Up on BBJs

Greenpoint Technologies and Aviation Technical Services (ATS) signed installation agreements for two Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) Greenpoint aircraft completions. Installations will be performed at the ATS facility in Paine Field, Everett, Wash., located adjacent to Boeing’s 777 and 747-8 production lines. “Our next induction will be Greenpoint’s 18th BBJ completion. Partnering with ATS is an ideal scenario for these BBJs programs,” says Scott Goodey Greenpoint president. MORE ONLINE

More Than 100 Gulfstream Aircraft Enrolled in FORMS Program

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced today that more than 100 aircraft are now enrolled in the company’s Flight Operations Risk Management Service (FORMS), the largest base of business aircraft participating in any Flight Operations Quality Assurance/Flight Data Monitoring (FOQA/FDM) program. “We’ve reached a critical mass of aircraft to provide valuable data to those flight departments interested in using FOQA procedures to reduce risk in their flight operations,” said Randy Gaston, vice president, Flight Operations, Gulfstream. “Many airlines use FOQA technology to improve consistency and safety in operations, and Gulfstream is at the forefront of bringing this discipline to business aviation.” FORMS collects data from a Quick Access Recorder (QAR), processes defined parameters for takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, approach and landing, and identifies when certain criteria have been exceeded. When this occurs, the system identifies and analyzes the conditions present and provides a summary to the operator. Gulfstream also receives consolidated fleet data, which is used to enhance pilot training. FORMS increases operational safety by objectively and accurately measuring exposure to known risks, such as unstable approaches, system operating limits and adverse runway condition. Operators enrolled in the program receive quarterly reports on performance and the potential for risks. Every operator in the Gulfstream fleet has access to the annual fleet report, which consolidates all the results from FORMS-enrolled aircraft.

The consolidated data contains no operator-specific information such as an aircraft tail or serial number. This data can be used to target relevant areas for recurrent training, even for operators not enrolled in the FORMS program. “We have had several operators come to us with their quarterly FORMS reports asking for help in tailoring their pilots’ training to focus on specific needs,” said David Davenport, center manager, FlightSafety International, Savannah. “Having worked with Gulfstream since the inception of the program, we were prepared for these specific types of requests. Not only does the FORMS program provide a means to reduce risk in flight operations, it can also improve focus during training, even for experienced pilots.” “The data and feedback from operators using the service indicate a quick improvement in their operations and significant reductions in the quantity of unstable approaches,” Gaston said. MORE ONLINE

Gulfstream Celebrates 300TH Master Technician

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. says that more than 300 of its employees have earned the FlightSafety International Master Technician designation, the most of any original equipment manufacturer worldwide. Gulfstream reached the milestone of 301 Master Technicians after four technicians at Gulfstream’s West Palm Beach, Fla., facility completed the 30-hour GIV Operational Maintenance Procedures course at FlightSafety’s West Palm Beach Learning Center. Earning certificates were Carlos Gutierrez, Chris Lianzo, Andrew Lopez and Todd Guinn. “Our Master Technician-certified employees, representing every one of our service center locations, have earned this mark of excellence in their field, and we are very proud of them all,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “…we are committed to enhancing our workforce with continuous training.” According to FlightSafety statistics, 66 percent of the more than 1,240 technicians from around the world who have earned Master Technician status have earned it for Gulfstream aircraft. Earning the designation requires successful completion of five advanced maintenance courses for a specific aircraft. The complete program is available for all Gulfstream models. Class work begins with a four-week Maintenance Initial course and continues with a one-week Maintenance Update course on that aircraft. The remaining courses are Engine Run and Taxi, Advanced Troubleshooting and Operational Maintenance Procedures. The Operational Maintenance Procedures class includes situations that challenge a technician to quickly return the aircraft to service. It is usually combined with the Advanced Troubleshooting class. A technician must score 90 percent or above on each written and hands-on exam to advance in the program. To be eligible for Master Technician status, an employee must successfully complete one class every two years. Technician training on Gulfstream aircraft is available at FlightSafety facilities in Savannah; Dallas; Long Beach, Calif.; and Wilmington, Del.

Dassault Falcon Adds New ASC in Austria

Dassault Falcon has further expanded its Authorized Service Center (ASC) network with the appointment of Jetalliance Technical Services in Vienna, Austria, as a Line Service Center for Falcon 2000 classic aircraft. This brings Dassault’s ASC Network to a worldwide total of 28 facilities after the agreement signed yesterday with Air Works India and Jet Aviation Hong Kong. “Vienna is also one of the ten most active airports in terms of Falcon traffic in Europe. Several Falcons are also operated in Austria,” says Jacques Chauvet, senior vice president of Worldwide Customer Service at Dassault Falcon. Jetalliance Technical Services is a Part 145 EASA-approved Repair Station that has been actively managing Falcon aircraft since 2006. They will be able to perform all scheduled and unscheduled line AOG support. The 50,000 square foot facility is staffed with 23 certified in Falcon-specific tooling and spare parts. MORE ONLINE

Ultramain Nabs Software Agreement with Boeing

Ultramain Systems (USI) and Boeing have signed a Software Development License Agreement that will allow USI to build, test, and deploy software targeted for the Boeing EFB platform. This includes all ULTRAMAIN Onboard Systems airborne software, including efbTechLogs and eReporting. efbTechLogs was the first-ever connected electronic technical log to receive approval by an aviation regulatory authority for use by a commercial airline to entirely replace the aircraft paper technical log. The software was first implemented in 2008 onboard a fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs and has been in operation ever since. This new agreement between Ultramain Systems and Boeing creates a relationship between the two companies that removes the need for mutual customer involvement. “This agreement not only increases direct communication and joint cooperation between Boeing and USI,” said Mark McCausland, USI President, “but imposes integrated testing requirements, and allows USI direct access to Boeing’s testing facilities. The end goal is improved experience in the deployment and use of Ultramain Onboard Systems products for our common customers.” efbTechLogs operates on Class 1, 2, or 3 Electronic Flight Bag Systems (EFB). The software communicates with ULTRAMAIN efbGroundSystem, which outputs ATA Spec 2000 Chapter 17-compliant data for out-of-box integration with an airline’s existing M&E systems. MORE ONLINE

Jet Aviation to provide aviation services from Al Bateen Executive Airport

The Jet Aviation Group and Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) recently signed a lease agreement whereby Jet Aviation will start to provide aviation services from Al Bateen Executive Airport later this year The agreement with ADAC includes the lease of offices at the exclusive business aviation airport, where Jet Aviation will be Al Bateen Executive’s first independent MRO provider. Jet Aviation’s service offering will include line maintenance through a newly established Jet Aviation Abu Dhabi branch office and staffing services through Jet Professionals, a subsidiary of the Jet Aviation Group. Services will be made available as soon as necessary trade licenses are obtained from the authorities. “We have great respect for Jet Aviation,” says Stephen Jones, General Manager Al Bateen Executive Airport. “They have earned an excellent reputation for quality and business aviation expertise over four decades, and we are very happy to have such a globally recognized brand at Al Bateen Executive Airport.” The newly formed Jet Aviation Abu Dhabi will be an affiliate of Jet Aviation Dubai for the purpose of providing line maintenance services to local, regional and international business aircraft owners and operators flying into Al Bateen Executive Airport. “We have often provided aircraft-on-ground (AOG) services to all types of aircraft at Al Bateen for the past few years and it makes perfect sense for us to expand our service delivery to Abu Dhabi to better serve our customer base in the region,” explains Michael Ru?cker, senior vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation Dubai. MORE ONLINE

Boeing Spare Parts Program to Help Skymark Airlines Reduce Costs

Boeing has announced Skymark Airlines as the newest airline to join the Boeing 737 Component Services Program (CSP). Boeing says the program will help to reduce costs, as well as help Skymark enhance efficiency and improve spare parts availability, potentially saving 30 percent on inventory, repair and administrative costs. The materials management and supply-chain solution is a joint operation of Boeing Commercial Aviation Services and Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance. Under the new agreement, Boeing and AFI KLM E&M will manage spare parts and components inventory for the Tokyo- based airline, assuring timely delivery, and Skymark will be able to avoid warehousing and long-term inventory holding costs. “Keeping costs low is paramount to a low-cost carrier and Skymark Airlines is taking a significant step in controlling their materials costs by joining the 737 Component Services Program,” said Dale Wilkinson, vice president of Material Services for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. The program features a customized recommended spare parts list based on customer data. The list includes dispatch- critical parts and both avionics and non-avionics line replaceable units in recommended quantities to support each airline’s dispatch reliability requirements. MORE ONLINE

The ATR 72-600 Receives EASA Certification

The turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR announced that the ATR 72-600, the newest member of its aircraft family, has obtained certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). A prerequisite for the aircraft’s entry into service, this certification covers the new equipment on the aircraft and is the successful conclusion to a series of ground and flight tests conducted on the ATR 72-600 prototype. Flight testing on the aircraft began in the summer of 2009. MORE ONLINE