With aviation, there is no tolerance for maintenance errors. Unlike motor vehicles, aircraft cannot simply pull over if a part is malfunctioning. Fortunately, there is a way to protect against this event in the first place – professional private jet maintenance.
By following a rigorous and continued maintenance schedule, private aircraft can always be kept in near perfect working condition. Today, we will discuss the importance of private jet maintenance and ways in which a good private jet management company can help.
Why is Private Jet Maintenance So Important?
There are numerous reasons why it is in an owner’s or operator’s interest to ensure that their aircraft are properly maintained at all times.
Here are the main considerations when discussing private jet maintenance:
Safety
Safety is the underpinning factor that should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind when discussing private jet maintenance. Considering how far, how high, and how fast private jets travel, there is no margin for error, and the aircraft must be in absolutely perfect working order.
The safety of the crew and customers and clients depends on it.
At Sun Air Jets, safety is our overriding principle in all that we do. We have a genuine commitment to flight safety. With a just safety policy and a risk-averse culture, we have been registered as level 3 from the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, the highest level attainable.
Legal Compliance
While safety is always the dominant concern, there is legislation in place that must be rigidly adhered to to ensure full compliance. This may be based on several factors, including the following:
- Hours flown
- Aircraft age
- Repair intervals for faulty equipment.
In tandem with this are recommendations and procedures mandated from aircraft manufacturers to ensure that aircraft are kept airworthy at all times. They will specify when specific parts must be replaced and essential equipment that must be fitted to ensure compliance.
Reliability
Regardless of whether you seek to utilize the aircraft yourself or employ it as a charter aircraft when not in use, the reliability of the aircraft is of tantamount importance.
Not only will you be relying on it, but in the case of a charter, so will your chosen aircraft management service. So, it is in both your and their interest to protect your investment.
Understanding Types of Private Jet Maintenance
Line Maintenance
This is the name given to the most regular type of maintenance. You may also hear it referred to as routine maintenance.
As a general rule, this type of maintenance is performed as part of the aircraft’s usual ‘line flying’. Namely daily service checks, pre-flight maintenance procedures, and overnight inspections.
These items cover the general basics needed to ensure the aircraft runs perfectly day-to-day. It can include things like: –
- Topping up the engine oil
- General condition checks
- Checking brake discs
- Adding hydraulic fluid
- Ensuring the tires are correctly inflated
- Examining the windshield
And much more…
Any good aircraft management company should offer this as part of a maintenance package.
Unscheduled Maintenance
Even with the best of intentions, occasionally, things don’t go according to plan. Ad-hoc maintenance is repairing or replacing things that become unserviceable outside of regular maintenance checks.
The parts shouldn’t fail entirely to be branded ‘unserviceable’.
Part of good quality maintenance is prevention as much as a cure. A well-trained and qualified mechanic will be able to identify substandard parts before they fail and have the skills to act accordingly.
Sun Air Jets is an FAA-approved Part 145 repair station with factory-trained technicians, an excellent eye for detail, and the skills to repair and remedy aircraft faults on every aircraft in our fleet.
Routine Maintenance
Even if the aircraft is in perfect working order, routine maintenance checks are carried out at specified intervals to ensure that faults are identified and fixed early. They are as follows: –
A Checks
A checks are performed according to the number of hours an aircraft has flown and the manufacturers’ guidance. As a general rule, they take place once every 500 hours.
The A check is a general ‘overall’ inspection and checks the overall condition of ‘big’ parts, such as the condition of the hull, interior, and engines.
B Checks
B checks are slightly more involved and can take up to 3 days to complete. This is often referred to as a ‘hangar check’ due to the aircraft being covered while the check is performed. So a provider with a hangar is a huge plus. This is normally a six-monthly check.
Maintenance technicians require extra time to complete this check. It often requires more internal-specific aircraft components such as hydraulic lines and control cables to be checked.
C Checks
This heavy maintenance check can take over a week to perform on larger aircraft. This is generally performed every two years or at a specific hourly interval defined by the aircraft manufacturer.
This involves a detailed analysis of nearly all the aircraft’s major (and sometimes minor) components.
Due to the extensive time this check takes, it really pays to ensure that you look for a quality maintenance provider who will minimize aircraft downtime.
The importance of private jet maintenance can not be understated. Above all, the overriding concept should be flight safety.
Provided this is assured, it can become a balancing act between expeditiousness and value for money. Often the two are intertwined.
Sun Air Jets can offer expert maintenance services and private jet management for many different private aircraft types. We are the perfect choice with an experienced team of trained technicians and a deep understanding of owner and charterer requirements. Sun air jets is also Part 145 approved, meaning that our technicians perform their task with Federal Aviation Administration approval and oversight.
As a result, you can be assured of a perfect safety record. Contact Sun Air Jets today to discuss your maintenance requirements.