As the largest independent provider of hourly cost maintenance programs for business aircraft engines, airframes and APUs, Jet Support Services, Inc., helps operators manage the often unpredictable costs of operating and maintaining nearly all types of turbine-powered aircraft including jets, turboprops and turbine-powered helicopters.
With an hourly cost maintenance program, the aircraft operator pays in a set amount of money. This amount is based on a per-hour basis and is determined by contract, depending on the make and model of the aircraft and the type of maintenance plan the operator chooses. JSSI offers plans to cover engines, airframes, APUs or the entire aircraft (Tip-To-Tail®). In addition, they are flexible and willing to work with an operator to customize a maintenance program that fits their exact needs.
The big benefit to a guaranteed maintenance plan is that it allows operators to budget for their maintenance and affords them protection for unplanned maintenance events.
Louis C. Seno, JSSI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, says engine maintenance costs are generally inexpensive until they are due for “heavy” maintenance or require unscheduled maintenance. Heavy maintenance includes events like a hot section inspection (HSI)/major periodic inspection (MPI) or an overhaul/CZI. In addition to the scheduled HSI or overhaul, opening an engine for inspection subjects all of the cycle-limited components within the engine, like turbine wheels and blades, to repair or replacement. It is not unheard of to have a final bill increase by two or three hundred percent due to unexpected repairs required for these components. An engine program can make a big difference in how a flight department budgets for and completes this work.
In addition, Seno says clients of JSSI receive access to a team of more than 40 technical advisors located throughout the world and available around the clock, 24/7. This team works hand-in-hand with the operator, the aircraft OEM and well-known independent maintenance providers to get an operator back in the air as quickly as possible. Operators can also take advantage of JSSI’s buying power as these service providers offer discounts on work provided to aircraft covered under JSSI maintenance programs.
“Our service is a big differentiator and the key to meeting and exceeding our client expectations,” Seno says. JSSI has a 97% program renewal rate, which Seno says makes it obvious that enrolling an aircraft onto an hourly cost maintenance program adds value to the aircraft and to the flight operation.
For those looking to buy or sell an aircraft, Seno adds that JSSI works with brokers and dealers to accurately assess the value of the JSSI Engine, Airframe and APU programs on which the aircraft is currently covered. If the broker/dealer is representing an aircraft not currently on a maintenance program, JSSI will work with them to enroll the aircraft without requiring a large capital investment to pay for the hours already flown.
Based in Chicago, JSSI was founded in 1989 and is a longtime member of the National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA).
“As a NARA Associate Member for more than 19 years, we value the strong relationships we have built with the most influential and reputable aircraft dealers and brokers in the industry,” Seno says. “The semi-annual NARA meetings are always informative and provide an excellent foundation to network and keep a pulse on the pre-owned aircraft market. We believe our collaboration with NARA members allows JSSI to discover new business opportunities.”
For more information about Jet Support Services, Inc., visit their website at http://www.jetsupport.com/ or call 312-644-4444.