The Importance of Regular Aircraft Maintenance
It’s Vital If You Intend to Continue Operating Your Private Jet
There’s a certain glamor associated with flying in a private jet: boarding a flight, knowing you won’t be surrounded by coughing strangers; sitting in a seat that swivels and reclines, without worrying whether you’re essentially laying in someone’s lap behind you; walking to the lavatory with the knowledge that there’s no line; and dining on refreshments of your choice, not whatever the airline stocks.
But all that glamor dissolves when you suddenly cannot board your private jet due to repairs necessitated by deferred maintenance, or when your jet no longer meets regulatory requirements.
To avoid mismanagement of aircraft maintenance, jet owners are opting to partner with professional services. Consider these four important reasons why.
Flying in a Well-Maintained Aircraft is Safer
Private jets that have been meticulously maintained are less likely to have an unexpected mechanical failure, which means you can rest assured you’re aboard a safe aircraft. Your skilled pilot can continue operating your jet, and you can enjoy a smooth ride.
You’ll also be generally more comfortable knowing everything in the cabin is operable, including the galley, lavatory, seat functions, cabin noise quieting, and climate controls.
Maintenance Stabilizes Your Aircraft’s Value
With private aircrafts in high demand, the one way to ensure you enjoy a bidding war with potential buyers is to provide lengthy and clear maintenance records.
Today’s buyers are looking for airworthy business jets that will last them for years to come – not a temporary holdover until they purchase an aircraft they really love. Because people are wary of investing their money into unproven jets, if yours isn’t properly maintained, you’re going to need to wait a long time for the right buyer to come along.
Regular maintenance protects your jet’s value.
You’ll Meet FAA Regulations
If you’ve never owned a private jet before, you may be unfamiliar with just how many governing bodies oversee regulations – and just how wide in scope those regulations go.
Your private jet must meet or exceed certain standards in order for you to be cleared to operate it. Annual inspections, 100-hour inspections, manufacturer’s bulletins, pre-flight inspections, and detailed notes about airworthiness are all part of spotting issues and preventing them from becoming major problems.
Regulations vary by country and whether you fly internationally, so working with an industry professional helps to ensure your jet meets standards.
You’ll Actually Save Money with Regular Maintenance
Although maintenance costs money, it isn’t as expensive as, say, unexpectedly replacing a jet engine. When you schedule and carry out regular maintenance, you’ll actually pay less overall to own and operate your aircraft.
With long waits for quality aircraft parts, an increase in labor costs, and other economic changes in recent months, not only will a jet in need of repair cost you money, but you’ll also be waiting a little longer than expected as it gets the attention it needs.
A well-maintained jet is less likely to have surprise mechanical failure because regular inspections identify problem areas, thus decreasing overall operations costs.
Fly When You Want To
A properly maintained private jet gives you the flexibility you need to fly anywhere, when you want to – if you don’t count weather issues, for example.
You’re more likely to depart and land on time if you’re on a jet that has been maintained and cared for, and they’re reasons why frequent travelers are opting for private aviation over commercial airlines.
If you expect to benefit from flying on your own jet, then you should ensure you reap those benefits by giving your aircraft the care it needs to perform its job for years to come. Otherwise, you might as well wait at a busy gate at the public airport and be at risk of flight delays and lack of privacy with all the other travelers.
How to Get Jet Maintenance Without Making Yourself Responsible for Every Part of It
Private jet owners are turning to jet service providers who maintain your aircraft for you and track what they do at every step of the way, creating logbooks that can be referenced should problems arise or when it’s time for you to sell and upgrade your jet.
Rely on these service providers to keep your jet comfortable, safe, and functional using metrics and data from the private aviation industry to anticipate repairs based on your jet’s age and overall condition. This takes the guesswork out of aviation maintenance. These providers also help you access quality parts more quickly than if you had tos source them yourself, so even if you need a new engine, you won’t be grounded for long.
Partnering with a jet services provider takes the responsibility off your shoulders – or your operations team’s shoulders – and leaves it in the capable hands of the experts, so you can enjoy your flight and your destination. Who wouldn’t appreciate that?