For complete write-ups please visit
www.avm-mag.com Todd Duncan Chairman Duncan Aviation
Where is the state of the business jet maintenance industry? Business aviation is still in a recovery period. 2011 was improved over 2009 and 2010 but growth has remained fairly slow. Our maintenance teams remained busy throughout 2010 and 2011. However, operators were much more careful about investing in the more discretionary projects like avionics upgrades, interior refurbishments and paint. In 2011 and even more so in 2012, we are seeing some more discretionary spending, especially in technologies that can affect productivity in the aircraft, like Wi-Fi solutions.
How is 2012 looking so far in terms of the health of the maintenance industry? Is 2012 the comeback year?
Todd Duncan Chairman Duncan Aviation
continued on page 53
The industry is so much better right now than it was two years ago. We are very optimistic about 2012. We spent quite a bit of time last year developing a strategic plan for the next 10 years and we are beginning to move forward with that plan. However, recovery of the industry is still pretty fragile. There is still some over-capacity and I would hate to predict very far out in the future. The success of 2012 will depend greatly on the continued health of the global economy. Do presidential (or global) politics impact your business? These issues can most definitely affect the health of the industry both globally and in certain regional
Mike Lee Director Maintenance Training Business Development FlightSafety International
Mike Lee Director Maintenance Training Business Development
FlightSafety International continued on page 53
What is the state of the maintenance training industry? Very busy! The good news is that the industry as a whole is getting stronger and we are seeing the results in the classroom. For example, training curricula provides ever-more relevant instruction designed to fit the tip to tail concept. At FlightSafety, we continue to forge new relationships with equipment OEMs such as Pratt & Whitney Canada to ensure that our customers receive their total aircraft training at one location, helping integrate the instruction and saving them travel dollars. What will be the biggest challenges your business will face in the next three to five years? Addressing the practical element required by most regulators worldwide. FlightSafety is meeting the challenge by striking an optimum balance between classroom learning – often based on simulation models drawn from our full flight simulation software – and hands-on, practical training using mock-ups and actual aircraft. What changes are you making to your business to adapt to the times? For a number of years we have offered advanced Total Technical Training to operators of Gulfstream aircraft to leverage our close working relationship with this manufacturer and deliver a more in-depth training experience. In recent years we have added MXAdvantage training
Jorge Sobral TAP Executive Board for Maintenance & Engineering Business Unit Where is the state of the industry?
As a very significant number of other activities, the maintenance industry is, mainly in Europe, suffering from the very severe crisis airlines are going through, not only as a consequence of the global economical situation but also from the impact of high oil prices. How is 2012 looking so far in terms of the health of the industry? Is 2012 the comeback year? From what we have seen up to now, 2012 may be the year we´ll start to see some favorable changes, but I do not believe that it will be the “comeback year.” Do global politics impact your business?
Jorge Sobral
Member of the Executive Board Maintenance & Engineering Business Unit TAP
continued on page 53
Clearly it does. With a significant political and economical instability, two faces of the same coin, in several parts of the world, people tend to travel less than they used to and, consequently, some airlines tend to reduce their frequencies and/or routes. That obviously impacts maintenance activity. It is true that in recent times we have witnessed some recovery on the air transport industry, and that´s what gives me some hope for the future. Nevertheless history shows that there is always a time interval between the recovery of the air transport industry and the one of the maintenance business. This is why I do not think that we should expect some significant improvements in the maintenance business in 2012.
24 Aviation Maintenance |
avm-mag.com | April / May 2012
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