There is an industry belief that maintenance ‘costs’ money. This is an antiquated half-truth.
FACT: Revenue generation is dependent upon aircraft availability. When an aircraft has out-of-service time due to un-necessary maintenance delays, revenue is lost.
FACT: If maintenance is performed in an efficient manner, however, in-service time increases, as does revenue generation.
In other words: It is true that inefficient maintenance costs you money, but the unappreciated ‘other-truth’ is that efficient maintenance makes you money.
Here are a few examples from EMS aviation. All of these are based upon actual events:
1: A main rotor damper is due replacement on an Agusta 119. Due to the poor ergonomics and hazardous positioning forced upon the technician when using a conventional ladder, the task requires 1.5 hours to accomplish. (see pictures ANSI/OSHA ) A flight request is received 1.25 hours into the project. The revenue flight is missed… In contrast, utilizing the professional grade HeliLadder allows the technician to safely and efficiently complete the task in 1 hour. The flight request is accepted, and revenue is generated. So in actuality, the purchase of our HeliLadder did not ‘cost’ the program anything, but rather the HeliLadder generated revenue that otherwise would have been lost – and provided emergent care to the patient!
2: A 407 K-Flex is due replacement. At the beginning of the project a cable assembly on tool SKSP1425-101 fails. This is a common problem. The mechanic is delayed in returning the aircraft to service while awaiting a replacement tool. If a flight request is received during that delay, the sub-standard tool has proven very costly. Our exclusive tool incorporates field-replaceable heavy-duty cable assemblies that (if necessary) can be swapped out in 5 minutes. No delay is incurred, and the flight request is accepted. The quality tool has generated income that otherwise would have been lost – and provided emergent patient transport!
3: An EC135 is being tracked and balanced using the OEMs TTT-135 tab tool. The dial indicator slips out of the poorly designed tool frame and shatters on the helipad. Further progress is delayed, as the indicator is non-functional and out of calibration. Utilizing our tool, in which the indicator is securely fastened to the frame, negates this delay. A future flight request is accepted – rather than declined. The quality tool has generated income that otherwise would have been lost – and provided emergent patient transport!
4: While draining an EC145 hydraulic system, the level indication pin is bent. The hydraulic pack is now unserviceable. Future flight revenue is lost, and a very expensive replacement module is required. If our unique tool p/n HYD-135/145 is used, the pin will not be bent, and future flight requests are accepted. The quality tool has generated income that otherwise would have been lost – and provided emergent patient transport!
The list of examples could go on and on…
Maintenance is not an Evil Necessity, it’s a critically important process that provides aircraft availability and crew safety. The belief that maintenance ‘costs’ money is only true if safe and efficient practices are not being supported. Providing technicians with quality-designed tooling and professional grade ladder-stands, however, supports the process of efficient maintenance. Efficient maintenance reduces Out-Of-Service time, which increases revenue generation.
This simple math. One does not need a college degree in business management or accounting to understand that
The HeliLadder (and our specialty tooling) MAKE YOU MONEY!
Dale Neubauer
Senior EMS Aircraft Mechanic and Tooling & Equipment Designer
Blue Moon Designs LLC
Bend, Oregon 541-647-3537