The aviation and aerospace sector is one of the most complex industries in the business world.
Every moment a commercial airliner sits on the ground it costs an airline money due to the high costs involved in its lease or purchase. Yet revenue service, both passenger and freight, is only one aspect of a highly demanding business. The manufacturing and maintaining of large commercial aircraft is supported by an extensive supply chain that requires parts and materials be delivered on time. Parts delays or equipment breakdowns push airplane delivery dates, which then ripple out to airlines and their passengers. This is where the speed, expertise, and experience of freight services from AirFrieght.com can make a difference throughout the entire aviation and aerospace supply chain. Whether it’s in the air or on the ground, freight services by AirFreight.com can get you back in the air with the prompt delivery of parts and equipment throughout North America. Here are just a few ways AirFreight.com serves and supports the aviation and aerospace sector.
Supplying the suppliers
All airlines have a certain level of parts they maintain in order to rapidly make minor repairs. They keep these stockpiled at major hubs and they often have agreements with each other to share parts in an emergency. Most airlines are also contracted with MRO’s to conduct routine maintenance and perform FAA mandated checks. While many MRO’s are also located at major hubs in order to make maintenance as easy as towing an airplane from one hangar to another, invariably a part or parts will be needed that are not in stock. Since the biggest challenge is getting the right aircraft part in the right place at the right time, having an expedited freight solution backing you up as fast as possible is critical when every minute counts.
The fact is, not every logistics provider has the expertise to ensure a seamless process.
So it’s critically important to take the time to do your research and find a provider with the level of expertise that meets your needs. The answer is AirFreight.com. When seconds matter, an airline or MRO can’t afford to have a part stuck waiting to clear a loading dock. As an industry leader, you can count on AirFreight.com to deliver parts and equipment through innovative planning and execution. As a creative logistics provider, AirFreight.com might craft a plan that lands at a less-busy airport and then provides an expedited ground solution for last mile service. Or, it might make sense for a part to be consolidated with other shipments headed to the same destination. The consolidated larger shipment can move as a single shipment and then clear the loading dock as smaller individual transactions. Then, the shipment can then be broken down for further distribution.
In the end, you need to choose a provider that is innovative and creative and who will go the extra mile to meet your logistics needs.
The aviation industry is a highly competitive market. Under massive economic and regulatory pressures, airlines are always looking at ways to reduce cost, improve efficiency and increase competitiveness. Using cut rate logistics providers is not one of them. Get the security and peace of mind that comes by using shipping services and expertise from AirFreight.com.
AOG Strategy
Due to the potential ripple effect of an AOG, every operator must have a thoroughly planned AOG strategy, a trusted MRO to support it, and a logistics partner who gets parts and equipment when and where they are needed – on time. That partner is AirFreight.com. Let’s quickly look at what an AOG is, then we’ll look at how same day air and other services from AirFreight.com will help get you airborne again.
Anatomy of an AOG
Although every AOG is unique, these incidents typically follow the same general pattern:
- The airplane is grounded
- The airline calls the airplane manufacturer and/or MRO for support
- An AOG team from the manufacturer is dispatched to assess the airplane's condition
- An assessment is made to determine what is wrong and what parts are needed
- The airline agrees to the scope of repairs and signs a contract to start work
- Parts, personnel, tools and equipment are sent to the airplane work site – this is where same day services from AirFreight.com can help get you back in the air
- Work begins, and when completed it is signed off by the quality manager, indicating the airplane may return to flight
- The airplane flies out to return to revenue service or to complete additional repairs not possible in its current location
Schedule impact
If an airplane is grounded, a different one must be found to plug the schedule gap. Airlines do not have fleets of spare airplanes just sitting around since they only generate revenue when they are flying passengers. In some cases, an airline might obtain a short-term lease on a comparable aircraft to fill the schedule gap, in others the route might simply be cancelled temporarily. Airlines try to avoid these options due to their significant costs.
Fleet disruptions
Airplanes out of position and out of service drive up operating costs. AOG’s often require repairs to be made on site – often in less-than-ideal conditions – or flown to an MRO facility, depending on the severity of the maintenance problem. This takes the airplane and flight crew out of its service area, requiring deadhead legs that do nothing but burn fuel and dollars, with no revenue to show for it.
Loss of revenue service
This issue is so critical that insurance options have been created specifically for airlines to recover costs from AOG situations. Not only is ticket revenue forfeit, but cargo revenue is also lost. Commercial flights carry millions of tons of freight every year, so when a flight is grounded due to maintenance issues, it causes significant issues up and down the logistics chain. These are exactly the types of situations that the experienced expeditors at AirFreight.com work to mitigate when it happens to your freight!
Decreased customer satisfaction
Airlines try to avoid creating unhappy passengers and freight customers, so when a flight is delayed or cancelled due to a maintenance issue, their reputation and brand takes a hit. If you consider the costs for hotel and meal vouchers for stranded passengers or having to rebook them on other flights with a competing airline, then you can clearly see why AOG situations require same day air services to safely move time sensitive parts and equipment.
Air Charter
Private flights on a AirFreight.com air charter provide the exclusivity and speed you need to hit those critical deadlines. Air charters offer complete shipment flexibility from departure time to final destination. Air charters are one of the fastest shipping options available and include in-flight tracking, so you’ll always know the status of your parts shipment.
Ground Expedite
Before your aircraft gets back in the air, the parts have to travel by ground – at least part of the way. Ground expedite service from AirFreight.com includes everything from Sprinter vans, small and large straight trucks, up to 53-foot tractor trailer delivery teams. We’ll pick up your shipment, deliver it to the airport, then receive it at the other end – providing hand-carried service as necessary or required.
Always free freight quotes
AirFreight.com offers efficient and effective solutions across a wide range of service options. No prior account is needed to get started. Just call us at (800) 713-1000 or enter your order online. All costs are listed without any hidden fees, so you know up front how much you will pay.
Customized solutions
We do all the logistical legwork to find the best solution for your specific situation. It might mean an exclusive air charter, or perhaps expedited ground shipping that still gets your critical parts to its destination on time.
Real-time tracking
Lost or delayed parts can cripple a repair schedule, driving up costs to the airplane operator. AirFreight.com uses the latest tracking technology to always know where your shipment is, and our team is happy to give you updates whenever you need them. We are proactively engaged with your shipment, monitoring air traffic, inclement weather, connecting flight cancellations, road construction and congested streets.
Constant contact
Want status on your parts? Our team is always available to answer your questions, provide an update on your shipment’s location, and take new instructions 24/7/365. Call us any time.
Experienced expeditors
With AirFreight.com, you’ll work with the same expeditor from start to finish, ensuring consistent communication, eliminating misunderstandings, and improving the quality of your entire shipping experience. That’s why some of the largest names in aerospace manufacturing and MRO trust AirFreight.com to meet their urgent shipping deadlines.
We develop plans that guarantee shipping services are supported by time-effective options whether the final destination is a major air hub, a regional airport, or even a remote airstrip.
Choosing the right logistics partner is a critical business decision.
With AirFreight.com, experience the peace of mind and confidence that comes from an expert delivery plan, and working with a dedicated expeditor from start to finish. For more information, contact us today at (800) 713-1000 and let us help you get back in the air!
