The financial ramifications of the Covid-19 virus are driving a big change globally and as the aviation market around us changes Pacific Turbine Brisbane (PTB) is well placed to continue to adjust, adapt and support our customers through existing and new opportunities.
PTB Group Ltd recently acquired Prime Turbines, a US-based independent aircraft maintenance facility and is well known to the Pacific Turbines Brisbane team. Prime Turbines’ locations in the USA will provide PTB with an increased footprint from which to serve the industry, and their expertise in maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the T53 and Bell Drivetrain expands PTB’s service offering.
The acquisition of Prime Turbines opens the rotary market to us, a sector we’ve not been able to service in the past. It will also allow us to service larger engines including the PT6T and T53. Prime Turbines has established facilities in Dallas, Texas (PT6A and GE601 engines), Mesa, Arizona (PT6A, PT6T and T53 engines along with Bell Helicopter drive train components),
and Butler, Pennsylvania (PT6A engines up to Power section). This significantly enhances our service capability.
In addition, Pacific Turbine has recently installed a PT6A Test Cell which provides us with the ability to increase support to our current customers, but also attract new customers by offering the latest testing technology. This creates more opportunities and provides stronger support for our customers in the Australasia and Pacific region’.
Pacific Turbine Brisbane’s Engine Management Program (EMP) is a highly regarded comprehensive and flexible client support initiative.
In the nearly 15 years since its inception, PTB’s EMProgram provides tailored support for both PT6A series engine operators and TPE331 turboprop engine operators around the world. It’s structure and offerings have been refined over time, driven by feedback not only from existing clients, but also new operators expressing interest. We have endeavoured to build effective responses to the common concerns identified by operators.
Unscheduled maintenance costs, low initial estimates, followed by ballooning quotes, unscheduled failures and delays in sourcing and shipping replacement parts, are the most common issues. In addition, the attraction and retention of staff capable of completing scheduled maintenance activities with the required competencies, remains a major concern for operators.
Responding to these issues, PTB has structured its EMProgram to ensure that clients are not exposed to risk. ‘We’ve effectively mitigated risk by building and embedding program elements that provide clients with certainty and transparency’ says Alana Mckenna, General Manager of Pacific Turbine Brisbane. The opportunity to eliminate warranty issues, unscheduled maintenance costs, and variances in estimates to final quotes as key program attributes. All this can be achieved with a single monthly payment and support for the program suggest that what it offers and what it delivers is recognised as an extremely cost effective solution to an often complex challenge’
PTB have effectively addressed the issue of skills shortages too, by assembling a large and experienced team to support their customers through EMProgram. This eliminates the need for program clients to source expertise on the open market. ‘I think it’s the extra customer service support we offer that sets our program above the rest’, says Alana McKenna. ‘We have a dedicated team here that are effectively available 24/7, and they can support our customers with every service each individualized contract stipulates, but also extras on top. For instance, if they are a small operator without their own purchasing team, they can come to us and we can assist by identifying and recommending a solution, be it parts or professional services eliminating the operator’s need to spend valuable time searching the market to find the required components or support. Our guarantee is that we’ll source and have what they need delivered to them on time, thus reducing operational downtime and labour resource costs.
PTB’s program service coverage also extends to airframes which is an additional competitive advantage. ‘Most MRO’s that we consider as competitors are specialised engine shops offering some customer support’ says Alana McKenna. ‘We’ll do airframe as well and can offer specialised assistance to program clients in any area of their operation. We’ll also deliver and manage consignment stock and we work with our customers to optimise coverage. It may not just be engine parts, it could also be airframe parts.
Program flexibility is another unique EMProgram attribute. ‘We’re quite advanced in this regard offering more than just a standard EMP contract’ says Alana McKenna. ‘It might be that a client will sign up for consignment stock support, but then independent of that, embed a certain agreed
fixed price overhaul support component, both within an agreed time frame. We’re very flexible in the way we build a contract profile that’s going to work for our customers but also work for us at the same time. So, it doesn’t mean that “this is our program and it’s the only program we have to offer”. We have our basic EMP, but we can then tailor program elements to suit each client.
Each area of our business continues to innovate and work with our customers to provide assistance where we can, further strengthening already strong business relationships, along with creating new ones. PTB is well placed to assist you as the operator through these unprecedented times. Contact our team to discuss your business needs for now and in the future.
Website: www.pacificturbine.com.au or email: sales@pacificturbine.com.au