Managing the technical details of aircraft transitions can be difficult even for experienced technical personnel, when the process is not managed properly or done by halves the result can sometimes be critical.

1. The delivery documentation is not complete

In a transition it is imperative to ensure all documentation from the previous operator/CAMO is made available, up to date and give an accurate picture of previous and forecasted maintenance for the aircraft, engines and components. When an aircraft is delivered back with incomplete data the new CAMO are unable to ascertain the technical status of the aircraft, critical items such as engines, landing gears or other hard time components can not be properly evaluated and therefore a question mark must be placed on the airworthiness of the aircraft.

At Aerfleet we have a clear list of documents and data we require to deliver the best possible service, one of the first questions you can be expected to be asked is “how do you want to deliver this aircraft?” our start point is set to your end point, by doing this we ensure that from day one we have in mind what is required when the aircraft is set to leave our CAMO, whether that be in 2 months or 2 years.

2. The aircraft doesn’t live up to redelivery conditions

Whenever an aircraft is returned from lease there are conditions in the lease agreement that need to be met, this can range from “As-is” so that the last operator pretty much only has to deliver an airworthy aircraft, right through to the requirement of major airframe and component maintenance or “green-time”. Typically a contract will stipulate the aircraft must be cleared for a certain number of months, flight cycles and flight hours upon redelivery.

The days and weeks leading up to a redelivery can be hectic, the operator wants the aircraft gone, the lessor wants to ensure conditions are met, maybe an MRO is also involved in trying to get maintenance finished and procurement and logistics are trying to meet everyone’s deadlines. Things can easily be missed which can quickly be costly for all parties, but especially the lessor who will be left with the problem if they take delivery of the aircraft with unknown discrepancies.

Aerfleet see great advantage in being involved in the process as early as possible, getting ahead of the game and having documentation before the sign over can allow status cross references and ensure the lessor gets what they expect, the other advantage of this is that in a quick turn-a-round the CAMO is already ahead of the game and can be integrating the aircraft even before the ink is dry.

3. Quick Turn-a-round

We’ve all seen it, the sales team are trying to get the aircraft placed before the aircraft is redelivered, but for whatever reason the stars just don’t align. The aircraft is redelivered to the lessor and placed on CAMO, then the agreements are made. It’s highly probable that the next operator has different requirements than the redelivery conditions of the last operator but the aircraft needs to be turned as quickly as possible (time is money).

In these situations its imperative that the CAMO can hit the ground running. Using some of the principles from items 1 & 2 the CAMO really has to work fast, the lessor needs an updated status of all items ASAP, any maintenance items need to be highlighted liaised to the lessor and work orders created so that the MRO can start prepping the aircraft for delivery. all whilst possibly still following up on information from the previous operator.

Aerfleet apply resources as and when required and have the possibility to speed up the induction process of aircraft when requested by the Lessor, we understand that each day on ground is a day that an asset is not earning.