Charter Airline Finds Value in a P&W Fleet Management™ Program

Quebec's largest charter fleet, Chrono Aviation, chose a P&W Fleet Management™ Program to support its operations. Chrono's Vice President of Maintenance Pierre Piotte tells Airtime why.

Safety and Reliability Key Issues for Chrono

Pierre Piotte, Vice President, Maintenance, for the Chrono Aviation, appreciates the advantages of his operating environment. The fleet of charter aircraft that he manages - including seven PT6A-powered Pilatus PC-12s and Beechcraft 1900Ds - doesn't have to deal with harsh operating conditions like salt water environments or extreme heat.

That leaves him free to focus on the company's top priorities. A high-end charter airline mainly transporting passengers such as mining and construction workers to and from remote areas of northern Quebec, Chrono Aviation prides itself on safe, reliable service.

“For us, there’s no question that safety comes first. After that, it’s on-time departures and everything else relating to good customer service,” says Pierre.

As he explains, P&W helps make that possible, thanks to both the reliability of the PT6A engine family and the customized support provided by his comprehensive Fleet Management™ Program (FMP™).

"The PT6A is an engine with excellent performance. It's always been a very reliable engine. And when you're operating an aircraft with a single engine like the PC-12, you need it to be reliable."

- Pierre Piotte, Vice President, Maintenance, Chrono Aviation

FMP Combines Financial Value With OEM Expertise

When Chrono decided to invest in an engine maintenance plan to help simplify fleet operations management, it thought of P&W because of the company's expertise and the fact that it is based in Quebec.

It also had to make sense from a business perspective. Chrono provided P&W with various parameters relating to their fleet, such as the number of flight hours, which ranges from 1,200 to 1,400 a year (per aircraft). P&W was able to look at the data and use it as the basis for a tailored FMP proposal suited to the airline's needs.

“When we saw the numbers,” says Pierre, “we were convinced it was the best choice.” Chrono signed a five-year FMP agreement with P&W in 2018.

"When you combine the OEM factor and the competitive package that P&W was offering, which was very aggressive compared to what else was available on the market, it was an easy choice for us."

- Pierre Piotte, Vice President, Maintenance, Chrono Aviation

Locked-in Costs Make Budgeting Easier

The comprehensive Fleet Management Program covers major scheduled maintenance events such as hot section inspections as well as unscheduled engine and accessory maintenance. It also includes digital engine health management services and trend monitoring. The plan also allows the option to extend the time between overhauls.

As part of the FMP, Chrono has a dedicated customer manager, P&W's Julio Villazon based in Longueuil, Quebec, as well as technical field support when needed.

“He is a valuable resource,” says Pierre of Julio. “We communicate with him regularly and he provides us with a regular FMP report, which covers things like which parts have been replaced.”

The benefits of an FMP are that it makes maintenance and budget planning easier and helps avoid disruptions and maximize aircraft availability – all crucial elements to a charter operator. “We’re able to see what needs to be done in advance and schedule the maintenance at a suitable time,” explains Pierre.

"Since we've subscribed to FMP, we've had a stable maintenance budget. This helps us with internal planning. We know what to expect from one year to the next, which means we can now plan our needs in advance, such as rental engines."

- Pierre Piotte, Vice President, Maintenance, Chrono Aviation

For more on this highly flexible maintenance planning solution, check out our article How Tailored Fleet Management Delivers Financial Value.