Aviation International News 
August 2008
PRODUCT SUPPORT SURVEY Page 40
by Matt Thurbur
AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS
Bell Helicopter operators are generally happy with the quality of non-factory-owned service centers, although chief pilot Enrique Bougeois complained that his company never received a refund for unused time on TT straps. “Three times a [request for] refund has been submitted with no answer,” he wrote. One operator commented, “Bell treats its service centers as if they are part of the family,” and another lauded a “very good network of qualified service centers.” Chris Barkley, chief pilot of BBJ operator Tutor-Saliba, praised an interior completion by Standard Aero’s Associated Air Center. “On time and on budget,” he wrote. Many Bombardier operators praised authorized service centers such as Duncan Aviation, Jet Aviation, Midcoast Aviation and Penta Aviation. “Duncan provided nosegear service that Bombardier could not do,” wrote Williams Sonoma aviation department manager Ron Freswick about the company’s Challenger 601-3R. One Challenger 300 operator worried that “Midcoast seems to be over capacity.” Two Challenger 300 operators said there aren’t enough authorized service centers. While Bombardier expends a lot of effort vetting and monitoring its authorized service center network, a Challenger 601-3R operator explained, “The apparent lack of control by the [manufacturer] over the authorized service centers causes me to shy away from visiting these facilities.”
Learjet operators listed a large variety of facilities they were happy with, including Lider Taxi Aereo (“best in Brazil”), Haggan Aviation (“a good experience”), Spectra Jet (“superb and exceptionally skilled”), Stevens Aviation (“perhaps the best anywhere”), Duncan Aviation (“always first class, outstanding”), Chantilly Air (“they are great”), JetCorp (“very good response”) and Reliable Jet (“we have been pretty happy”). Cessna Citation operators also cited a number of facilities that deliver excellent service, including Premier Air Center/West Star Aviation, Stevens Aviation, Aeropersonal, Jet Aviation, Yingling Aviation and Corporate Air. An Ultra operator noted that Premier Air Center/West Star Aviation’s Dallas
facility provided “very poor service.”
From Spectra Jet -
Thank you to our customers who continue to support us as much as we do them. We appreciate the praise, and strive to keep our maintenance the best in the industry!
-The Spectra Jet Team (John, Jim, Mike, Larry, Paul, Ryan, Jason, Don, Shelley, Nick, Brian, Chris and Stu.)
