Columbia Aircraft’s service network, Columbia Aircraft
Repair and Maintenance Associates (CARMA), has dramatically
increased in size this month providing Columbia owners more
convenient access to factory-authorized maintenance and repair
services.
Presently, the CARMA network has 70 Columbia-certified repair
and maintenance facilities located across the United States and
expects to continue to add to that number. Many of the CARMA
locations are affiliated with the AirBP FBO network, which is known
for its aviation expertise and premium customer service. In the
coming months, these facilities will be trained to perform all
routine maintenance, warranty repairs and aircraft upgrades.
“Columbia owners have come to
expect high quality and excellent customer service from their
Columbia ownership experience. That includes their maintenance and
repair experiences in the field,” said Columbia Aircraft Vice
President of Customer Care Dave McRae.
“We’re committed to providing our owners with
convenient access to aircraft service from seasoned aviation
maintenance professionals. The new CARMA facilities are all top of
the line and we’re confident that our customers will receive
excellent service from them.” In addition to the expanded
CARMA network, Columbia Aircraft’s commitment to owner
support also includes an enlarged customer care department at the
factory and a number of other new initiatives.
One of the most significant of these initiatives is the Columbia
Mobile Training System, a program for remote factory training on
Columbia aircraft maintenance and repair for non-Columbia Service
Network FBOs. The program, currently in operation, will produce an
ever-growing network of FBOs around the United States trained to
work on Columbia aircraft. No matter how large the
factory-authorized service network, however, a pilot doesn’t
always have the luxury of choosing where they will be when they
need service performed. For those eventualities, the Company has
also established a 24-hour factory service hotline capable of
providing any FBO with the information and authorization necessary
to make a needed repair.
“We’re going to great lengths to establish our CARMA
network of service facilities that espouse our same commitment to
professionalism and customer care,” McRae said. “But we
realize that a pilot can’t always get to one of those
facilities when they need assistance. We want our customers to know
that no matter where they are, we’ll take care of them and
their airplanes. No matter how big the problem or how limited an
FBO’s resources, we’re committed to helping our
customers get the field service they need to keep their aircraft
flying.”
Another customer care initiative taking shape at Columbia
Aircraft is a new seminar series called the Columbia Maintenance
and Operations Seminar Program. The Program sprang from the
Columbia Mobile Training System and will consist of a series of
seminars on maintenance and operations issues common to Columbia
aircraft. The seminars will be held around the country starting
this fall and will be open to all maintenance technicians as well
as Columbia owners. “The more educated we can make the people
who fly and service Columbia aircraft, the better the ownership
experience is going to be,” said McRae.
“We’re developing this seminar program as a
proactive way to bring useful maintenance and operation information
to these audiences. I think both parties will benefit from and
enjoy the seminars. They’ll help our pilots get the most from
their aircraft."