Increasing Service Options, Use Of Online Technology

Cessna says it is continuing to invest in its customer service operation, adding new programs and services to ensure existing operators keep the competitive business advantage afforded by using their aircraft.

"Cessna has always maintained that stellar support of our aircraft operators is critical to the success of the company, so we have continued, and will continue, to invest in support initiatives that our customers need," said Mark Paolucci, senior vice president, Customer Service. "We are not just adding new service options through a global network of service centers; we are adding new options that bring Cessna service to the customer, changing not only the types of service we provide but also how we provide it."

Cessna's newest initiative is ServiceDirect, a service option designed to provide a range of customer service options for Citation operators outside of the company's service centers. This includes on-site maintenance operations and long-term logistics support including Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) mechanic placement or contract support.

With on-site placement support, Cessna recruits and manages independent maintenance specialists including A&P mechanics to handle Citation support at the customer's home airport to augment more involved scheduled service at one of the company's Citation Service Centers or authorized service facilities.

Two of Cessna's more popular on-site service options coming into operation in the past year are the Mobile Service Units and the Air Response Team.

The Mobile Service Units (MSU) are full-size service trucks equipped with tooling to perform a variety of diagnostic and maintenance functions including AOG support. These units can also perform medium-sized planned maintenance events as well as engine removal.

Through the first eight months of 2009, the four trucks currently in operation made 317 service calls, traveling more than 56,000 miles and performing 192 unscheduled and 125 scheduled maintenance jobs. The four MSUs are based in North Carolina, Texas, Arizona and Southern California.

The success of the MSU concept is prompting Cessna to plan to add regional trucks in the Midwest, Central Texas, the South, Great Lakes, Northern California, the Northeast/New England, Florida, the Rockies and Canada.

In just more than a year of operation of Cessna's dedicated Air Response Team (ART), the aircraft has flown more than 160 support missions, including one acting as an organ transplant aircraft.

"While it is only anecdotal evidence of customer satisfaction for our mobile assets, we've gotten quite a few letters of praise - for the assets and the people who operate them," Paolucci said.

In addition to new methods of providing service, Cessna is also expanding the types of support available through the company's Citation Service Network to include structural enhancements such as winglet installation for the Citation X and glass cockpit upgrades for a variety of early edition Citations.

Citation X With Winglets

Cessna has joined with Wichita-based Winglet Technology LLC for installation of the Elliptical Winglet on the Citation X and delivered the first aircraft in July. The retrofit kit includes flight and operations manual supplements along with an updated version of CESSNAV for customers who have purchased that subscription service from Cessna and the replacement of the existing anti-collision and position light system with LED versions.

Cessna has already installed five winglet kits in the past few months and has at least 15 more scheduled.

Earlier this summer, Cessna flew the first Citation upgraded with the popular IS&S-designed AdViz glass cockpit. Upgrading the cockpit with AdViz results in reduced weight, improved reliability and access to navigational aids such as XM Weather, navigation charts, remote radio tuning and enhanced video.

In the past year, Cessna has added a Citation Service Center in Mesa, Arizona, and announced it will open a new European company owned center in Valencia, Spain, to supplement its center in Paris. Cessna has just opened a new parts distribution center in Europe at Amsterdam's Schipol Airport (AMS/EHAM) to support the Paris center and the several dozen authorized service centers.

Cessna is also expanding its use of technology across the company and in customer support with Internet-based maintenance seminars and other customer functions.

FMI: www.citationservice.com.