How Fast Are Your Turn-Times?
Everyone in the industry knows the pace of aviation is fast. So, it's understandable that fast turn-times are a must. When our clients call in to place an order, they want it yesterday. And it's typical for them to ask us, "How fast are your turn-times?" However, the answer to this question isn’t always simple.
Take overhauls for example. A typical overhaul at Aircraft Specialties, Inc. takes an average of six business days. But this time can quickly increase. Numerous circumstances can influence a shop's turn-times. For instance, the volume moving through the shop, the number of parts found beyond economical repair (BER), and the lead time for replacement parts are all factors. The more parts found BER, the higher the chance of a longer lead-time.
On average, our lead-time for parts is about three business days. But depending on the availability of the part, we’ve seen lead-times range from weeks to months. Our purchasing agents have seen lead-times up to 30, 60, and even 120-days for replacement parts. The longest lead-time we have come across for a rare item was OVER A YEAR! Though a lead-time like that is unusual, it is possible. Sometimes our clients are faced with the tough decision to choose between cost and lead-time. But even though the fate of the turn-time can often rest on replacement parts, the job on our end can always be expedited.
As for our exchange program, in the past, we had a lead-time for building the unit per order. But to expedite our exchange process we now have a shelf stock system in place. Based on the data we've collected over the years; our shelves are stocked with the most popular assemblies ordered by our clients. These units are pre-built and ready to ship out the same day. But what happens if an assembly is not part of our shelf-stock? In this case, the unit could be built, tested, and shipped in as few as one to two business days, three for wheels that require a tire. We also offer Aircraft on Ground (AOG) services for our exchange orders during after-hours and weekends.
Despite the challenges that may arise, our turn-times continue to rival our competitor's. With some vendors taking two weeks to six months to perform an overhaul, ASI remains ahead of the curve with our fast turn-times.
ASI has an exceptionally professional and reliable team that has helped us to support our customer base with excellent turnaround times and an outstanding quality of maintenance. The ASI team has been able to double our average annual throughput of repairs and overhauls.
To learn more about our overhaul and exchange process, check out our flow charts to see how the product moves through our facility.
Click here for details on our exchange policy.