Constant Aviation is leveraging its Embraer expertise to offer a not-to-exceed pricing programme for major inspections on Legacy 600 and 650 aircraft. Under the programme, customers are provided with an upfront flat rate for the inspection itself and a price cap for discrepancies often found during the inspection process, excluding landing gear and corrosion repair. This offer limits the customer's out of pocket expense for common issues encountered during the inspection.

The first inspection conducted through the not-to-exceed programme was successfully completed this summer. The 144-month inspection on a Legacy 600 is includes the complete removal of the aircraft interior and all flight controls, along with an overhaul of the landing gear. The inspection pricing experience proved so successful that Constant Aviation is now developing not-to-exceed pricing programmes for the Legacy 600 and 650 48-month and 96-month inspections.

“I've heard from several Legacy operators who were drawn in by other MROs with ultra-low initial inspection quotes only to get unreasonable discrepancy bills after the inspection,” explains Jay Rizzo, Constant Aviation executive VP of sales. “That's not fair to the customer, and it shows a lack of major inspection knowledge on the part of the MRO. We have been an Embraer authorised service centre since 1996, and are very familiar with the Legacy airframe. That drove us to sit down with the customer prior to beginning work and give them an accurate estimate of the inspection and discrepancy costs.”

A Legacy 600 or 650 not-to-exceed pricing quote begins with a thorough evaluation of the aircraft and its history. Then, Constant Aviation's in-house Embraer programme manager and specialists work together to develop a discrepancy price cap and exclusions for each aircraft. Once the customer agrees to the price cap and exclusions, the inspection process begins.

Constant's history with the Legacy airframe includes the world's first wing and nose change, and more than 2.2 million hours of maintenance experience overall. The MRO has completed 30 Legacy 600 and 650 144-month inspections over the past decade, and it sees a growing need for this work. Legacy production peaked in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and those aircraft are now reaching the 144-month milestone. Worldwide, more than 25 Legacy aircraft in operation will be coming due for the 144-month inspection in the next four years.

“We have worked closely with Embraer and the Legacy airframe since it was introduced in 2002,” continues Rizzo. “We recognise that as these aircraft age, so will their major maintenance needs. Our objective is to keep them flying for our customers and their businesses. That's why we introduced not-to-exceed pricing for major inspections. It streamlines the inspection process by removing uncertainty and headaches for operators.”