AVIAÂ appoints Clive Prentice as Consultant
Above: Clive Prentice - AVIAÂ MRO Specialist.
In his new role, he will advise on suitable independent maintenance partners and mentor the global maintenance team as the business evolves.
Clive brings two decades’ experience running large maintenance organizations for business jet companies to AVIAÂ – originally supporting OEMs and then moving to third party independent MROs working in a consultancy role, - from Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, JETS (Bourmemouth) through to Gama Aviation PLC. Previously, Clive served as Finance Director, BAE Corporate Jets; MD of Raytheon Aviation Services and VP and General Manager for Hawker Beechcraft, responsible for Customer Support in the EMEA region.
Typically a smaller business aircraft operator will invest nearly US$200,000 per year on MRO per aircraft. Working with established and leading independent maintenance suppliers in Europe and the US, AVIAÂ aims to help save its members 15% upwards on MRO costs, contributing to an overall US$100,000 saving per jet, per year, based on 520 flying hours.
The fiercely competitive MRO business has consolidated and the independents face very slim margins. The original manufacturers are more involved in supporting their jets now, duly creating MRO slots at leading independents who hold existing or expired authorised service centre status. “This is the area we are looking at, working with reputable, established players. AVIAÂ’s offer is very attractive for both operator and owner and supplier,” noted Clive.
“I bring a good understanding of the traditional methodology that can be utilized to benchmark the services provided and ensure the regulatory framework is understood,” he added.
The company, which is the brainchild of Hangar8 founder Dustin Dryden and GPO expert Jim Hall, has set out to streamline the procurement process for owners and operators using the ‘collective’ buying power of its members to secure the best rates for key operational items. These include fuel, insurance, training; MRO; FBO services; aircraft and engine parts; avionics upgrades and more.
As well as helping private jet owners and operators better compete with companies who already benefit from economies of scale, the GPO model also rewards cooperative suppliers.
Through accessing its member network, AVIAÂ collects historic and forecast spend data from them and shares it with their preferred suppliers. They can provide enhanced forecasting, minimum spend levels and better insights into the way AVIAÂ members operate. AVIAÂ can send targeted messages to its members which meet suppliers’ criteria in a bid to help them secure them new business, saving suppliers unnecessary spending on sales and marketing.
AVIAÂ - which will be making its debut on the static at EBACE 2018 in Geneva, 28-31st May - has brand new UK headquarters at London Oxford Airport and two US offices in Irvine, California and Park City, Utah. The company is pioneering predictive analytics to bring the benefits of the group purchasing organisation (GPO) model to the business aviation industry as the first Anglo/American company of its kind to bring such expertise and transparency to Europe and the USA.
