manager. With most maintenance outsourced, “we use the management company’s internal reporting procedures. We bring the pilot in if his input is required. “I communicate with maintenance constantly where the aircraft are going to be,” he adds, planning for several days each month for required maintenance downtime. “It’s an interesting dynamic of communication. “The system has been working,” he notes. Department personnel stay in touch via phone, texts, Signal, Zoom and Teams, with “formal meetings at least twice a month. It’s better to see one another’s face.” TRACKING TOOLS Wes Maness, CAM – a commercial, instrument multiengine rated pilot and director of maintenance at Flight Group Corp. in Raleigh, NC – has responsibility for a fleet of Gulfstream, Bombardier and Textron aircraft, nine of which are offered for charter.“We fly the owners in their normal travel circles and the charter customers to their desired destinations,” says Maness. “We have the luxury of being solely focused on aviation. That’s all we do. Aircraft management is our business. “We keep a full-time systems developer on staff, enabling us to create our own aircraft status and pilot currency tracking tools,” Maness says. “This allows anyone to know the status of crew members and aircraft at any time. It’s one of our best communication methods and very useful in the charter environment.” Flight Group Corp. does about 20% of its fleet maintenance in-house, Maness says, focusing on scheduled maintenance that can be completed in two to three days – or less. “If we take on more work inhouse, it can result in more downtime than we and our clients are comfortable with. “We carefully balance downtime considerations between our services and what an outside vendor can provide,” Maness says.“Our maintenance team primarily focuses on AOG line maintenance, discrepancies and keeping our aircraft in pristine condition.” That said,“the relationship with vendors is always in a state of flux,” he added.“We tend to choose shops that do it all in one stop. That way we don’t have multiple downtime windows. “All of our aircraft are on engine programs and airframe parts programs, minimizing the communication needed to get an aircraft back in service,” Maness says. “Phone and in-person are our primary means of communication.There’s no better communication than talking to someone.” But group texts are useful, too, and email is important. Email, especially, yields automatic documentation. Meetings, not so much. “They eat up a lot of time,” Maness says. CAM RAISES THE BAR Both Wicht and Maness agree that their NBAA Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) credentials help facilitate communication and collaboration, especially between departments. CAMs are professionals who have demonstrated an exemplary level of industry knowledge and expertise. The credential represents the benchmark of leadership excellence in business aviation. “Obtaining my CAM certification was very beneficial to me,”Wicht says.“I was able to learn about the different leadership styles and techniques. Being a scheduler, you are at the communication center for your team.” After passing the CAM course, Wicht says, “I was able to apply the leadership styles and techniques to better communicate with each of my co-workers.” CAM, which provides aviation professionals with tools and strategies for developing their careers and elevating their leadership skills, issued its 900th CAM credential earlier this year. In fact, that 900th CAM recipient was Maness. Maness has also managed both maintenance and avionics shops. CAM, he says, “was a way of rounding out my knowledge base. “Going through CAM brings to the table all of the areas you may not be familiar with,” Maness says. “CAM hits all these areas in depth enough that your knowledge becomes truly useful.” Not only is it a credential of continual learning, the broader outlook afforded by CAM also helps with the mechanics of selling and buying aircraft. Even with an active and rewarding aviation career, Maness says, he has long viewed the CAM certification as a chance to learn even more. “I knew that CAM certification would enhance my overall knowledge in corporate aviation and provide new opportunities in which to be of service in it.” When “life and work” threatened to get in the way, Maness “discovered NBAA’s Six Months to CAM Program, and that really provided a study path and an organized approach to gaining CAM certification,” Maness says. “It also introduced me to a whole new group of peers that I will definitely stay connected to.” 8 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 04, ISSUE 03
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