HEADLINES

Women in STEM aren’t just dreamers, they’re doers. Just take it from Bethsabe Rodriguez, Supplier Quality Management Lead at MHIRJ, whose innovative thinking and ability to face challenges with a fresh perspective have helped advance her career in the aerospace industry and contribute to major successes along the way.
 

If there’s one key thing that Bethsabe Rodriguez’s years of experience have taught her, it’s that in the intricate world of aerospace engineering, precision isn't merely a requirement—it's an obsession. And it’s with this mindset that she’s been able to conquer challenges and contribute to building safe, reliable, high-performance products along the way.

During her esteemed career, Bethsabe has led inspiring projects for various business and commercial aircraft models, including the iconic CRJ Series—the world's most successful regional aircraft family for the last three decades. It was her successful industry track record that led her to MHIRJ, where she now applies her expertise and meticulous attention to detail in the aftermarket sector. Her unwavering commitment to the team helped establish the quality management system required to obtain a crucial Transport Canada Manufacturing Certificate for the CRJ fleet. This accomplishment has helped ensure the conformance and safety of the parts used to maintain the aircraft and keep them flying safely.

Beyond her industry accolades, Bethsabe appreciates how working in the aerospace industry has given her the opportunity to be part of a community that dares to dream big and work with people who inspire her in the same way she undeniably inspires others. Through leading major projects, she’s been able to experience the evolution of different technologies, witness the development of new aircraft, and observe different manufacturing sites in several countries.

When speaking on being an integral part of the MHIRJ team, she says “I can enjoy a healthy work-life balance, surrounded by experienced people, where my achievements are recognized, accompanied occasionally with a spicy challenge which makes it just fun to be part of!”.

MEET THE REAL GEMS OF WOMEN IN STEM

With a 25-year partnership already under our belts, MHIRJ and PSA Airlines are thrilled to announce that we’ve greatly expanded the scope of work to include all daily operations maintenance. Our product knowledge ensures that the American Airlines subsidiary is able to keep their all-jet fleet off the ground and in the air.

Keeping regional airlines operating at their highest capacity is essential for keeping the nation moving and communities connected. The new mandate between MHIRJ and PSA Airlines further solidifies our ability to act as an extension of their maintenance teams. Taking on scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and engineering problem-solving are an essential part of aiding their daily operations. As the longstanding MRO for the airline, we bring the knowledge, expertise, and right tools to the table, and into the hangar.

“Traditionally, airlines call upon the OEM once they’ve exhausted their internal resources. But now, our engineering teams are literally embedded in the day-to-day of their fleet operations talking directly to maintenance control, supervisors, and technicians working on the aircraft. We are part of their daily calls and operations,” said Daniel Parent, Manager, CRJ Customer Response Centre and Mobile Repair Team, MHIRJ. “They have selected us to be a part of their success, and we are very proud of that.”

A NEW SPECTRUM OF SERVICES

This expansion marks a whole new spectrum of services that MHIRJ is now offering airlines—as part of our ever-growing diversification strategy. Our technical and engineering teams are working directly with the airline and supporting their own maintenance teams on a perpetual basis. We’re also leading the way in navigating through approved industry and maintenance standards, as well as training new aviation mechanics who are beginning their careers in the aerospace industry. They count on us for our maintenance expertise and technical know-how so that they can continue operating over 600 daily flights to nearly 100 destinations.

KEEPING THE NATION CONNECTED

PSA Airlines’ fleet of CRJ700 and CRJ900 aircraft are operated by a team of over 5,000 employees who work hard to ensure consistently comfortable and convenient service to their customers. Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, PSA also has flight crew bases located in Dayton, Ohio, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, North Carolina, Dallas, Texas and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and maintenance facilities in a number of states.

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS
 

As the industry continues to evolve, we’re happy to maintain our longstanding partnership with PSA Airlines. Trust and collaboration have always been, and will continue to be at the very core of our relationship, so we’re excited to continue soaring together well into the future.
 

“There’s a deep understanding of the aircraft,” said Dion Flannery, President and CEO of PSA Airlines. “You not only built it, but you also supported the life of those aircraft in operation and that’s really where you learn whether the aircraft are purpose-built of the right solutions, and if not, to take engineering adjustments to get the highest levels of reliability. That’s what we get through the services that you provide.”

From strengthening our MRO capabilities to welcoming more aircraft programs into our hangar, MHIRJ has officially entered a new era. Don Nolan, Director of Service Sales, talks to us about how we got here, what’s new, and what’s to come.

We’ve come a long way since being the OEM for the CRJ aircraft. New investment in our people and facilities mean that we’ve strengthened our MRO capabilities to service new aircraft types, welcome new customers, and deliver with confidence each and every day. Hear what Don Nolan has to say about delivering on our promise to diversify with new aftermarket offerings:

 

Conversations with our customers and partners continue in WINGSPAN. Check back often for more.

According to Dion Flannery, President and CEO of PSA Airlines 25-year partnership is one built on trust, knowledge, and deep understanding. We sat down with him at MRO Americas to talk about what sets MHIRJ apart as an MRO.

No matter what challenge arises, or what adjustments need to be made as the market evolves and changes, a solid partnership like the one between MHIRJ and PSA Airlines is made to withstand, overcome, and even exceed expectations. Flannery spoke to Stephanie Bento about the role reliability plays in this kind of longevity:

 

For more details on PSA Airlines and the latest developments on their contract renewal with MHIRJ, read the latest article about it on Wingspan. Plus, check back often for more inspiring conversations with more of our customers and industry partners.

New services, new capabilities, and new customers are all part of MHIRJ’s exciting diversification. We sat down with our very own Ismail Mokabel, Senior Vice President and Head of Aftermarket, to talk about what this means, and what’s next.

After years of providing aftermarket support for the CRJ aircraft, MHIRJ is now offering new services to CRJ customers, as well as expanding our customer base and welcoming other platforms into the hangar. During our conversation, Ismail spoke enthusiastically about our growth trajectory:

 

Stay tuned to WINGSPAN for more great conversations with our industry partners and valued customers.

 

While the peak of the pandemic is thankfully far behind us, all segments of the aviation industry are still feeling the lasting effects that we are collectively working to solve together. Airlines and operators feel the impact of the pilot shortage, just as we feel the impact of the technician shortage as an MRO.

Now more than ever we’re adapting our support structure for our customers while continuing to grow our service offering. Overcoming challenges while continuing to evolve is key, so we recently sat down with Amel Belkhamsa, Head of Aftermarket Commercial Services at MHIRJ to talk about how we’re doing just that:

 

KEEPING GROWTH IN MOTION

Along with a shortage of pilots and technicians are supply chain difficulties that continue to impact us, our partners, and suppliers. The good news is that regional and international travel are thriving once again, and we’re working even more closely with our customers to adapt to their growing needs so that together we can lessen any disturbances in their operations. 

While the impact is global, so are the efforts to create change. It’s opened our eyes to the way we anticipate and react to challenges and demands over the coming years, and gives us the opportunity to grow and evolve in a way that is better prepared to remain steadfast in handling our customers’ fleet requirements.

“We’re working with our suppliers to make sure that from an availability of component perspective, there is readiness or some kind of mitigation when it comes to the demand. We’ve come out of the pandemic smarter than we were prior to it,” Belkhamsa shared.

As a result, we’ve emerged on the other side a newly expanded MRO infrastructure, as well as plans to continue increasing our service offering to cater to even more aircraft programs. Stay tuned to WINGSPAN for more exciting news and developments in the coming months.

Keeping airlines flying requires support on the ground, at the office, and online. That’s why we designed a new customer service portal for CRJ Series operators to access the data and tools they need to support their aircraft fleets. The flyMHIRJ portal is a modern, centralized information center that helps operators stay on schedule with fast access to fleet management and 24/7 customer support.

While developing the new portal, our team was guided by four key principles. Better ease of use, information relevant to each CRJ operator, intuitive navigation, and the ability to access online publications and tools faster. During each development stage, we field tested the product with customer input to ensure it not just met their needs, but surpassed their expectations.

ELEVATING THE USER EXPERIENCE

Now that flyMHIRJ has been launched, it’s easier than ever for CRJ operators to manage their fleets and get the answers they need regarding a wide range of maintenance issues. The user-friendly portal features a streamlined design and a modern user interface that makes accessing information even quicker with fleet-targeted information.

It also allows us to improve and enhance our customer offer, as Nathalie Chabot, Supervisor ISE Customer Fleet Support, Systems, MHIRJ explains:

“We have a new feature that allows us to simulate individual operator access, which helps us to better tailor our support to them.”

 

INTRODUCING A NEW MDP E-TOOL 

To help our customers efficiently diagnose system problems, the flyMHIRJ portal features a new advanced Maintenance Diagnostic Platform (MDP). “The new MHI Maintenance Diagnostics Platform (MDP) is very intuitive with nice filter capabilities for troubleshooting real time aircraft squawks, and for predictive maintenance capabilities,” said Mark Shoemaker, Program Manager, Predictive & Cond Based MX, Endeavor Air.

“I like the platform's landing page. It’s nice to see and easily review our fleet of aircraft, at-a-glance… and to see the time stamp of the most recent Maintenance Diagnostic Computer (MDC) data that was imported. This will also help us identify aircraft in our fleet that are not importing MDC data, so we can review and repair the aircraft in a timely matter” Shoemaker added.

This industry-leading platform represents years of experience gathered from specialists in the field to guide users to the right answers. With MDP, users can quickly troubleshoot aircraft issues and are provided with proven recommendations on how to solve those problems. "I thoroughly enjoyed my time working on the development of the MDP,” said Awais Bokhari, In Service Engineering, Avionics and Flight Controls. “I am very happy and proud of the final result.”

MOBILE AND TABLET RESPONSIVE FOR ANYWHERE ACCESSIBILITY

Designed to be fully responsive, the new customer portal is based on the latest technology from SAP, delivering the highest standards and enabling users to access critical information on their computers, mobile devices, or tablet. With anywhere accessibility, maintenance management is transformed into a fast and easy- to-manage process operators can oversee and control wherever they are located, whether at the office or in the field.

CONTINUED INNOVATION INTO THE FUTURE

With flyMHIRJ, our users benefit from one single portal to access technical content, publications, and notifications, order parts, make claims, check inventory, request a quote, view historical data and more, with additional advancements on the horizon.

This new portal is just the latest step in our e-services strategy. We remain committed to continually improving efficiency, developing innovations, and unlocking new possibilities for our clients. Onwards and upwards!
 

MHIRJ’s diversification continues with exciting new Mobile Repair Team (MRT) capabilities. Our technicians are now trained and qualified to offer aftermarket service for the Airbus A220, taking care of unforeseen and unscheduled repairs on this narrow-body aircraft that plays a massive role in the regional aviation industry.

Our legacy and expertise providing MRT services for the CRJ aircraft makes this new service offering a natural next step in the evolution of MHIRJ. With the Airbus A220 joining the CRJ Series, DHC Dash 8, and Embraer ERJ-135 and 145 MRO service offering, we’re thrilled to be offering expanded service to even more customers in both Canada and the U.S.

Our dedicated Mobile Repair Team recently underwent rigorous training to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to service this high-tech aircraft inside and out. This means that Airbus A220 operators can now count on 24/7 dispatch for simple to complex repairs on the structure of the aircraft, avionics, mechanics, and beyond.

ELEVATING CONVENIENCE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS

For Airbus A220 operators, keeping their fleet in top shape and on schedule is their top priority. That’s why we’ve made it ours to be there whenever and wherever they need us to troubleshoot, repair, and get their aircraft back in the air. We know that quality service and fast turnaround times make all the difference for an operator’s business, so we take care of every detail, from ordering all necessary parts and getting technicians on-site as fast as possible, to providing timely status updates directly from the technicians and engineers on-site.

Strong collaboration between our teams and the operators they’re serving is essential, so we’re proud to take ownership at every step. Providing a liaison for all key stakeholders makes for a smooth and successful return to service every time.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

Moving forward, we’re excited to continue diversifying our service offering, growing the team, and welcoming even more aircraft programs to MHIRJ, including Embraer aircraft. Stay tuned to WINGSPAN as we bring you even more news and updates on our commitment to broadening our markets and serving more regional operators across the nation.

MHIRJ is thrilled to be entering a new era. New investment in our people and facilities means that we’ve strengthened our MRO capabilities to welcome more aircraft programs into our hangar. With new aftermarket offerings in place, the only way is up.

Since the advent of MHIRJ, diversification has always been a driving force behind our long-term growth plans. That’s why we’re excited to bring a new level of aftermarket service to the industry. Our OEM background and expertise with the iconic CRJ aircraft have enabled us to take our technical capabilities even further to cater to new markets, including Embraer E145 aircraft, beginning with a new agreement with Piedmont Airlines—a subsidiary of American Airlines.

“Our collaboration with Piedmont represents a significant milestone for us as it emphasizes MHIRJ’s commitment to servicing aircraft beyond the CRJ,” said Ismail Mokabel, Senior Vice President, Head of Aftermarket. “Our focus remains to create continued value for our CRJ customers and offer our Heavy Maintenance expertise and experience on other platforms, while exploring opportunities that will allow us to elevate our service offering and diversify our capabilities. These are exciting times at MHIRJ.”

This means that we now provide our expertise and 30 years of experience to other platforms to better serve our customers.

FROM MRO TO CRO

Our recent expansion doesn’t stop there. Since 2021, we’ve been increasing our Component Repair and Overhaul (CRO) offering from an ad-hoc basis to a full-service offering, with parts coming in from across the globe. Over the past 2 years we’ve tripled the size of this segment and moved into a brand-new facility designed to accommodate this service growth which now caters to all key structural components, flight controls, electrical and avionics, with fuel, air systems and hydraulics servicing part of our strategic development plan.

MHIRJ currently services parts for the CRJ, DHC Q Series, and soon Embraer 145, and will continue to add more platforms moving forward. This service provides our customers with the additional convenience of having service for their structures and systems all under one roof.

READY TO SERVE AIRBUS 220 CUSTOMERS

As the largest regional aircraft MRO service provider in the U.S., it’s equally important for us to grow our Heavy Maintenance and Mobile Repair Team (MRT) offerings to take on new platforms, including narrow-body aircraft like the Airbus 220. Our mobile repair team technicians are now trained, qualified, and ready to offer this service to A220 operators. The mobile repair team offers quick reaction repair services onsite for unforeseen and unscheduled incidents, whenever and wherever they’re needed.

As we continue to develop into a larger one-stop shop for our valued customers, we’re also expanding our parts asset management to offer an extensive range of new and used serviceable materials.

SERVICE ON ANOTHER LEVEL

Moving forward, we are dedicated to maximizing our knowledge and building upon the legacy our customers have come to know and trust. Expanding our skillset to provide a more complete service offering only means greater growth and capability for us, and greater convenience for our ever-growing customer base.

West Virginia Service Center celebrates grand opening of facility expansion.

MHIRJ’s expansion continues with the grand opening of the new hangar in the West Virginia Service Center. With this new addition, MHIRJ’s combined service centers can offer maintenance for up to thirty aircraft simultaneously, making its Regional MRO infrastructure the biggest in the world.

 

With the new larger hangars, MHIRJ makes the leap from the largest regional MRO in the United States to the largest regional MRO in the world, period. For customers, this means they will benefit from an elevated service offering to meet the growing demand for aftermarket services and world-class service.

Back in June 2021, MHIRJ invested 20 million USD to expand its Bridgeport facility with the goal of completing the project in 18 months. Now almost 18 months to the day, the turnaround at the North Central Regional Airport Aerotech Business Park is complete. The facility is operational and ready to meet the increased demand for maintenance services

"Today’s event is a catalyst for MHIRJ’s growth plan, and I am very honored and proud to share this milestone with the MHIRJ team in West Virginia and worldwide,” said Ismail Mokabel, Senior Vice-President, Head of Aftermarket.

DIVERSIFYING AND EXPANDING SERVICES

Previously, the Bridgeport service center focused solely on CRJ Series aircraft, offering comprehensive maintenance, repair, overhaul, and line station services for these regional leaders. Now, in line with MHIRJ’s diversification strategy, the expansion means the maintenance facility can provide service on larger narrow body aircraft while still conducting C-checks, hangar checks, and calendar checks.

The newly expanded service center increases the current facility space by 100,000 square feet, which includes two new MRO hangars that are 41 feet in height, adding 6 additional lines of heavy maintenance that can handle any type of single aisle aircraft.

In commemorating this important milestone, MHIRJ hosted an unveiling ceremony that welcomed federal, state and local dignitaries, customers, members of the Regional Airlines Association (RAA), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries executives, and hundreds of local and international team members.

PRAISE FROM THE LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY

Visiting the West Virginia facility for the first time was Mitsubishi Heavy Industries President and CEO Seiji Izumisawa who spoke of his confidence and trust in his fellow leaders. MHIRJ CEO Hiroaki Yamamoto shared his thoughts on what this expansion means for Bridgeport:

“This is the facility that you deserve and our colleagues deserve, and also that this beautiful and wonderful airport deserves and this community deserves. We are committed to stay here—this is the showing of our commitment and our willingness to work together with the people here.”

Also in attendance were Senators Joe Manchin and Michael Romano, who also spoke highly of the developments.

“This is a milestone for our state. What we do as a state matters. It’s a great opportunity for skilled people that can work and do the job,” Manchin said.

Romano shared the sentiment by saying, “This feels like Christmas. I mean, it’s such a great moment for all of West Virginia.”

ADDING MORE “HEROES ON THE GROUND”

Maintenance technicians are critical to keeping airlines in the sky according to schedule. As the heart of its business, MHIRJ is investing in and nurturing the next generation of its heroes on the ground. The new facility will add approximately some 300 jobs to the 500 maintenance workers currently at the site.

Hiring efforts are already underway with job openings for positions that include Structures Technician, A&P Technician, and Avionics Technician. These new employees will work alongside their colleagues at one of the most modern and technically advanced MROs anywhere.

Many of these new hires will certainly be graduates of Pierpont Community and Technical College. During the event, it was announced that the school will be expanding its Aviation Maintenance Technology program and moving it to the North Central Regional Airport Aerotech Business Park. These changes will enable them to graduate up to 200 students per year.

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

With deep roots already established in West Virginia, the expansion marks another milestone in a strong partnership with local and state government and more jobs in the state for years to come. By MHIRJ expanding its facility, services and capabilities, the future looks bright for customers, employees, the local community, and the State of West Virginia.

Securing a steady supply of aircraft parts and components became more of a challenge during and after the pandemic. MHIRJ's Senior Brand Manager, Stephanie Bento, talked to Ismail Mokabel, Head of Aftermarket Services, about the innovative solutions we've put into play to ensure our customers have what they need, when they need it. 

Stephanie Bento: This is MRO Americas. Welcome to Dallas. The largest MRO for regional aviation, MHIRJ is very excited to be here. Supply chain has been a hot topic this year at the MRO Americas, so here to talk to us about that is Ismail Mokabel. Tell us what your team is doing in order to secure a steady supply of aircraft parts and components to operators.

Ismail Mokabel: We had to really approach the problem statement in a three-pronged approach. One is creating an SOS shop, so when we’re in trouble and there is any supply disruption, we can actually make the parts in a very short period of time.

The second strategy we actually deployed is creating an alternate means of supply. We have partnered with the biggest used parts broker to give us availability of use material, and then we’ve actually doubled our capacity to be able to establish a network than can repair these parts and make them available to our customer base.

And then thirdly, we actually created a solution called “part agility,” with which we can make parts that can suffice the need in multiple uses. So, for example, if you have a part that is configured for a left or a right usage on the aircraft, we actually created a part that can suffice both needs and you create one value-added step at the customer base so they can have the flexibility to use the part for multiple usage. We’ve addressed it with about 2,000 part numbers so this gives our customers flexibility and reduces the investment they need in working capital to be able to support their spare parts needs.

Stephanie Bento: What would you say is next in the aftermarket world for MHIRJ?

Ismail Mokabel: We are the biggest regional MRO network in the world. We have a formidable infrastructure of heavy maintenance hangars and component repair capability. The future is bright, we’re very excited about today, we’re excited about tomorrow...

As the aviation industry emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, adjusts to ongoing supply chain disruptions, and works to reduce the environmental impact of its operations, it faces unprecedented challenges. In this new aviation world, airlines are being forced to reimagine their business model and operations. To navigate this new reality and anticipate the needs of future travelers, reliable forecasts are more important than ever. In this year's Market Forecast, MHIRJ made a conscious decision to use new techniques and take a fresh look at an ever-changing world using a unique approach. 

GETTING TO THE “WHY”

“Most market forecasts utilize an econometric approach which uses statistical methods to develop theories. However, these forecasts just look at statistics often based on GDP, fares, and population size,” explained Antoine Chereau, Director of Aero Advisory Services at MHIRJ. “While these forecasts focus on the ‘how,’ we look at what is creating the travel dynamic today, ‘the why.’ Our report is based on a passenger demand model following a behavioural approach, from which we generate a fleet and delivery market forecast that covers the next 30 years. We use very few correlations or statistics which can be misleading if not well understood.”

Instead of looking at the macro indicators to describe changes in the market, MHIRJ’s Forecast looks at you and me – the passengers – as the true drivers of market demand. By examining the motivation behind buying a ticket, they provide a market forecast that delivers a higher level of reliability and robustness, because passenger behaviours change very little over the years.

KEY PILLARS IN THEIR APPROACH

Their unique 30-year forecast provides a view of the traffic and fleet developments through 2050, and extends to a new timeline aligned with the Paris Agreement’s goal for global warming to not exceed 1.5°C. The reference year for the forecast is 2019, the last “normal” year of air traffic activity before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020.

In addition to the behavioural approach, the report is based on three additional key pillars, including a traffic flow analysis that goes beyond the intra-regional levels, down to the country-pair and city-pair levels, and which accounts for departure and arrival times for each route. A unique new route opportunity model allows the forecast to include prospective routes that do not exist today, and an aircraft type-specific retirement model for current and future fleet retirements.

AN OBJECTIVE VIEWPOINT

Market forecasts are a complex exercise that seeks to use rigorous methodologies to explain potential future scenarios. As a company that does not manufacture aircraft, MHIRJ brings an objective viewpoint to the forecast and can follow the data without any conflict with other priorities. They believe that they have utilized the most accurate and realistic assumptions based on many years of data.

By offering a more accurate, realistic, forward-looking view of air traffic and fleet evolutions, their goal is to provide aviation companies with the ability to make informed business decisions and establish strategies that ensure their readiness to take on future demands as well as challenges.

The information included in this blog has been taken from the Commercial Airlines Market Forecast created by MHIRJ’s Aero Advisory Team.

To receive the full Market Forecast, please email aero.advisory.services@mhirj.com

A NEW AGREEMENT BETWEEN MHIRJ AND CANADIAN TECHNOLOGY COMPANY AERO HYGENX MEANS THAT QUICKER, CHEMICAL-FREE CABIN DISINFECTION IS NOW AVAILABLE TO ALL CRJ SERIES OPERATORS.

Since the onset of COVID-19, airlines and aircraft operators around the world have rushed to implement more frequent cleaning procedures for deeper disinfection of the cabin.

Up until now, the bulk of these new cleaning measures required crews to manually apply strong chemical disinfectants, leading to prolonged turnaround times for aircraft. Unfortunately, recent reports show negative side-effects of such cleaning regimes, such as excess hazardous waste and health risks to crew exposed to corrosive and toxic formulas.

Further to environmental and health concerns posed by the frequent use of chemical disinfectants onboard, the compounds commonly found in them carry the added risk of interior corrosion, embrittlement, increased flammability, and even electrical short circuit.

“Depending on the system or part affected, any of these conditions could create either an immediate or latent airworthiness issue,” warns a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin published by the FAA in November 2022.

The RAY line of UV-C disinfecting solutions provides aircraft operators with an alternative to manual chemical disinfection, and it is now available directly through MHIRJ’s maintenance teams.

Designed for the transportation industry, RAY is a compact and lightweight autonomous robot that uses motionsensing technology to autonomously navigate interior spaces, disinfecting air and surfaces safely and without the use of harmful chemicals, thanks to UV-C light. RAY’s ‘little brother’ SparX is a smaller, stationary unit that uses the same germkilling UV-C light to safely disinfect smaller spaces, such as tight cockpits and lavatories.

RAY provides a consistent, sustainable and chemical-free method to disinfect aircraft cabins between flights. (Source: Aero HygenX)

RAY has the ability to fully disinfect a CRJ aircraft in as little as seven minutes and prevents the crew from exposure to chemical disinfectants. RAY uses a proprietary algorithm to self-adjust for various aircraft types and cabin configurations and comes equipped with HygenX Stream, a customizable software that records and transmits usage data wirelessly to the cloud providing valuable system health monitoring and status updates to the operator.

RAY was designed specifically for the aircraft environment and has been laboratory tested to prove its efficacy against a multitude of illness-causing pathogens (including SARS-COV2). It eliminates any possibility of chemical pooling or ingress when used in sensitive areas such as the cockpit, and is scientifically proven to cause less material degradation to plastics and fabrics over time when compared to chemical cleaners used for the same task.

“Aero HygenX is a dynamic start-up with global vision and advanced technology that’s designed to improve health and safety as our industry gets back on track. At MHIRJ, we applaud solutions that aim at keeping our operators and their passengers safe while offering green cleaning alternatives,” said Robert Duffield, Head of Aftermarket Customer and Product Support at MHIRJ. “We’re very happy that we can offer both RAY and SparX to our customers and anticipate a lot of interest in the products.”

Contributed by: Daniel Parente, Manager, Customer Response Center and Mobile Repair Team

At MHIRJ, supporting more than 1,300 aircraft that carry over 100 million passengers annually is not a responsibility we take lightly.

To help ensure that airlines operating CRJ aircraft keep flying reliably and safely, MHIRJ has built a worldwide ecosystem of support with our Customer Response Center (CRC) at its core. The point of entry of all technical and parts-related issues regarding the CRJ Fleet, the CRC stands ready 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to provide comprehensive, live support. A customer support “command center,” the CRC is comprised of two main groups – the Technical Help Desk and Material Services. The Technical Help Desk is the first line of action for any technical request, handling some 400 emails/calls per day and 15,000 technical cases per year.

OEM SPECIALISTS

Comprised of seasoned aviation professionals averaging 25 years of experience, CRC personnel come from a variety of backgrounds. This includes mechanic and avionics professionals who have worked on the CRJ Series production line, to people with backgrounds in Heavy Checks, MRO and general aviation. These experts specialize in urgent AOG (Aircraft on Ground) situations as well as routine queries and provide immediate support that extends from troubleshooting aircraft to diagnosing and remedying technical issues, dispatching on-the-ground engineering assistance or shipping a much-needed component. These specialists are also backed by representatives from MHIRJ warranty, operations, engineering support and material logistics to ensure a truly comprehensive approach to solving AOGs

EXPERTS WORKING IN COLLABORATION

Once a call enters the CRC, our agent relies on the MHIRJ network of in-house experts to provide the assistance required and at the level of urgency requested. Due to the nature of the requests, the most significant interaction will reside with In-Service Engineering, which mainly consists of ATA Specialists in Systems and Structural Design and Stress Engineers. MHIRJ In-Service Engineering is part of the DAO 20-Q-01 under Transport Canada, which allows issuing of engineering repairs under the delegation of Transport Canada.

Using advanced 3D designs, the In-Service team will develop the most efficient repair including stress, static analysis and DTA, using proprietary design from production drawings and stress certification reports, assuring the optimal solution for the customer’s needs.

MHIRJ’s global ecosystem of support network leverages 30 years of OEM CRJ expertise, data and knowledge, to help customers optimize their operations and keep flying.

IT TAKES A TEAM

In addition to this staff of experts, the MHIRJ customer response ecosystem includes dedicated Field Service Representatives, Materials Services and Mobile Response Teams who work hand-in-hand with the CRC to resolve AOG issues. For example, when the CRC receives a call for repair assistance, it will contact MHIRJ Material Services to see if a replacement part is available for the engineering team to complete the job. Or, an MHIRJ Field Service Representative, who is either onsite or has access to the customer, will be called on to facilitate the communication and expedite the return to service of an aircraft. For field support to be effective, each team needs to be close to the customer. MHIRJ has created teams of field support specialists near our customers. Each team includes a Field Service Representative who is ready and qualified to assist in managing any technical issues with the aircraft.

LINKED TO GLOBAL MATERIALS SUPPORT

Fast, reliable and cost-effective delivery of aircraft parts is essential to a fleet’s performance and long-term success For that reason, the MHIRJ support ecosystem includes a global network of 12 strategically located parts facilities. The parts team also works around the clock every day of the year through the CRC, using sophisticated inventory management to ensure availability, rapid shipping and traceable deliveries

MOBILE RESPONSE TEAM

When the unexpected happens, the Mobile Response Team is ready and equipped to provide immediate solutions. Supported by a Parts Services Team, they ensure that all repairs are executed correctly and immediately. The CRC Technical Help Desk interacts directly with Mobile Response Team Project Managers to coordinate and dispatch an onsite team to support the structural repair of the aircraft wherever assistance is needed. Through this collaboration, highly trained teams that are tailored to a customer’s repair needs are deployed anywhere in the world. All MHIRJ Mobile Repair Project Managers have accumulated years of experience in various CRJ Structural Modification programs, giving customers total confidence that their aircraft will be repaired to the highest OEM standards.

A NETWORK TO KEEP AIRLINES FLYING LIKE CLOCKWORK

Taking to the skies requires a strong team on the ground. MHIRJ’s global support network leverages 30 years of OEM CRJ expertise, data and knowledge, to help customers optimize their operations and keep flying. Through our network of interconnected disciplines, customers benefit from a total team effort to support their schedules, resolve technical issues and deliver the vital products they require.

Find out more about MHIRJ’s Customer Support network here: CUSTOMER SUPPORT NETWORK