units of Boeing Capital Corp. and GE Capital Solutions, giving him a front-row seat to the growth and current form of the business aviation industry. “From a valuation standpoint, virtually every large cabin airplane, when it leaves the factory, is on an engine maintenance program,” Seno says. That would be a big deal for programs like JSSI, whose comprehensive offering has the go-to solution for new customers—yet even with its head start, it isn’t alone. Today, aircraft operators have an expansive selection of engine maintenance programs, with nearly 50 options. This diverse range results from offerings from engine OEMs and notable third-party providers, including StandardAero and other niche programs. This expansion in the EMP landscape means that aircraft operators can access an unprecedented range of coverage options for all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance needs. How big is the pie? According to the GAMA’s General Aviation Aircraft Shipment Report, at the end of 2022 aircraft OEMs had delivered more than 700 business jets to customers to the tune of $19.8 billion, spurred on by the pandemic’s travel shuffle. Moreover, even while jet prices climbed to breathtaking numbers in 2022, Seno suggests that one driving value for these aircraft—onboard amenities aside—was whether or not they were enrolled in an engine maintenance program. “If you look in the price guides, from an appraisal standpoint, years ago, you would pick up the [Aircraft] Bluebook, which would give you the base price of an airplane,” Seno says. “If it were on a program, you would add [to the listing value]. Today, Bluebook and Vref, the two popular aircraft price guides, quote the plane on a program, whether it’s us [JSSI] or the OEM. So, if that aircraft isn’t on a program, you have to take a deduction.” If the saying “value is what you get” proves true, for operators whose aircraft and flying profile fit the criteria for these programs, enrolling in engine maintenance programs has clearly become a way of “flight.” BASIC MAINTENANCE TO ADVANCED AFTERMARKET SERVICES It’s a long way off from the early variations of these programs that started as maintenance service plans, like a guaranteed cost program from the aerospace company AlliedSignal that later evolved into Honeywell through a series of mergers. While its offering made it easier for Part 91 flight departments to flatline their operating costs at the time, it was still expensive. That’s where, according to Seno, JSSI found a margin of opportunity to offer a more cost-effective program. Once a niche space, airframe and powerplant maintenance programs are now popular, helping flight departments streamline and scale costs efficiently and serving as a strate- gic avenue for OEMs to enhance recurring revenue through engine and airframe maintenance.
They’ve transcended their original purpose of mere cost management, becoming almost indispensable for any prudent operator. Given these developments, it’s essential to examine how engine maintenance programs have evolved since their inception, their growing importance in the post-COVID era, and the emerging trends shaping the future of business aircraft maintenance. GROWTH OF MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS In a roundup of the industry, BusinessAIR spoke with Lou Seno, chairman emeritus and special adviser to the JSSI board of directors. Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI) is the leading independent provider of aircraft maintenance support and financial services in business aviation. Before joining JSSI, Seno held senior management positions at the business aircraft
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