Business jet maintenance: types and warranties

Each private jet manufacturer sets their own terms of warranty service, usually from 1 to 5 years.

What is included in private jet maintenance? 

A business-class aircraft's maintenance implies regular inspections, as a result of which the aircraft receives a certificate of airworthiness, which allows it to fly. The certificate is issued for a period of 1 year, after which another maintenance check of the aircraft is required. There are two types of maintenance: 

1. Linear — it is performed by a mechanic or pilot before take-off (refuelling with special liquids, gases, etc.) and after landing (inspection of the private jet, checking of the main systems, replacement of blocks, downloading of on-board computer databases). Linear maintenance can also include small amounts of periodic work performed after every 70–100 flight hours or once a month, depending on the type of aircraft. 

2. Basic — it is carried out only by specialists of service centres certified by the aviation authorities of the country of registration. For most types of aircraft, basic maintenance must be carried out every 6 months or every 400–600 flight hours. 

What warranty does the manufacturer provide for their aircraft? 

Each manufacturer sets their own terms of warranty service, usually from 1 to 5 years. For example, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer provides a 3-year standard warranty for the airframe and systems, and a 5-year warranty or 2,500 flight hours, whichever occurs first, — for the Rolls-Royce engines. Moreover, for an additional fee, aircraft manufacturers or dealers offer various packages of services for the technical support of their aircraft. 

How are private jet malfunctions fixed? 

Depending on the state of the aircraft — whether it can fly or not — its operator decides where the malfunction will be fixed. In aviation, there is a list of permissible failures and malfunctions with which the aircraft can fly to the service centre and undergo maintenance there. If the aircraft cannot take off, the spare part and, if necessary, a qualified engineer are sent from the service centre directly to the aircraft, where the replacement of the part takes place. 

What expenses does the owner incur in the event of a private jet breakdown whilst under warranty?

In the event of a failure under warranty, the aircraft's owner pays for: the services of the qualified personnel or service centre performing a search for the defect, the delivery of a new unit from the factory to the aircraft or the flight of the aircraft to the service centre and the work to replace the unit — depending on the specific conditions of the warranty. The manufacturer's warranty covers, as a rule, the cost of the unit itself and, in some cases, its replacement.

Within what period of time is a new private jet's running-in complete?

On average, the primary failures and defects of a private jet are manifested during the first two years of operation — during this time, the aircraft, as a rule, passes running-in, and defects are manifested much less often.