Why Are Accurate Equipment Lists Critical To Avionics Warranty Programs?

The purchase of an avionics warranty program, such as Collins Aerospace CASP (Corporate Aircraft Service Program) or Honeywell's MSP (Maintenance Service Plan), is an investment that can definitely make an aircraft operator's life easier when it comes to both budgeting and acquiring replacement parts. But there is one important detail that often gets overlooked when the agreement is signed and put in place. An accurate equipment list.

An accurate equipment list ensures these aftermarket warranty programs perform the way they are intended from the beginning.

If an avionics component fails and needs to be replaced, that replacement unit will not be covered if it is not listed as covered equipment in the agreement. Unfortunately, this happens frequently, and while there are ways to overcome this obstacle, they all take time to correct and can create a big inconvenience, especially in an AOG situation.

The best way to ensure that this doesn't happen is to review the equipment listing on your warranty agreement. Make sure that the part numbers of the installed equipment match exactly, right down to the dash numbers. This will ensure that no problems arise when an order is placed.

With the Collins Aerospace equipment tracking process, the equipment lists included in the CASP agreements are usually accurate. It is always worth reviewing the list as there are instances when the information may not quite match what is installed. 

Honeywell requests an equipment list prior to quoting MSP coverage. They provide sample configurations to use as a starting point for what may be installed in your make/model aircraft. We recommend not to rely upon these as your final equipment list. 

While the idea of creating an avionics equipment list may sound daunting, there are a number of tools that can assist with this task.  

• Sample Configurations - As stated above, a sample configuration is a good starting guide for creating an equipment list.
• Maintenance Tracking Programs - Many of the aircraft maintenance tracking programs (CAMP, etc.) can be utilized to help create an accurate avionics inventory.
• Pre-buy Evaluations - Has the aircraft recently been through a pre-buy evaluation? If so, an avionics inventory may have been performed.
• Aircraft documents - The aircraft maintenance manual, illustrated parts catalog (IPC), and even the aircraft weight and balance can be useful when creating an avionics inventory.
• Visual Inventory - The most tedious but most effective option would be to conduct a visual inventory of all installed avionics on the aircraft.

These warranty programs can be purchased at any Duncan Aviation location, including the three full-service MROs (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) and any of the Satellite facilities across the United States.

For more information about Duncan Aviation’s Aftermarket Warranty Program, visit http://www.duncanaviation.aero/services/aftermarket-warranties, or contact me at +1 402.470.4622 or through email at Maria.Tvrdy@DuncanAviation.com.