Reading time: 3 minutes. To return an engine that was undergoing maintenance in Mexico to Turkey, two trusted freight forwarders joined forces to find the best logistics service option for critical cargo, ensuring an impeccable delivery time.

Think about a mechanism that works just perfectly.

Did you think of a Swiss watch?

Probably most of us would think the same.

The aerospace industry must emulate such perfect performance. The best airlines in the world follow very strict, meticulous and time-sensitive processes, since a failure in any part can put hundreds of lives at risk.

In our story today we will tell you how Europartners Group collaborated in the transport of a CFM56-7B engine, one of the most popular for single-aisle commercial jets, to an airline in Turkey after being repaired in Mexico.

The Turkish airline, which owns the engine, coordinates seamlessly its quality cycle for the maintenance of its components, just as the best in the aerospace sector do.

As everyone in the aviation industry will be able to corroborate, having an aircraft on the ground (AOG) means a great financial burden for airlines, not only for the aircraft maintenance fees, but for the delay or flight cancellation charges that such situation could generate.

Getting it back on air is definitely a top priority.

For this move, the airline contacted Genel Transport, a Turkish freight forwarder specialized in the aerospace industry.

The requirements of the airline were, mainly:

• Comply with the quality guidelines that the transport of this type of components requires.
• Ship the cargo on the scheduled itinerary, without date changes
• 24/7 follow up and customer service
• Show photographic evidence of perfect engine conditions before proceeding
• Advice on the management of the engine in accordance with the regulations in Mexico –quite different from the Turkey ones– and its correct execution

In order to offer the best service to the airline, Genel Transport used the Aviation Logistics Network (ALN), an independent association of international logistics service providers specialized in the transport of critical cargo for the aerospace industry, to find a Trusted logistics ally in Mexico.

Europartners Group global presence –which includes +70 own offices in the Americas and Europe–, our critical cargo solutions for the most demanding industries such as aerospace and our differential of offering alternatives* lead us to seek connections with solid organizations like the ALN.

* Spoiler: the chosen service was Air Priority

Just as with our clients, at Europartners Group we work with the idea of being, more than a supplier, a strategic ally for our partners, as when we worked with Genel Transport.

Our differential: expertise and multiple options

To move the engine from the maintenance facility in Mexico to the site indicated by the airline in Turkey, we carefully work each of their requirements:

1. Going down to the last detail necessary for the movement

A turbine engine is not only a dangerous good, but oversized cargo, too. To prevent damages and comply 100% with the listed quality restrictions, we took care from the mooring of the turbine on an air suspension platform to the local regulations.

2. Shipping the cargo on the exact itinerary scheduled

The client was quite direct with a request: not rescheduling the cargo and comply with the defined logistics plan. Our team then determined with the airline the costs, the loadable weight and the complete itinerary.

3. Transparency in planned actions and in their execution

Sharing 24/7 visibility to the client and to the teams at the destination from planning and throughout the entire operation is a great advantage that we, from Europartners Group, offer to the market.

Regardless of the local hours in the two countries, our dedicated teams provide peace of mind, confidence, answer questions, notify events on the spot and have the power to make immediate and efficient decisions.

4. Advising the client to eliminate doubts in each step

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations for the handling of a turbine are quite specific and non-compliance can ruin an operation.

We got the Dangerous Goods Shipper’s Declaration (DGD), the engine “drained combustible” certification and the labels that identify the material as DGD. In addition, we organized the visual inspection after the cargo was delivered the airline and we confirmed the material was documented.

After we took care of all the details, we were able to offer the customer options among our critical cargo solutions. The chosen one was the Air Priority service. The customer was quite satisfied when he learned that he was able to count on different shipping alternatives.

After everything had been verified and authorized, with the support of all the teams involved, the operation had no mistakes and the Turkish airline already has one more aircraft in the sky.

When selecting logistics allies for potential partnerships, make sure they understand the importance of time-sensitive solutions and have the skills to get the job done efficiently.

If you are in the aerospace sector and need a logistics partner with the ability to provide solutions to operations where every minute counts, contact us right now! Our Critical Cargo team will design a solution for you.