Boeing is considering accelerating plans to extend its GoldCare turnkey maintenance programme for the 787 to other aircraft types within its portfolio.
The airframer's vice-president, 787 services and support for the 787 programme, Robert Avery says: "It has always been our plan to have GoldCare cover other model airplanes. The initial plan was to do so after the 787, but I think we may decide to advance that decision." Boeing will make that call this year, he says.
This change is thinking is "not so much related" to the 787 delay, but rather to customer requests. "The common question is: 'It sounds great for the 787 but can you do this for other types?'" says Avery.
GoldCare is designed to act as a single contact point for customers, delivering material management, engineering and maintenance services at predictable costs. Boeing has already tweaked the programme due to pressure from 787 customers that wanted it broken into smaller modules.
A consequence of the delay in 787 deliveries is that GoldCare decisions are also being postponed. "I think that, as we get closer and closer to delivery times, you'll start to see customer take-up."
Source: Flight International
