Onsite with a Field Service Engineer: Frederic Chardes

Introducing Frederic Chardes. Frederic is based in Rolle Switzerland and supports our business aviation and airline customers with a wealth of experience in products ranging from cabin entertainment to cockpit avionics and communication system components.

Why did you choose a career in aerospace?

When I was a child, I dreamed of being a fighter pilot but rapidly understood that it would be a difficult target for me to achieve. With hard work and dedication, my dreams finally came true because now I am working closely with airplanes every day. Aviation is a real passion for me. Every day, when I’m onsite working closely with our customers, I say to myself how lucky I am to work in this incredible field of aviation.

How would you describe your job as a Field Service Engineer?

I started my career in the airline maintenance world back in 1997 at the end of my electrical avionics’ apprenticeship and Army service. As a Field Service Engineer for Honeywell, I support many “in service” technical issues worldwide for business aviation and airline customers and specialize in BGA aircraft and components ranging from cabin entertainment to cockpit avionics and communication systems.

How do you develop positive relationships with customers in your position?

We have a standardized internal process in place to onboard customers to Honeywell. One of the first things I do for our new customers is to provide them with access to our MyAerospace portal and guide them through the portal step by step, demonstrating all the benefits that are available for our customers. Quality communication is critical when it comes to creating positive relationships with our customers. I highly encourage our customers to provide accurate and detailed problem descriptions to better assist them with the most effective support from our Field Service Engineers.

How do you connect with other FSEs to share ideas, ask for advice, or just get to know each other?

I am based in Rolle Switzerland in the Vaud Canton headquarters offices for Honeywell EMEAI. Within the EMEAI, ATS network, we have daily regional team calls to discuss customer issues and share new ideas and solutions. For specific product lines, Field Service Engineers will attend knowledge sessions, which connects us to other FSEs all over the world. As you can imagine, we are always trying to stay up to date on the latest technologies.

What are the challenges of working with customers who are close in proximity vs. customers across the globe?

I do support mainly France and Switzerland Maintenance Repair and Overhaul / Operators; however, I can be deployed for support anywhere else within the EMEAI region when required. Having this flexibility allows me to reach customers all over the globe. Communication via email and phone is also essential when dealing with global customers.