Shortstop Jet Charter Gains from HAPP Avionics Protection

Australia’s longest continually operating jet charter and aircraft management company, Shortstop Jet Charter, operates six aircraft from its base at Essendon Fields Airport in Melbourne and in the last year has flown to 50 destinations in four continents.

Business aircraft within the fleet include a Learjet 31 and a Falcon 900. When not carrying their owners, the aircraft are chartered by high net worth individuals, show business people and senior government officials for who safety, reliability and flexibility are key.

Both aircraft are fitted with Honeywell avionics. In order to keep potentially expensive repair costs under control and to minimize aircraft on ground (AOG) incidents, Shortstop Jet Charter covers the aircraft with the Honeywell Avionics Protection Plan (HAPP).

A fixed-price HAPP contract guarantees that any avionics repair bills won’t exceed a set figure, taking the uncertainty out of annual budget planning.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for AOG emergencies and provides priority access to genuine Honeywell parts, backed by the company’s spares exchange (SPEX) program.

“We’ve had several occasions when it’s been worthwhile,” said Shortstop Jet Charter’s managing director and chief pilot Michael Falls Senior. “We’ve had at least one integrated avionics unit (IAU) fail and we had something down from Singapore the next day. We’re ahead of the game financially.

“The main thing is that it gives us peace of mind and it gives the owners peace of mind that if something goes, it’s covered under what they have already budgeted. We’re going to continue to use it.”