Starlite Aviation
Starlite is a leading provider of helicopter services with a specialization in complex missions, including relief work, helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS), medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and on/offshore oil and gas support. Starlite operates more than 45 aircraft, including a variety of Airbus, Bell, Guimbal, Robinson and Sikorsky helicopters, and TAF Sling 2 light fixed-wing aircraft.
A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Rodney Meier is Starlite’s Managing Director of Maintenance for Africa. He has been in his current role for the past five years. Previously, Rodney was with Denel for 40 years, where he started as an apprentice. Working principally with the South African Air Force, Rodney developed a specialization in rotorcraft maintenance.
“I would not hesitate to recommend Traxxall to another aircraft operator. In fact, we have already done so! Another South African company visited our facilities to better understand how to use Traxxall. They must have been quite pleased because not long after, they became Traxxall customers too!”
The Challenge
“Previously, we were using a competing system for our maintenance tracking needs,” explains Rodney. “There were shortcomings and it was not well-suited for inventory management. We also felt that customer support had declined.”
The Implementation
“We started discussions with Traxxall in early 2016 and implemented the system later that year. Our decision was facilitated by the quality of service provided by Traxxall. Particularly, Robert Peterson impressed us with his knowledge and commitment. Having Robert on the file just made things easier for everybody. Personal relationships and trust played a big role in our decision.”
The Benefits of Traxxall
“From our perspective, the main benefit of Traxxall is that it helps us better manage our fleet by simplifying the procurement of parts, which minimizes aircraft downtimes. With Traxxall, we are able to forecast spare part and tooling requirements well before scheduled maintenance milestones. With it, maintenance simply flows more efficiently.”
“Traxxall’s customer support is also very good. Despite the time zones separating South Africa and North America, Traxxall’s analysts are accessible, responsive, knowledgeable and very helpful.”