The Gannet flock: Global Reach Aviation user profile

“For a comparatively small operator like Global Reach, making the right investment decisions can be absolutely critical!” Global Reach Aviation’s words on selection of Lundin’s Gannet 3 maintenance software.

When you find you need good advice on aircraft maintenance software but you don’t quite know where to start, who ya gonna’ call?

Well, the answer might just be an airworthiness consultancy, such as Lajgaard-Consult, based near Odense, in Denmark.

When Global Reach Aviation, a Billund-based “boutique airline”, was asking itself that very question, the company looked tentatively at various options, before making an inquiry to Lundin, about its Gannet aircraft maintenance software system.

Global Reach was founded in 2015 by pilots Camilla Engelbredt and Jacob Rasmussen, who share many years’ experience flying with commercial airlines and operating VIP flights.

The airline’s modest fleet comprises one 48-seat Bombardier CRJ200 and one 78-seat CRJ900 to fulfil charter requirements worldwide, including high security governmental flights, sports team transportation and bespoke ad hoc operations, all supported by its 25 dedicated employees.

With a major investment in the frame, Global Reach was understandably looking for reassurance that it was making the right decision – step forward Kristian Lajgaard, at the suggestion of Lundin.

Lajgaard could point to significant experience commissioning the Gannet system on behalf of other operators. “I said I could recommend this system because it is easy to use and logical,” he says.

His familiarity with Gannet dates back some years: “I have been a mechanic all my life and in 2008 I became responsible for some of the very first Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisations (CAMO).” At that time, he was managing the maintenance of a large number of different small aircraft types and used the SAM/ASA software system.

Then in 2015 he became part of a six-strong CAMO team at Nordic Aviation Capital, responsible for the maintenance of 250 regional aircraft available for lease, a figure that would rise to more than 500.

Aircraft in storage pending lease had to be maintained within an airworthiness programme, in readiness for potential operation but the system in use was difficult to use and not appropriate.

“I said I would like to introduce Gannet to the company, but when companies make a change like that it has to ‘come from the top’,”says Lajgaard, who began a partial introduction of Gannet for some aircraft types, including Embraer ERJ 190, CRJ 900, Q400 (Dash 8), Q300s and Q100s.

Gannet was partly implemented between 2015 and 2022, but then Nordic Aviation Capital decided to close its technical department, prompting Lajgaard to start up his own airworthiness consultancy.

At the time of writing he was supporting three companies in Gannet implementation, with a fourth on the horizon.

As a small operator, Global Reach values Lajgaard’s contribution. Lau Moeller, Nominated Person for Continuing Airworthiness (NPCA) at the company, says: “For a comparatively small operator like Global Reach, making the right investment decisions can be absolutely critical. When we need to select the most suitable maintenance software management system, we needed the reassurance that would come from someone with broad experience. Working with our consultant, Kristian Lajgaard, has provided us with precisely the comfort we were looking for and we can look forward to getting the most out of Lundin’s Gannet as we embrace its wide range of features.”