Navigating the current aviation marketplace with help from unexpected places
Sparrow Aviation Group, LLC.
You need it. We find it. You keep on flying.
We pride ourselves on being one of the most reliable, honest, and easy-to-work-with options for our customers in need of parts, exchange rotables, AOG service, repairs and asset management. Our customers don't get left in the dark. Trust us when we say, we really don’t take this lightly. You might be surprised to know that a smaller, family-owned operation could have so much reach and such a robust network. It is likely a bit unexpected, but we are here to tell you, it is very possible and it's real. Given our wonderful customers and the drive and tenacity of our team, who have now been directly serving the industry for more than five years, we have been achieving more than we imagined and filling a gap that has quickly become our niche. It all comes down to one important thing: relationships (and yes of course, maybe a few other key things too like tons of grit, perseverance, and sweat). We are not afraid of the extra late nights, early starts, or going the extra mile for every single person who trusts in us.
As part of our core dedication and commitment to our customers far and wide, Sparrow remains steadfast in selectively working with the most reputable and reliable of suppliers and OEM's where possible. We go to bat for our customers and ourselves when necessary. Furthermore, careful selection of customers is also imperative to how we do things and to maintaining a lean, efficient, and flexible operation that caters to our loyal operators & MRO's across the globe. Our customers stretch across nearly all continents, and customers range from small, intimate companies to larger Fortune 500 operations. Since COVID-19 in 2020, the aerospace/aviation market has continued to saturate with markup & profit-happy repair facilities, parts companies, and manufacturers with incomprehensible minimums and line MOQ's....not to mention the painful AOG fees and lack of transparency and communication in the customer sales experience. There are horror stories galore if you ask around. We witness many great and many not-so-great things in our industry daily, and as of late, some of the discrepancies and flaws in the #aftermarket for spares, as well as the #supplychain, are coming to light full-force. From astronomical piece-part markups & bill backs, to lack of OEM support for component repairs & overhauls, a huge shortage of materials and quarterly price hikes to extremely heated domestic and worldwide politics, the issues abound. However, there are even more sinister undertones that apparently go undetected by many customers because of the primary focus to simply get back to flying, at any cost. Example: Paying $50K plus for a repaired ERJ windshield....but why?! We have heard of colleagues paying far higher than this even...shame on those who did it to them. If you are an aviation consumer reading this, you don't have to do that if you know who to trust and where to go (yep, we said it and will say it time and time again - don't get screwed). Circumstance can get us into some weird and sticky situations sometimes, where options may be limited, but yes there really are better solutions if you look carefully in the right places. As both consumers and sellers, we know the good and bad of all sides in this business. And as an authorized buyer for multiple aircraft and fleets in both private and commercial sectors, we know what it is to be the operator, or representative, in many ways. Additionally, we also know the repair station and quality aspect very well, as our founder spent over a decade in those roles with hands-on experience with the customer, the MRO's, and the aircraft....There is so much to it all and so many moving parts constantly needing to be evaluated and improved upon when it comes to spares, inspections, and component repairs. Simply put, we are here to tell you that you don't always have to "bite the bullet" because the market is a mess. You do have options, and there are folks out there who are genuinely willing to put in the time, effort and work to ensure you have quality of all points at hand when you need it. And in the end, you will get back to flying, and better for it in most cases.
Sparrow continues to evaluate and vet our suppliers, components and processes to ensure the best outcomes for our customers in this difficult market. We will say something that most may not share or say: some companies seem to be doing abundantly well upfront, but they are doing so at the cost of their customers; happy hours, fancy dinners and client dates, but behind closed office doors and sales meetings, there is much more than meets-the-eye. Who is actually working? Like, really really working and getting it done for the customer and the plane? Who is sweating, stressing, and making the calls or actions to get something handled? Who is losing sleep so the customer doesn't necessarily have to? There are often tactics and strategies in place that ensure the customer is footing it all and isn’t always aware of how it is being done…One of the places we see this most is repair of windshields and other flight-critical rotables, especially right now. We diligently work to ensure we can support on cutting costs where we can for component repairs and overhauls, and we also help to simplify and support our repair stations with the parts they need to get their job done. It ends up being a win-win for everyone in the process and this is just one small example of how we support our client base, without request. It is simply what we do. And we really do enjoy it when we can put our value to use.
This is your reminder today to really get to know your vendors, take that time to do so, and keep track of who stays reliable and true to you and your business when it really counts. Who answered you when you needed it, and who made you and your business feel of value? We have experienced countless AOG's and fees incurred over the years, only for the parts to not be located after payment, not to move on time, or not be of suitable condition. So in the end, what was the point of additional fees if the support or quality wasn't even there to begin with? Some companies just cannot get it together, and though there are many reasons as to why that may be, such as too-high volume, major interdepartmental gaps, lack of staff or resources or other, issues with the MFR, there is a fact out there many of us who truly know this business cannot deny: companies are taking advantage. Some, not all, but many are. So what can we do to collectively help our own market? For starters, let's be honest, and let's be serious about the relationships we make and keep. Stop wasting people's time and energy, if you know you are doing it, then just stop. Because there are operators, customers, and real needs that need addressing and you are clogging the pipelines. Quality of parts is critical when they are going onto passenger or cargo aircraft, no matter what application. Service to customers should be something of utmost pride, and together as an industry we should all be working as one to maintain affordable parts and solutions that keep things around the world moving. Where corners are cut in aviation, we all know what dangerous things that can lead to. And we do see corners being cut just to save a flight or save a few bucks. It is a delicate dance and balance. Small spares and parts do matter just as much as the high price-tag pieces. It is all equally important. As a business at the end of the day, we are not shy to turn away a sale or work if our values of service, reputation and parts are not acknowledged or of concern. Because the fact is, it should be. Our team strives to ensure we pass on worthwhile savings and a solid experience to our customers, making it as painless and easy as possible, never sacrificing value, integrity or quality. If you don't know yet, just ask our long-time customers, and feel free to reach out to our team that is always standing by to support you with the care and service you ought to have in this dynamic industry. You will always get a refreshing bit from us! We are never shy or afraid to share a backstory on why we do things the way we do, and how years of industry and entrepreneurial experience has allowed us to provide something good for our customers, both new and existing alike. With lots of exciting things to come from Sparrow, we welcome you to stay tuned and hope these tidbits help in making more informed decisions and helping our industry become a safer, more transparent and even more fruitful frontier.
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A few updates for our customers:
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Reach out to us at (954) 698-4274 and contact our Sales & Business Manager, Jessica Kalisch-Prada, for more information or for questions about our company.
ASA-100 & FAA AC 00-56B Accredited, Proudly veteran-owned & operated
Proud dealer for INGENIO Aerospace in neighboring Canada. Ask us about beautiful, stylish and functional accessories for the cockpit & cabin and how we can help make your aircraft stand out and serve as a place of both productivity and leisure, on the fly***