Meet Arnaud Debat: Bombardier Mobile Response Team Manager in Nice, France
When Arnaud Debat began his career in aircraft maintenance in 1994, the first aircraft he worked on was Bombardier’s successful CRJ-100 regional jet, back when Bombardier was also manufacturing commercial aircraft.
After years of maintaining other airliners, the EASA-licensed engineer jumped at the chance to move into business aviation as a member of Bombardier’s Mobile Response Team (MRT) in Nice, France. That was seven years ago, and Debat hasn’t looked back since. As manager of the six-member crew permanently based in Nice, he enjoys the fact that every day on the job is different.
“We are here to support the customer, so if they are flying to Nice they may request a maintenance slot from us,” he explained. “Most of the time, it involves one to three days of work. There is no routine for us; we are an on-demand service. We cover from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, and our technicians are experienced and certified on all Bombardier platforms.”
If an aircraft is grounded, the Nice MRT stays until the job is done.
“We are there to support our business aviation customers,” said Debat. “Mainly, we work on European-registered aircraft, but we also support others.”
The Nice MRT operates from three mobile platforms and orders parts when needed. The team prides itself on delivering exceptional service.
“Recently, we had to change a cockpit side window,” recalled Arnaud. “The aircraft was on the departure stand ready to go when the issue was discovered. We showed up immediately and investigated that same day. Parts were ordered and the window was replaced without delay. Normally, that is a job that takes up to three days, including the sealant cure time. It was winter, so the colder weather made it more challenging to get this job done, but we achieved it within three days.”
He continued: “Our customers are flying everywhere in the world and they expect Bombardier and the MRT to answer their requests at any time, no matter where they are located. It is our team’s main goal and our pleasure to fulfil this requirement in Nice and the surrounding Mediterranean area.”
Debat said aircraft owners always appreciate Bombardier’s high standards and OEM-quality support.
“I am proud to see owners satisfied by our operation and happy to fly again,” he concluded.
“Customers like to see Bombardier technicians; they know the aircraft will be correctly handled from A to Z. Their aircraft is safe and ready to fly because it was in Bombardier hands.”
When the unexpected happens, Bombardier’s Mobile Response Team is there for you. Trucks and vans are specially equipped with ground support equipment and tooling to perform AOG and unscheduled maintenance at an operator’s location or remote base. Bombardier currently operates 34 MRT vehicles in the U.S., Europe and the UAE. To book your appointment for unscheduled maintenance, contact the Bombardier Customer Response Centre or Maintenance Control Centre nearest you:
North America:
T: +1 866-538-1247 Option 4, Option 2
T: +1 514-855-2999 Option 4, Option 2
Europe:
+43 664 80 995 333