Holding Up the Sky: What FSTD Support Should Really Mean

One of the things we Sim Ops partners have in common is that we’ve all run Customer Service departments for FSTD TDMs over the years. So when one of our customers asked us what support they should expect with their new FFS we thought “easy” and listed what most of the TDMs offer, job done, uh no. They told us they knew very well what they were being offered, what they wanted to know is what support they “should” be asking for; now that's a very different question.

So we got to thinking, what should an FSTD purchaser expect, what would we expect?

First and foremost, the commitments made during the procurement phase and in the sales contracts to be fulfilled. For that to be made easier (see below “the curse of emails”) any commitments during the programme need to be formalised by contract amendments; easy to say, yes. Easy to do, no. Essential, yes.

Spare Parts

The overriding principle should be a commitment to make available spare parts for the life of the device, which of course requires the life of the device to be defined and committed to. But more specifically;

• For items designed and built to the TDM’s designs we expect a commitment to sell these at a reasonable price, i.e. at a rate similar to a COTS item of similar complexity and  technology. Furthermore, if the TDM is unable or unwilling to supply parts we would expect them to supply full manufacturing information to the customer with a licence to manufacture for their own use.

• For COTS items we expect the TDM to provide the details of where to purchase these without recourse to the TDM. No, not all TDMs do this and it’s silly, it only causes them reputational damage. Recently, we were helping a customer source a part for which the TDM had quoted a high number, a very high number, and refused to provide vendor details. A single photograph and “Google Lens” and we had identified the part in seconds and at a much more palatable price!

• We expect the TDM to issue annual pricing catalogues detailing common spares pricing and the cost of services, including support labour rates.

• We do not expect a TDM to restrict their major suppliers of non-TDM designed systems from selling directly to the end user. Yes we have seen that.

• When obsolescence is inevitably identified we expect the TDM to offer Form Fit Function alternatives or re-designs at a reasonable price.

• We also expect that TDMs retain stocks of spares with a known failure history that can lead to FSTD downtime and an organisation capable of shipping them 24/7.

• We expect TDMs to advise customers of known obsolescence issues at RFT to allow the customer to provision adequate spares for the life of the FSTD.

Repairs

• For items designed and built to the TDM’s designs we expect them to define whether parts are consumables or repairable. For those that are repairable we expect a commitment to maintain a repair capability for the life of the device and to maintain a stock of advance exchange parts.

• For COTS items we expect the TDM to provide the details of where these can be repaired after the warranty period, without recourse to the TDM.

Field Service Bulletins

We expect TDMs to issue Field Service Bulletins (FSBs) covering obsolescence, safety issues and latent defects. These need to be clear as to which devices they apply to. We have seen some, well many FSBs that are basically sales pitches, yes OK, but don’t over do it!

Latent Defects

For latent defects and discrepancies we expect the TDM to correct them without charge and promptly throughout the life of the device. What do we mean by latent defects? For software this is where discrepancies in the simulation are discovered, by any customer, such that the simulation does not meet the required standards. With the advent of product loads this isn’t even onerous for a TDM with a reasonable configuration control system. For hardware it is a little more difficult to define but as an example one of the companies we worked for discovered that the material specified for the main instrument panel for a particular aircraft type was incorrect. Well actually a customer discovered it when their instrument panel collapsed. This was an obvious latent defect, the wrong material had been specified, and the TDM replaced the structure on all the devices free of charge (actually we missed one that then failed, a phone conversation the author would rather forget).

Updates

We expect TDMs to offer aircraft standard updates, where the aircraft manufacturer defines simulation standards at reasonable costs, i.e. in proportion to the cost of a new device. Where modifications are mandated by aviation authority Air Directives or regulation changes these again should be offered at reasonable costs in proportion to the cost of a new device. Similarly regular Ground Station Database (GSD) updates, particularly when the format is specific to the device/TDM, should be provided on a regular basis at a nominal handling fee.

Technical Support

We expect TDMs to maintain a dedicated technical support group and to provide technical support for the life of their devices. What we find reprehensible, something the author saw 20 years ago as a response to a customer saying they were sorry; we don’t really know much about the devices built in 1980, there’s nobody left since the factory was closed. We’re sure that sort of thing wouldn’t happen today though.

In terms of technical support we expect that TDMs will provide a reasonable level of support, promptly, without cost. For example, we would not expect that phone calls or queries would be chargeable. Latent defects notwithstanding, though we would expect the TDM to charge reasonable rates for any fixes that we request that deviate from the original technical specification.

Technician Training

Most device sales include an amount of technician training. We expect TDMs retain a training capability for devices well past the production cycle for a given FSTD technology. At the point that they do declare that training for a given FSTD type is going to be discontinued we would expect an FSB to be issued, a last chance course offered and the training material provided to users.

My TDM just died!

Finally, should the TDM be sold or terminate their simulation activities we would expect customers to be either given access to all design data or that the new owners are contractually obliged to continue supporting the device until the end of its life.

Why doesn’t this always happen anyway?

As we said at the beginning of the blog we’ve all got the scars from running support organisations, so before closing let's look at some of the constraints the TDMs have. 

First and foremost support organisations are, although we stand to be corrected, all profit centres, i.e. they are expected to make money. Yes it is normal for a percentage of every device's sales price to be allocated to Customer Support to cover the warranty but that doesn’t last (a typical guaranteed support) 15 years! So they need to charge for some services, add margins to parts for example. 

The more established TDMs struggle to identify exactly what each customer was promised with multiple contracts over many years not to mention the curse of e-mail. Back in the 1980s, certainly for the TDMs we worked for, all project-related communications were written/typed and went out via the contracts office, woe betide the project manager who didn’t follow this rule. These were all logged and carbon copies retained (pause now while the under 50s google “carbon copy”). Fast forward to today and a typical exchange; 

Customer - I need a new malfunction to do X, Y and Z,

Support - OK we’ll get you a quote next week,

Customer - Quote? No, your sales manager promised us new malfunctions whenever we need them, this was confirmed by the project manager, see attached emails.

Of course the sales manager and project manager will have probably moved on and emails not available, so even if there were later agreements they are lost or victims of company retention policies.

How can Sim Ops Help

If you are looking to purchase a new FSTD we can review the TDM’s support proposals for you or write your RFQ. We’ve got the T-shirts!