Aircraft on Ground (AOG) Shipping
What is AOG?
AOG stands for Aircraft on Ground which is a term that can cause immediate panic for many in the aerospace industry. On-ground meaning that an airplane has been indefinitely grounded. This aircraft on the ground is usually in need of repair or replacing a component. It is extremely costly to have an aircraft out of commission. For instance, an airline with a grounded passenger plane incurs the cost of reimbursement to the passengers for their lost flight and nearby accommodation. In addition, they must also pay their airline employees and for the storage of the plane at the airport.
How is an Aircraft on Ground Fixed?
This is where Aircraft on Ground shipping comes in. AOG shipping is a vital need of aerospace companies. Often a jet engine or aircraft replacement part must get from point A to point B as quickly as possible so companies look towards AOG shipping to do just that. This is necessary in order to minimize the continuously growing costs- which can be hundreds of thousands of dollars a day!
AOG Shipment for a Professional Sports Franchise
One of the most interesting AOG shipments we have done was for a professional sports team’s plane. They called to tell us that their plane’s engine had lost a fan blade and they needed their Rolls Royce RB211 engine delivered ASAP. After that, we quickly got a crane ready to load their special cargo onto an air ride trailer. Their jet engine was delivered to Houston overnight and they were able to make it to their game that week!
What can Next Exit Logistics do for me?
Whether you are having an emergency or planning for regular scheduled AOG maintenance, Next Exit Logistics is ready to handle your aircraft engine and parts transportation with our AOG shipping services.
We take pride in being one of America’s leading heavy equipment brokers and transportation management companies. Our team invests in the latest shipping technology and are experts in load securement procedures. Our technicians skillfully fit your equipment with protective pads and tarps. In this way, your shipment will certainly be protected from road hazards and extreme weather. Whether you require local, regional, or transcontinental aerospace transport, Next Exit will deliver your jet engine or aircraft components with care and efficiency.
Our unique combination of certifications and services make us a leader in logistics, trucking, and freight companies. Our team charts the optimal routes for AOG shipping, and our reliable professional truckers and carriers know how to handle unwieldy loads such as jet engine or helicopter shipments. Next Exit delivers superior Aircraft on Ground shipping services from your first phone call to the final unload of your aerospace equipment.
Emergency Shipping
Do you have emergency shipping needs? Our best clients sometimes have emergencies come up in their supply chain. The majority of Next Exit Logistics’ clients are vendors for their own customers. Their customers measure them by the speed of their response when the pressure is high. Here is a much appreciated thank-you letter a client sent us just last week for our successful solution for her urgent shipment:
Good morning all!
First I want to say THANK YOU to everyone involved in this major emergency project. Having something last minute is always a tense situation especially when it is time sensitive, but Next Exit really pulled thru for us! The equipment was here on time this morning and it is currently being off loaded now. Our customer will be extremely happy, and in turn so are we!
Our client reached out to us at 10:30 AM about her emergency shipment. She was very concerned about this shipment arriving to its destination on time. The equipment needed to be picked up that same afternoon and delivered first thing the next morning. It was an all-hands-on-deck situation for us! We assured her that there was no need to worry and we would handle everything from there. Our team was able to put together a solution for an overnight driver to deliver everything by 7 AM the next day. She was relieved.
Above all else, our client’s response is why we do what we do. We are here to take our clients’ emergency shipping stress and turn it into emergency shipping success! Likewise, we want you to have confidence when you entrust someone with your important and time sensitive shipments. Be sure to let us know when you have an emergency shipment and we will make sure it is safely delivered on time.
Five steps for trucking companies to become more desirable to a shipper. Part 1
- Please update us when you have arrived at the pickup. WHY? The shipping location might need to direct your driver and truck to a certain location on the property for their safety. This action can save you time, avoid hazards at the site, and get loaded faster. You might accidently be at the wrong gate or yard (I know this never happens). This helps me hold the rest of the supply chain accountable. I can notify our client, and I can alert the crew needed to start loading. This prevents wasting your valuable hours of service.
- Inform us that your loaded BEFORE you have departed. WHY? To make certain the truck was provided all the correct documents at loading. In case the shipment isn’t loaded legally, safely, or correctly. We can ensure the right items are loaded on your truck. I can now notify the receiver their material is on the way.
- Let us know when you arrive at the receiver. WHY? The GPS gets you to an address but, sometimes the delivery site is many acres in size. The truck can’t see or figure out where to go to find the unloading location. The staff might be working near loud machinery, or don’t have windows in order to see or hear that you have arrived. I might have someone meet your truck and guide you safely to the exact place to park for unloading.
- I would love to have an update when you have departed the receiver. WHY? The destination might not understand the amount of time a truck needs to put the tools away after an unload. I might have a reload for you ready now. I need to inform the client that is not at the jobsite know that the unload is complete.
- Email us a photo of your truck loaded with this freight. WHY? This could possibly prove that you secured this shipment safely. The new people in the office get more interested in carriers when they see the photo. I have seen employees go out of their way to find work for trucks that send photos. Our office has picked one carrier over another for future shipments just because they emailed to the dispatchers a couple of amazing photos of your truck and the shipment. I have personally seen a shipper spend 10 weeks building a project that took 15 minutes to load and the shipper and the staff is so proud to see their finished work. This is free advertising for you, and no one else will do this.
This is written from a flatbed, step deck, specialized, and heavy haul perspective. But I know some of this is accurate for 53’ dry vans. I am not a shipper, but we have clients that want us to fully act on their behalf for their projects. Chandler Magann
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