Fleet Care Program at Palermo Falcone e Borsellino (LICJ)

Why consider a fleet program at Palermo rather than booking each visit separately?

A charter certificate or corporate flight department working from Palermo often runs ten, fifteen, twenty movements a month across two or three tail numbers. Booking every wash, cabin refresh and decon as a one-off means negotiating availability each time, waiting for a quote, issuing a purchase order, then reconciling invoices at month-end. The fleet program collapses that cycle: we agree the scope—quick exterior rinse after every second leg, full cabin detail monthly, two-stage polish each quarter—then you tell us when the aircraft will be on stand and we appear.

The monthly invoice covers all tails under the contract, so your accounts team processes one line instead of a dozen. Service history and photographs live in a shared folder; your chief pilot can show an owner exactly what was done on 15 March without chasing paperwork. If an aircraft goes AOG or a schedule changes at two hours' notice, the program guarantees a crew and priority access to our calendar because we have already reserved capacity for your fleet.

What changes at Palermo Falcone e Borsellino for a recurring detailing contract?

Palermo sits at 65 feet elevation on the northern Sicilian coast at Punta Raisi, 35 kilometres west-north-west of the city centre in Cinisi. That distance matters: a crew or contractor based in Palermo faces a thirty-to-forty-minute transfer each way, so a quick turn scheduled between legs needs the team on site before the inbound lands. The airport is managed by GES.A.P. and offers two runways—07/25 at 3,326 metres (60 metres wide, displaced thresholds at both ends) and the shorter 02/20 at 2,068 metres—which means operational flexibility for business jets in any wind, but also that an aircraft may park on either the southern or northern apron depending on traffic.

Under a fleet program we coordinate with handling agents present at the airport to confirm stand allocation before each visit, then position our crew airside so the turnaround clock starts the moment chocks are in. Summer brings steady charter traffic and occasional water restrictions; the program's service calendar accounts for seasonal peaks and builds in a dry-wash or rinseless option when mains supply is limited. Because we work the same tails month after month, the team learns each aircraft's cheat-line profile, cabin materials and any OEM notes in the tech log, which cuts setup time and eliminates the briefing you would otherwise repeat with a new contractor every visit.

How does the program handle short turnarounds between charter legs?

A Palermo-based charter operator often runs morning positioning to the mainland, an afternoon return, then an evening departure to North Africa or the eastern Mediterranean. The aircraft may sit on stand for ninety minutes between the first return and the evening departure—enough time for refuelling, catering and a quick exterior wash if the crew is already airside with kit ready. The fleet program reserves that crew: we receive your preliminary schedule at the start of each month, confirm which visits need a quick turn and which can take a longer slot, then allocate technicians and equipment so nothing delays pushback.

If the inbound leg runs late or the handler moves the aircraft to a different stand, the program's 24/7 contact line lets your dispatcher or handling agent reach us directly. We reposition on the apron, complete the exterior rinse or cabin vacuum within the revised window, and update the service log so your chief pilot sees exactly what was delivered. One-off bookings rarely offer that flexibility because the contractor is managing six other requests the same afternoon and cannot guarantee a crew will be free when your schedule shifts.

What does the handler expect when a third-party detailing crew works airside at Palermo?

Handling agents present at the airport expect any third-party contractor to hold a valid airside pass, carry public-liability insurance that names the airport operator, and coordinate every movement through the handler's ramp supervisor. We arrive at the agreed time, check in with the supervisor, confirm the stand number and any live GPU or pitot-cover requirements, then set up our kit without crossing active taxiways or entering no-go zones around avionics bays and static ports.

The handler also expects the contractor to leave the ramp clean: no standing water that might freeze overnight in winter, no polish residue on the apron surface, all waste and used materials bagged and removed. Under the fleet program those expectations become routine because the same crew works your aircraft every visit, the handler recognises our van and our process, and any site-specific rules—particular stand constraints, seasonal curfew on water use, escort requirements for access to remote hardstands—are already documented in the service calendar. That familiarity reduces friction, speeds setup and gives your flight crew confidence that the turnaround will finish on time.

How is the monthly budget structured and what happens if flight hours drop mid-year?

We calculate a fixed monthly fee per tail number based on the agreed service calendar: if the contract specifies two quick exterior washes and one full cabin detail each month, plus a two-stage polish every quarter, we divide the annual cost by twelve so your budget is predictable. The invoice arrives on the first of the month, covers all visits in the preceding period, and includes a line-item breakdown with date, service type and tail number so your accounts team can allocate costs to the correct aircraft or cost centre.

If utilisation falls—a tail enters heavy maintenance, a charter certificate is suspended for two months, or winter season sees half the usual movements—the quarterly review lets us adjust the calendar and recalculate the fee for the remaining term. Conversely, if you add a fourth tail mid-contract or increase frequency to meet peak demand, we issue a variation order with the new monthly figure and update crew allocation. That flexibility distinguishes a fleet program from a rigid annual contract: the structure is stable enough for budgeting but responsive enough to match real-world operations at a seasonal base like Palermo.

What happens during the quarterly appearance review?

Every three months we sit down—in person at your Palermo office or by video call—with your chief pilot, flight-department manager or charter operations lead to review the previous quarter's service history. We bring photographs of each aircraft before and after key visits, compare the condition of brightwork and belly panels across the fleet, and discuss any recurring issues: stone chips on the nose that need touch-up, galley scuff marks that suggest a change in catering process, or leading-edge staining that indicates a need for more frequent decon.

The review also looks forward: if summer charter season is approaching we confirm whether additional quick turns or a pre-season two-stage polish should be added to the calendar; if one tail will be out of service for avionics upgrades we pause its monthly fee; if you are considering a fourth aircraft we scope the cost to bring it into the program mid-term. The meeting typically lasts thirty to forty-five minutes and produces a short written summary with any agreed changes, updated service calendar and revised monthly budget. That discipline ensures the program evolves with your operation rather than running on autopilot until the twelve-month term expires.