Veteran FSE Sees (Almost) Everything Change

Honeywell Field Service Engineer Jack Wolf has seen a lot of changes during an aviation industry career spanning almost four decades.

The propulsion engines and auxiliary power units he supports today are more powerful, efficient and reliable than when he joined Honeywell in the mid-1980s. They use digital controls and sophisticated health-monitoring technologies. And they’re more connected than ever to other systems on the airplane and resources on the ground.

What hasn’t changed is Wolf’s commitment to providing business aircraft operators with the best possible service to keep their aircraft flying safely and efficiently. Wolf is known for around-the-clock availability and responsiveness, to the point where “Just call Jack” is the mantra for many operators across his territory.

“This job is all about getting customers the right answer as quickly as possible,” Wolf said. “Honeywell is committed to giving owners, pilots and directors of maintenance the support they need, whenever and wherever they need it. Often that means making a phone call to someone like me. Our goal is always first-call resolution of any customer problem and I deal with aircraft-on-ground situations for our customers just about every day.”

Wolf is able to get help from experienced teams of subject matter experts. “We have Technical Core Teams (TCTs) for each of our engine products,” he said. “They know our engines and APUs like the back of their hands and have all the technical documentation needed to get to the heart of any problem. That’s one of the great things about working with Honeywell; we’re the guys who developed and built the engine, which makes all the difference.”

Operators also can access the support they need on Honeywell’s information-rich MyAerospace.com customer portal. Wolf is a frequent contributor to the portal’s Technical Knowledge Center, where he and other field service engineers share case studies and other information to help customers resolve engine and APU issues.

Based in Minneapolis, Wolf works with Honeywell customers from throughout the Upper Midwest and south-central Canada, including such high-profile names as Cargill, Target, Xcel Energy, Emerson Electric and Monsanto. He often visits their operations in person to share information and hear about operators’ challenges and plans for the future.

Technology has come a long way since Wolf had trouble getting his first portable computer, a 20-plus-pound Compaq 286, through airport security on his way to visit a customer.

“There are lots of ways to connect with customers these days and we use them all,” he said. “For example, Facetime helps me reach maintenance teams in a hurry and see for myself the situation they’re addressing with the engine. We also have the Aerospace Remote Connect (ARC) technology that lets us log into a customer’s computer and download critical data from anywhere in the world. It really is a remarkable technology tool that helps us meet our customers’ needs quickly and efficiently."