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Behind the scenes: Your plane has been delivered!
Next month, airBaltic will reach a significant milestone by receiving its 50th Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The acceptance and delivery of planes is a meticulous process, involving a team of airBaltic engineers, technicians, and pilots flying out for the final inspections to Mirabel in Canada, where the A220-300 is assembled. Jānis Bitenieks leads this team, and this will be the 11th plane he’s delivered. This particular plane will be special in terms of its livery design, which was inspired by suggestions submitted by local and international artists and designers.
Bitenieks has worked at airBaltic for 20 years now. After graduating from Riga Technical University, he looked for a relevant job in aviation, focusing in particular on vacancies at airBaltic. And since then, he’s never left.
airBaltic was a completely different company back then.
Yes, the company has grown enormously! And when I started, it had other types of aircraft in its fleet: the Fokker 50 and the Boeing 737, which had just joined the fleet at that time.
What were your job responsibilities then?
I was a reliability engineer, and I remained in that job for the next 18 years [laughs]. Basically, it means monitoring the efficiency of aircraft maintenance. I collected all kinds of information related to the maintenance of our aircraft, the number of flights, defects, and so on. Then, by analysing this information, various problem areas were identified, as well as potentially problematic areas, and I had to report this to the management, which in turn made decisions on what to do next. Interestingly, each individual aircraft has its own little nuances, certain areas that require more attention than others.
My job also involved providing feedback to the manufacturer so that it’s aware of how the operators of its planes are getting on with any particular aircraft. Because aircraft manufacturers are also involved in the development of corrective actions.
Does that mean you worked on several aircraft types at the same time?
Yes, I had to learn both the Fokker 50 and the Boeing 737. Then for a while we had two Boeing 757s in the fleet for long-haul flights. Then we got our first Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s, which marked the beginning of airBaltic’s collaboration with Bombardier, the same company that also developed the newest aircraft in our fleet. Back then it was known as the Bombardier CS300, but the programme was later taken over by Airbus.
Now airBaltic’s fleet consists solely of new Airbus A220-300s, and it’s a very large fleet compared to other operators in Europe, so we’ve grown very significantly. Since the pandemic, we’ve been flying with one type of aircraft, which greatly improves efficiency. Naturally, I had to learn this type of aircraft as well.
In late 2022, I was offered a new position as Fleet Project Manager, which means managing various technical projects.
How did your day-to-day routine at work change?
Before, my work was more analytical; now it’s more organisational. I’m responsible for several technical projects, including aircraft deliveries, and my job is to coordinate all the parties involved in the projects to make them work efficiently. The work is noticeably more dynamic.
It probably also means that you often travel to Canada?
Yes, Canada already feels a bit like my second home [laughs]. I go there several times a year.
How is an aircraft accepted and delivered?
Once Airbus has assembled the aircraft, I go to Canada with our technical team to take delivery of the aircraft. First, we inspect and check the plane. We also need to do a customer acceptance flight, which means that our airBaltic representatives fly the aircraft for the first time. Test flights are carried out according to a specially defined programme, and the aircraft is tested in various modes. Our pilot makes sure that all the systems work and that they work in accordance with the specifications.
The next stage is a ground inspection, which goes on for several days. The aircraft is parked in a hangar, and our engineers and technician get to work. Also following a set programme, the aircraft is visually inspected from all sides and in all its nooks and crannies.
Aircraft manufacturing involves a lot more manual labour than, for example, car manufacturing, because making an aircraft is much more complex. And, as always, where human hands are involved, there’s room for error. So there are several stages to inspecting an aircraft. Stage inspections also take place during production, and our representative in Canada is present for those, too. He follows the whole production process, getting access to areas that are no longer accessible once the aircraft has been assembled.
Everything needs to be checked as well as possible so that we can accept the aircraft and do not need to make any complaints and claims later.
It’s a huge responsibility.
In principle, the responsibility lies with the manufacturer. To begin with, the aviation authorities certify not only the design but also the production phases of an aircraft. Therefore, when we arrive at the factory, we’re already sure that the aircraft is completely safe, but we nevertheless want to check everything, even the small details that do not affect flight safety but may, for example, cost us extra in the long term. Whether it’s a small scratch in the paintwork or something like that.
Each finding needs to be carefully assessed – what’s important to fix on the spot in Canada, and what can be accepted and fixed later by our own maintenance staff in Riga.
The acceptance process lasts about a week, and then we – the whole team – fly home to Riga in the new plane.
How many people are there in the team?
Usually six to ten people: at least three engineers and one technician, one pilot, and myself. A first officer joins us shortly before our departure from Canada. Sometimes we also take some new colleagues along who will eventually take part in the process.
The A220-300 is also a big project and a source of pride for Airbus, which regularly participates in various airshows around the world.
Yes, the Airbus marketing programme includes demonstration flights, in which airBaltic has also participated, so that Airbus can show its product to other airlines. I think this process has been very successful for the company, because we’re seeing more and more airlines joining the circle of operators for this aircraft model.
I know that you’re also an instructor, passing your knowledge on to others.
Yes, I currently also teach at Liepāja State Technical School, with which airBaltic has a special cooperation programme. These are young, high school-age students, and the important thing is to simply talk to them about what an aircraft consists of, why these particular elements, and so on. It has to be presented as simply as possible, because otherwise students noticeably lose attention.
As our airline grows, we need ever more new specialists. We need technicians and engineers, and the situation is certainly the same in other departments as well. That’s why this cooperation with Liepāja State Technical College is very important for us.
There are students who are very interested, actively listening and asking questions. There are also students with previous experience in aviation, and their questions are very specific and serious, so classes often turn into very interesting, meaningful discussions.
Do any of your students now work for airBaltic?
Yes, I’m very happy to see my former students in the aircraft hangar, already working with the planes. It’s nice to see the result of our work. Teaching is an opportunity to influence young people in a positive way.
But life isn’t only about flying and planes.
I have free time, but I have to find it. Nowadays, it’s up to each one of us individually how much free time we have. I get emails on my phone 24/7. My colleagues in Canada only begin working when we’re finishing up the day, so my work doesn’t stop at 6 p.m.
Self-discipline is important. I can’t always just put my phone down and not notice that an email has arrived, but of course it depends on the urgency of the work. If there are projects that need to be finished as soon as possible, then you also have to get involved late at night. But you do need to balance work and leisure.
For me, leisure is often associated with travelling. I like being active in nature – hiking, jogging. Travel is my hobby, and my work gives me a significant advantage in this regard. I appreciate the opportunity to fly not only with airBaltic but also with other airlines at reduced prices.
5 things that characterise JĀNIS BITENIEKS’ DAY:
Morning routines
For me, every morning begins with a cold shower for an energy boost for the entire day. I also bicycle to the office every day, regardless of the season and the weather. Arriving at my desk in a good mood and with a high level of energy lets me jump straight into the day’s tasks.
Planning for the day
My day begins with running through the project statuses and setting the priorities for the day. A cup of black coffee greatly assists in these tasks. This is also a good time to reply to any unanswered e-mails and make sure there are no tasks that have overrun their deadlines.
Collaboration with colleagues
Despite the many opportunities nowadays for working remotely, I highly value personal interaction and face-to-face meetings with my colleagues. This makes information exchange much more efficient and greatly helps in making decisions. We have a very nice and modern office space that facilitates efficient collaboration.
Afternoon meetings
Most of the projects I lead require involvement with Airbus Canada. Due to the time zone difference, their working day starts when it’s already late afternoon in Riga, making those few overlapping hours an ideal time for on-line meetings. So, these meetings often make up my afternoon routine.
Non-routines
But routine-wise, no two days are exactly the same in my job. Some projects require travel and working away from home and office. This leads to changes in the workflow, but thanks to modern IT tools and connectivity, I always get the essential updates while keeping track of the current projects.