Beth Wright on a career keeping aviation moving — from cabin crew to Artemis Aerospace
For Beth Wright, aviation has always been about keeping things moving. After three years working as cabin crew for British Airways, she moved from experiencing aircraft operations first-hand to helping keep aircraft flying from a very different perspective.
Now Global Sales Director, Component Sales at Artemis Aerospace, Beth works with aircraft owners and lessors to source components, manage time-critical requirements and navigate the challenges that come with aircraft transitions and lease returns.
After seven years at Artemis, she shares her experience of aircraft component supply, the changing aviation landscape and why taking ownership is so important when time is against you.
Keeping aircraft transitions on track despite supply chain pressures
One of the biggest challenges we see when supporting lessors is the combination of supply chain delays and intense time pressure. There have been a lot of issues with manufacturers and OEMs since Covid, meaning things aren’t being manufactured as quickly as they could be.
At the same time, having an aircraft sitting in a hangar comes at a significant cost, while maintenance teams are under pressure to complete work as quickly as possible. Everything needs to be done so quickly and it’s our job to ensure deadlines can be met as soon as possible.
Effective aircraft component supply is about much more than simply finding a part. It’s about understanding the wider project, responding promptly and making sure the component gets to where it needs to be.
Taking the pressure off lessors through project management
Having good project management gives our lessors better visibility and certainty. They can focus on bigger issues while we take some of the day-to-day pressure off their shoulders.
Artemis also brings specialist knowledge and dedicated time to the process, helping customers find quality parts that meet their requirements without having to manage component sourcing alongside their other responsibilities.
Reliability, responsiveness and ownership matter
When choosing a partner for aircraft asset management and component support, it’s my belief that three things in particular stand out: reliability, responsiveness and ownership.
You don’t want to waste your time going to someone who can’t give you what you need. With tight deadlines putting pressure on lessors and owners, responsiveness is equally important. And that relationship goes further than simply responding to an enquiry. It’s about seeing a project through from start to finish. We never start something and abandon it. We always see it through until final delivery.
It’s an approach that has helped us build long-standing relationships, with many customers coming to us through word of mouth.
Using AI to become more proactive about aircraft maintenance
AI and predictive analytics are no doubt going to play an increasingly important role in aircraft lifecycle management in the future. One of the most interesting opportunities is the potential to use aircraft records and data to improve visibility of what may be required ahead of a maintenance check.
It will allow for a lot more visibility and proactiveness, taking some of the surprise away as to what may need to be done when it comes to an aircraft going into check. This improved information in advance could give operators and lessors more time to prepare, with potential benefits for both maintenance timeframes and costs.
Navigating airworthiness requirements across jurisdictions
For lessors managing aircraft and components across different jurisdictions, evolving aviation regulations create another layer of complexity. With the UK and EASA operating within separate and ever-changing regulatory frameworks, keeping records up to date and understanding exactly what needs to be checked can be a challenge.
Effective data management and knowing what to look for are essential when supporting customers with aircraft airworthiness and complex regulatory requirements.
Taking a proactive approach to aircraft lifecycle costs
As aircraft remain in service for longer and maintenance and engine costs rise, proactive asset management becomes increasingly important. If an aircraft is going to remain on lease for an extended period, owners and lessors need to consider whether life-limited components have sufficient service life to cover that period.
For us at Artemis, that means helping customers source quality components with an appropriate lifespan – supporting effective aircraft lifecycle management while helping protect asset value.
From cabin crew to the other side of aviation
I studied aviation operations at college and had a dream to become cabin crew. I went on to spend three years flying with British Airways across short- and long-haul routes. I really enjoyed it, but the lifestyle that came with it had an expiry date. I wanted to settle down, get my teeth into something and think about progression.
Joining the Artemis Aerospace team gave me the opportunity to stay in an industry I love while moving into a completely different area. I went from being the person impacted by aircraft faults and the delays they cause, to going to the other side and being in a position to do something about them.
Seven years on, no two days are the same, but typically I start my day checking for AOGs (Aircraft On Ground} and time-critical requirements. Otherwise, a lot of my time is spent sourcing components, monitoring orders and logistics, and keeping in touch with customers and suppliers.
For me, the best part of my job is being able to solve problems under pressure. To go from having a major problem with an aircraft, to resolving it by the deadline is hugely satisfying.
We don’t just solve obvious problems, either. We get some very unusual requests. Once we got asked to deliver dental putty. So that’s exactly what we did!
Thanks to Beth for sharing her views and insight. You can read more about Beth’s role on our Teams Page and find her on LinkedIn.
