Evaluating MRO Proposals: A Checklist for Aircraft Operators
Maintenance quotes rarely arrive in the same format. One shop prices a firm inspection package, another prices hours and parts separately, and a third leaves discovery work out entirely. This checklist gives operators a repeatable way to compare MRO proposals apples-to-apples on scope, schedule and price before selecting a shop.
1. Normalize the scope before you compare price
Two proposals are only comparable when they cover the same work. Rebuild each quote against your own work scope line by line before you look at the total.
- List every inspection, AD, service bulletin and discrepancy you asked for.
- Mark which items each shop quoted, excluded, or quietly rolled into another line.
- Ask each shop to reprice any missing item rather than assuming it is included.
2. Separate firm price from estimate
Most maintenance estimates blend a firm base price with allowances that move. Know which dollars are contractual and which are placeholders.
- Firm/not-to-exceed base for the inspection package.
- Estimated hours for discrepancies discovered during the event.
- Parts allowance versus actual cost-plus billing, and the markup percentage.
3. Check the labor rate math, not just the rate
A lower hourly rate can still produce a higher invoice if the quoted hours are optimistic or overtime is billed differently.
- Straight-time rate, overtime rate, and when overtime is triggered.
- Quoted man-hours per task versus the manufacturer's published times.
- Whether shop supplies, environmental fees and consumables are a flat percentage.
4. Price the schedule, not just the work
Downtime is usually the largest real cost of a maintenance event. Treat induction date and turn time as priced terms.
- Firm induction date and committed return-to-service date.
- What happens to the slot if your aircraft arrives late.
- Penalties, credits or escalation path if the shop misses the promised date.
5. Confirm capability and authority for your aircraft
Capability lists are broad; authority is specific. Verify the shop can legally and practically complete your work on your serial number.
- Repair station certificate ratings and any limitations that apply.
- OEM authorization or factory-trained technicians for your make and model.
- Avionics, paint, interior and NDT work performed in-house versus subcontracted.
6. Read the parts policy closely
Parts are where estimates and invoices diverge most. The policy matters more than the quoted parts total.
- New, overhauled, serviceable or PMA — and who approves substitutions.
- Core charges, exchange terms and lead-time exposure on long-lead items.
- Warranty term and whether it covers labor to remove and reinstall.
7. Score the proposals, then decide
Write down the weighting before the quotes arrive so price does not silently dominate a decision that is really about downtime and risk.
- Total realistic cost including a discovery contingency of 10–25%.
- Downtime cost measured in days of lost availability.
- Confidence in the schedule and the quality of the shop's communication.
Compare proposals without chasing shops
MannaCore routes a single maintenance request to qualified MRO hangars and returns proposals in a normalized side-by-side format — scope, schedule and pricing aligned so the comparison is already done for you. It is free for operators.
Related reading
- What Private Jet Maintenance Actually Costs Per Flight HourScheduled inspections, engine reserves, and unscheduled squawks — how the per-hour number is really built, and where operator budgets usually break.
- Part 145 Repair Stations Explained: Ratings, Limits, and How to Verify OneWhat the certificate authorizes, how ratings and limitations narrow it, and the verification steps to run before you release an aircraft to a shop.
- MRO Capacity Planning: Filling Hangar Slots Without Overcommitting LaborHow to forecast labor against hangar slots, decide which inbound work to accept, and keep discovered work from destroying your turn times.