I Am Taylor Burns

As Senior Conformity Project Manager, Taylor Burns oversees the onboarding of aircraft and their records into Jet Aviation, collaborating across departments to ensure the airworthiness and compliance of our managed fleet. He is motivated by the high standards of Jet Aviation Flight Services, which challenge him to raise the bar and stay current with the latest regulatory changes.

Watch his video and read the interview below to find out more about Taylor. 

How long have you worked for Jet Aviation?

I started in November 2015 – so coming up on eight years.

How did you come to Jet Aviation?

I have always known that Jet Aviation was a fantastic global company, and while working in the Teterboro area after college I took a chance on applying for a role within the company.

Can you briefly describe your job?

My team onboard aircraft and their records into Jet Aviation. We review compliance to regulations and airworthiness directives and organize historical information into processes or indexes that Jet Aviation employees can continue to use throughout the life of the aircraft. For commercial aircraft, we assemble data packages for FAA review and act as a primary point of contact while the aircraft is placed onto our air carrier certificate.

What one word would describe how you approach your job? 

Learning – no two days are the same, the industry is always on the move.

What is a typical day?

We start with team meetings in the morning to check in on our progress and work as a group on specific areas of need. Then we check in on our vendors, who maintain databases of maintenance records. They add electronic documentation and ensure all inspections are property configured. The day is also filled with project team meetings where we interface with other departments within Jet Aviation Flight Services (JAFS) to ensure the onboarding experience is smooth and timely. At any given time, there could be 10-15 open projects.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The variations of aircraft manufacturers and working with maintenance managers. The maintenance world is a group of people trying to do the right thing and ensure airworthiness, and the high JAFS standards challenge everyone to do their best work and collaborate to find ways to raise the bar.

And what do you enjoy about working for Jet Aviation? 

The global reach and diversity of our clients. Also, the common goal of doing the ‘right’ thing at all times.

What are the main challenges you face in your role?

Different standards of records keeping within the industry lead to having to dig more out of some aircraft records than others. No two aircraft are the same, which makes it hard to estimate timelines and provide a consistent product.

If you could describe working at Jet in three words, what would they be?

Fast Paced; Unique; Rewarding.

And can you give five words that describe you in your role?

Learning; Coordinating; Fixing; Advocate; Connected.

Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of work:

I stay active with outdoor activities – snowboarding, mountain biking, driving anything with an engine.

What advice would you have for someone looking for a similar career?

Find something that satisfies you on many levels. For conformity, a good portion of the job is behind a desk organizing records and building status sheets. However, the interaction with vendors and maintenance or flight crew allows for human interaction.

What is your best memory of Jet Aviation?

The year-end delivery with Part 135 conformity are always high-visibility and critical to the client’s goal. We took a delivery during mid-December and were able to place the aircraft onto our air carrier certificate and complete P135 trips before year-end. It was very rewarding to see many departments come together to meet the client’s need.

Where does your passion for aviation come from?

Growing up I was surrounded by airplanes, and my first job was line service at a small airport in Pennsylvania.

Which of the Jet Aviation values most resonates with you? Why?

Honesty. We often work with timelines and goals set by outside parties. Our team strives to be the best in the business, but if a goal is unattainable, we must take a step back and come up with alternate solutions or just reset the expectation. It is best to be honest about the deliverables that we are tasked with and speak up if meeting a certain deadline is not possible.

What does good customer service mean to you?

Clear communication and a positive attitude.

What does Jet Aviation mean to you?

Doing the right thing even when no one is watching, and being the leader in aircraft management.