Powered Up with DaVinciSKY Group
DaVinciSKY Group is an accredited and proudly woman-owned business, which has a longstanding history in the power industry. They provide an unparalleled level of service for helicopter aerial support, audits, oversight, and engineering projects. Their subsidiary, Onespan Powerline Services, specialises in providing services for utility construction and maintenance, as well as aerial inspections.
We spoke to Gretchen Johnson, CEO of DaVinciSKY Group, about how the team utilises Spidertracks to protect their team and customers, know exactly where and how their aircraft are being flown, and ensure complex projects and services are completed - with safety being front of mind.
From A(merica) to Z(ealand - New Zealand!)
As the saying of the seventh degree of separation goes, we’re all connected in some way or another. Turns out, Johnson’s Chief Pilot is originally a Kiwi from New Zealand, which is where Spidertracks was born! However, her familiarity with the product spans well before DaVinciSKY Group was founded.
She recalls a time where Spidertracks was able to assist with a noise complaint from a member of the general public.
“This was probably four or five years ago - we were in Idaho, and I was working for a different helicopter company. We were able to give that utility [accurate and detailed flight path information using Spidertracks], and sure enough, they were able to tell the customer we were nowhere near your lawn, we were nowhere near your home, your shingles did not blow off, and their roof was already in ill repair. But I just think they wanted a new roof.”
Fast forward to today, and Johnson’s fleet of MD500s are equipped with Spidertracks’ latest hardware, Spider X. When looking for an end-to-end solution, downtime was a deciding factor for her, where previous experience with other providers saw her having to update hardware and reprogramming software - a time-consuming and tedious task for all involved. “Any time we’re not in the air and not flying, we’re not making money,” she notes.
Protection, Precaution and Compliance
From travelling with a sales and marketing role, to now finding herself in more of a grounded office setting, the visual perspective of a typical day has shifted for Johnson, but the values have not. Protection of both employees and customers, and value in money compliance remains at the forefront of everything that is achieved at DaVinciSKY Group.
Johnson tells us about an occasion where Spidertracks helped protect the team and clarify the scope of work on a project that the team were undertaking.
“We had a customer that was basically saying you did not fly. We had done an invoice and they were just adamant that we did not fly, there's no way that you could have flown on that day. Well, all I did was just log into Spidertracks, and boom! There were all the way points. You could just see, we were right there on that power line. I mean, it couldn't have been any clearer!”
She says it’s a great tool for keeping an eye on her pilots - it gives her the ability to know exactly where they are, and how the aircraft is being flown. “We never stop using Spidertracks,” Johnson notes, “It doesn't matter what we're doing. If the blades are turning, we're using the Spider.”
Safety is priceless
Although the team is new to Spidertracks, they have already seen significant benefits in having the solution integrated in their day-to-day projects.
“[Spidertracks] has definitely been an efficiency saver for us and it's definitely been a validation piece of software for us. I just feel like from a small business perspective, it actually just provides that extra layer of protection because the last thing that we need is for some of our aircraft to go off radar, and we don't know where it is. I think a lot of small companies might say, “well, that's a hefty monthly payment for me being so small.” But just the fact that that one day when that one customer said “you didn't fly that day” - I mean, that would have paid for Spidertracks 10 times over.”
If you want to learn more about how Spidertracks can help protect your team, your assets, and those who work with you, chat to our friendly team today about a free demo!
