Boeing and one of the world's most profitable airlines, Brazilian low-cost carrier GOL Airlines, announced on April 17 that Boeing's Maintenance Performance Toolbox has been selected to help streamline maintenance on the airline's fleet of 54 Next-Generation 737s and 14 Classic 737s.

Maintenance Performance Toolbox, which is rapidly becoming an industry standard for efficiency-conscious carriers, is the first set of productivity tools designed to unify an airline's maintenance and engineering operations from start to finish.

"GOL thrives because of the service and value we provide to customers, and that has everything to do with making sure we are efficient in turning our aircraft from one destination to the next, hundreds of times every day," said Commandant David Barioni, GOL's vice president of Operations. "Maintenance Performance Toolbox is exactly the kind of software tool we need to improve our efficiency. We're glad to have Boeing as a partner as we go about satisfying our customers every day."

GOL will use three popular Toolbox modules: Library, Systems and Structures. Library helps ensure that the airline has immediate access to timely, updated source maintenance data. Systems includes specific instructions to help the airline perform core maintenance and engineering tasks as efficiently as possible. And Structures offers moving, three-dimensional schematics of critical airplane parts to speed troubleshooting and repair.

"Boeing is gratified that an airline commanding as much respect as GOL does in the industry has shown such confidence in Maintenance Performance Toolbox, " said Dan da Silva, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. "GOL is telling the industry that Boeing is its choice to help with the critical tasks of servicing and repairing airplanes in a way that causes the fewest possible disruptions to schedules. That is just where Boeing wants to be."

In all, Toolbox today comprises six different tools in one easy-to-use suite that can help airlines streamline a wide range of maintenance and repair activities from managing technical publications and training to performing core maintenance and engineering tasks. Airlines are free to pick and choose from among the capabilities to supplement their operations as needed.

Toolbox is a key component within Boeing's evolving portfolio of performance-enhancing solutions for aircraft maintenance, a portfolio that also includes Airplane Health Management, Electronic Flight Bag and Integrated Materials Management. Available via an Internet browser as a secured, hosted service, Toolbox provides reliable access to all of its tools through www.myboeingfleet.com, Boeing's Internet portal.