Quality standards adherence and a strive to excel are eminent throughout the PKL Team. “We use our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system to ensure that we provide quality service throughout our company and on our contracts,” says Patrick Gough. “Additionally, PKL has completed the first stage of AS-9110c certification of its Quality Management System and is scheduled to complete stage two and full certification in the coming months. That commitment to quality is consistently reflected in our Contractor Performance Assessment Reports (CPARs), from our customers which range from very good to exceptional.”

PKL employs a highly experienced core of Corporate employees, which on average have seven years of service at PKL. This culmination of knowledge allows for a stable workforce that understands each contract with the associated nuances. “We maintain a lean and agile Corporate structure, which alleviates the challenges of multiple approval layers and long decision-making processes,” explains Gough. “Leveraging industry-leading knowledge and expertise, PKL provides program management, quality assurance, and technical support for an entire range of aviation maintenance, training, and logistics requirements—across multiple echelons for its military clients.” Whether Organizational, Intermediate, or Depot-Level Maintenance needs, developing and implementing innovative training curricula, or administering to the logistical demands of the customer, PKL’s track record of performance excellence in every facet of support and sustainment enables PKL to solve clients’ needs with ease.

On all contracts, PKL encourages their seasoned veteran employees to be mentors and trainers to the military members that they work alongside daily. “Whether it is a formal training contract or a basic support contract, our skilled technicians provide on-the-job (OJT)/over the shoulder training on nearly every task they perform,” adds Gough. “PKL is committed to assisting veterans in their transition process, making use of the work ethic brought to the Company by military veterans such as accountability, maturity, devotion to purpose, integrity, and strict adherence to top quality standards of excellence.”

According to Gough, “We partner with a number of small businesses, and over the years have developed multiple Joint Ventures and Mentor-Protégé Agreements. This provides us with the opportunity to support more customers, while helping to develop those small companies.” He adds, “The results create opportunities for those small businesses to grow and succeed, as well as to enhance our delivery and niche capabilities. We also partner with a diverse range of OEMs which contributes to our customer delivery and our commitment to provide the best maintenance, training, and logistics support.”

When the domestic military aviation contract opportunities showed a decrease in margins, PKL engaged in a strategic pivot into Latin America and other countries to expand Foreign Military Sales service contracts and Direct Commercial Sales contracts with better margins to increase revenue and profitability.  When other companies were wrestling with the COVID-19 pandemic, PKL was postured to take advantage of their technological investments and initiated the concept of “distributed operations,” allowing for decentralized corporate control.  As a result of unique innovation and initiative, PKL has been able to not only survive the pandemic but grow and thrive. Additionally, in a concerted effort to move PKL forward and better support our customers, PKL has invested heavily in technology and moved our training capabilities into the future.

PKL encourages employees to look for improvement areas, be innovative and creative in terms of how to work more efficiently, effectively, and save costs for the customer. The company’s employees identify improvements to processes and modifications to equipment that the government customer approved, and we implemented not only on a specific contract but across that military service customer’s base. On one particular FMS contract, PKL has combined both Maintenance and Operations on one contract, a unique capability that lowers the cost of the contract for the customer while providing unique synergies and contractual efficiencies.

PKL has become an employer of choice for the veteran community. With 90% of PKL’s employees being veterans and an average annual turnover rate of those employees being in the 10% range, on the good side of the industry standards, it is a great achievement in today’s world of constantly evolving opportunities in the business world. “We are never satisfied with the status quo; the Company seeks maximized efficiencies without sacrificing effectiveness. Innovation is a cornerstone of the ethos of the Company which ensures that every employee in the Company “Rows True” together toward the attainment of a common vision,” says Gough.  “Each employee has a “line of sight” from their individual responsibilities and daily tasks and how those functions contribute to the strategic objectives of PKL and customer support.  Uncompromising integrity is the mantra of PKL.”

PKL continues to pursue business processes that can be performed virtually, paperless, and without having to be in the physical presence of either employee, partners, or the customer. However, using video conferencing and routine scheduling, they remain close contact with all that they employ, partner, or conduct business with. For the company, expansion globally in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere is a priority for continued growth opportunities, increased revenue, and maximized profits. “We are proud to be a company that primarily hires veterans, and that we retain an average of 90% veterans in our workforce. PKL’s greatest asset is the people – our employees. Their expertise, dedication, and professionalism are what make us successful.”