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glad to openly chat about what they like and dislike about their favorite shop. If you’re not sure what to ask, just talk to folks who have owned an airplane for any length of time and you’ll come away with plenty of talking points. As another old saying goes, with a little editorial license, “Hell hath no fury like an airplane owner scorned.” You could also ask a mechanic who is a friend of a friend to sit down over lunch to talk about some things to look for. You may be surprised how much information we mechanics are willing to share when you feed us.
After you’ve talked to references and asked your flying friends for their opinions, you should be able to whittle your options down to a shortlist. The number of shops on that list depends upon how many shops you’re willing to tour because it’s time to hit the road. Call each of the shops and take them up on their generous offer to give you a tour. Pilots are always looking for an excuse to fly somewhere new, and I think researching maintenance shops should rank high on the mission list.
Walking around the shop, try to take in the big picture. How does it look? What’s the general mood? Does that maintenance tech look like they would rather be doing anything in the world other than their current task? I don’t expect even Disney’s flight department to be whistling while they work, but you can spot a poor work environ- ment from a mile away. If you can’t fathom spending time there, you may want to reconsider having your airplane spend time there.
Take a close look at some of the airplanes being worked on. Are the parts strewn out or are they labeled, protected and neatly stored? Are there tools or greasy hardware laying on painted surfaces, or are delicate surfaces being protected? Basically, are they treating that airplane like you want your airplane to be treated? While on the tour, ask about a time or two where they made a mistake and how they fixed it. If your guide laughs and says, “Well, this one time...,” that’s a good sign. If they stammer a bit and don’t have a lot to offer on this subject, I’d be a little wary.
Even the best shops mess up occasionally because they’re owned and operated by humans who sometimes have bad days. Whether someone forgot to order some critical parts which caused the airplane to be five days late or a technician who replaced an antenna on top of the airplane didn’t realize he was scratching the fuselage with his “Rodeo Champ” belt buckle, bad things happen to the best of us. How we react to and remedy those screw-ups should be what defines us.
Don’t be afraid to ask for the contact information of the owners or operators of the airplanes currently in mainte- nance. The list of references that the shop initially provided is likely a list of customers who the shop knows will give them glowing reviews, but it’s best to balance that out with some folks who have had less than stellar maintenance visits to get the full picture.
The last suggestion I have on picking shops is a very simple one, but I think it’s probably overlooked much of the time: Take a mechanic with you when you go look around these shops. Word of mouth is a powerful thing in aviation. If you put the word out that you’re going to be
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August 2022 / TWIN & TURBINE • 19