KatanaPilot
Well Known Member
I had an interesting discussion yesterday with the owner of a build assist facility. He routinely gets calls and emails from RV owners needing some sort of maintenance work - condition inspections, panel upgrades, cracked canopies/windshields, etc.
They just don't have the bandwidth to accept most of this work. In the past, when they have taken on an unfamiliar airplane, they frequently find one or more issues with the airplanes that require excessive (read expensive) rework. Admittedly, they have very high standards - which is why they have been so successful in the build assist niche. The owners of the plane are often upset at the discoveries and the owner of the facility gets an earful.
They are taking the approach of only accepting maintenance work on airplanes that were built at their facilities. This is understandable, but exacerbates what I think is going to be a growing issue facing E-AB owners.
As more E-AB airplanes get sold on the growing secondary market, the new owners who did not build the plane (a) won't get the Repairman Certificate and (b) often don't have the skills nor the interest in performing the maintenance/inspections. Anecdotally, I understand many A&P's have little to no interest in working on E-AB airplanes, further adding to this issue.
So what is the solution? Here in Atlanta, most new A&P's from AIM or the Georgia Technical Colleges want to go work for Delta/Endeavor or Southwest. Very few want a long term career (or even short term) building or working on small airplanes. As mentioned, most maintenance facilities I am aware of won't touch E-AB's. I suspect the situation is the same in most major cities with large airline maintenance facilities.
I know that anyone with a pulse can work on an E-AB, but you still need an A&P for the Condition Inspection. Given the large numbers of planes being built, I don't think this problem will go away or get better anytime soon. Thoughts?
They just don't have the bandwidth to accept most of this work. In the past, when they have taken on an unfamiliar airplane, they frequently find one or more issues with the airplanes that require excessive (read expensive) rework. Admittedly, they have very high standards - which is why they have been so successful in the build assist niche. The owners of the plane are often upset at the discoveries and the owner of the facility gets an earful.
They are taking the approach of only accepting maintenance work on airplanes that were built at their facilities. This is understandable, but exacerbates what I think is going to be a growing issue facing E-AB owners.
As more E-AB airplanes get sold on the growing secondary market, the new owners who did not build the plane (a) won't get the Repairman Certificate and (b) often don't have the skills nor the interest in performing the maintenance/inspections. Anecdotally, I understand many A&P's have little to no interest in working on E-AB airplanes, further adding to this issue.
So what is the solution? Here in Atlanta, most new A&P's from AIM or the Georgia Technical Colleges want to go work for Delta/Endeavor or Southwest. Very few want a long term career (or even short term) building or working on small airplanes. As mentioned, most maintenance facilities I am aware of won't touch E-AB's. I suspect the situation is the same in most major cities with large airline maintenance facilities.
I know that anyone with a pulse can work on an E-AB, but you still need an A&P for the Condition Inspection. Given the large numbers of planes being built, I don't think this problem will go away or get better anytime soon. Thoughts?
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