Maintenance management company TBX says GA shops are generally bullish about their own prospects but less hopeful about the overall state of general aviation. Following its first annual survey of GA maintenance and repair shops serving light aircraft (not bizjets or airlines), the company says supply chain issues and spiraling costs for parts are their biggest challenges, followed by the ever tightening labor market. “This year’s inaugural survey received over 600 responses allowing us to piece together a detailed snapshot of the challenges and opportunities the GA maintenance community is facing right now, this very second,” said TBX CEO Jon McLaughlin. “Without the maintenance community, pilots (and OEMs) wouldn’t get very far.”
It’s likely little surprise to anyone with an airplane or a maintenance shop that parts have been a headache since at least the early days of the pandemic, affecting every facet of the industry. That, in turn, has pushed up prices so it’s equally unsurprising that 65% of shop owners told the survey that those are their top concerns. TBX says there are signs of hope for an increase in the number of qualified technicians with enrollments and graduations of new workers on the rise, but 48% of shops cited manpower shortages as a top issue for them. Oddly enough, a lack of access to technical manuals from OEMs came third on that list of priorities at 42%.
With all the challenges facing GA shops, the mood is a little gloomy, even though the majority like the way their future is shaping up. About two-thirds of owners said they’re positive about the future of their businesses, but only 43% thought the outlook for GA in general was looking good. “There is a shortage of qualified mechanics in GA. Probably due to lower pay than what the airlines can offer,” said one survey respondent. “Additionally, glass cockpit aircraft pose maintenance challenges that often require expensive ‘specialist’ service beyond the average GA shop. Technical data is a necessity to perform maintenance but is often locked behind paywalls under pricey subscription services. And honestly, everything is getting more expensive.”
Tech pubs being a problem isn’t surprising to me at all; I run a component shop, and over the last couple years the OEMs have been making us jump through more and more hoops just to get CMMs. It’s becoming harder to look up the most recent revision without buying a subscription (to a manual that hasn’t been updated in 20 years), half of them want delegation letters from the operator before they will even quote us on a manual and it can take weeks to get a quote for access after we have done all that.
If the FAA requires manufacturers approved data and procedures to service certified aircraft, how can they set idly by and allow the very same information they require to utilized to be restricted?
As much as I am in favor of capitalism, at some point the scales tip from a modest profit ( that’s deserved) to gouging ( which is uncomfortable and mean ) to holding operators and users hostage for lack of legally required information ( is rubbing up against the limits of what ought to be illegal)
Far be it for me to ask the FAR writers to write one code, this is case for them to start writing.
This not only an avation problem similar issues abound in just about every consumer vs. manufacturer situation, example why do home appliances need printed circuit boards, computer chips and internet connectivity. Could it be to keep the average handyman from being able to maintain and repair it indefinitely????
So with the MOSAIC ruling to allow LS pilots to fly some certificated aircraft and work on their (LS) planes with an owner sign-off, why not allow owners of older certificated aircraft that qualify for LS work on & sign off their own work?
I am a 20+ year A&P that currently works in the space industry. Our slice of aviation pays less than the airlines, but still significantly more than GA. When hiring a new technician to work on our orbital class rocket engines the first thing we look for is an A&P license. While it does not prove competence it does prove a baseline knowledge base we can build on. If I was a young technician looking for a job and given the choice between making less than a entry level car mechanic, or making a good living wage with benefits, vacation time, 401K etc, I know which one I would choose.
Yep. And that’s exactly what is happening. The Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) has a major satellite school in my region. It provides a cradle to grave pathway to A&P certification. What we are seeing is that a very large number of graduates are either entering directly into the airlines OR they are getting jobs at GA repair stations and then after getting a year or less of experience, they transition over to the airlines. The rate of turnover for the little GA shop owner is unsustainable. I am an optimist and have seen the industry ride a roller coaster through the decades. So because of that experience, I remain hopeful.
Two points:
FAA Certification requires the manufacturer of the product to have manuals written for its long-term service and operational requirements. It’s part of the application and demonstration process for TC issuance and becomes a part of the approved product, much like a Flight Manual.
Since manuals are integral to product certification, it seems logical that when the product is sold, the manuals would be sold with it.
Mexico, Canada, China, and the Middle East are primary sources for raw material used in US manufacturing. While Covid certainly disrupted these sources, as well as others, current regulatory instability is not helpful in re-establishing these supply chains or creating new sources of supply and service. And since GA is such a small tooth on a much bigger gear, our existence is on no one’s horizon.
As a young A&P I began my career in GA at Corona Airport in SoCal in 1985. Started @ $5/hr and it didn’t take long to jump ship to a Heli job offering $9/hr and then to McDonell Douglas/Boeing where I stayed for the next 30 yrs. Great pay, great benefits and hours offered by the manufacturers.. It was the right move for me.
Pilots (I have my PPL) are the first to complain about maintenance costs without realizing the most important tasks are being performed by underpaid, skilled mechanics who are there because of their love for GA. That love for GA may not pay the bills so they begin to weigh their options and it’s not hard to see why the turnover is so high.
To attract more A&P mechanics to GA, the pay scale will have to increase a magnitude, along with increased cost to aircraft owners. Like the old saying goes, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.
I would not work in aviation for anything less than $60-$70 an hour, period. It’s just not worth the toll being an aircraft mechanic takes on your body and the constant exposure to litigation. I think I’ll just remain retired rather than toy with someone else’s aircraft that they can barely afford to maintain.
this storage of everying is getting bad and un safe. we all know this was comming we havw to play a lot of catch up