MSC

[Glen Davis]

So I’ve read all the discussions about the pros and cons of MSC’s.  My question today is what are the qualifications making a shop a MSC? I know in other industries to become an authorized service center the staff is required to take very specific training and be certificated by the manufacturer of the product.  Is that the case with MSC‘s?

[ohdub]

Let's ask Clarence, he'll be able to tell us. @M20Doc?

[carusoam]

1 hour ago, Glen Davis said:

So I’ve read all the discussions about the pros and cons of MSC’s.  My question today is what are the qualifications making a shop a MSC? I know in other industries to become an authorized service center the staff is required to take very specific training and be certificated by the manufacturer of the product.  Is that the case with MSC‘s?

let’s not dig too deep what qualifies a shop to be an MSC... because those rules can change with every change of ownership of the Mooney company...

What is important... Who is working at the shop... who runs it, and who is working on your plane...

Select your MSC, or independent A&P by their skills...

Not too hard... ask who people use in your neighborhood...

Some people choose a local guy for many things, and use the MSC for Mooney specific things...

Often, a few MSers work together at splitting up the task of delivering a plane or retrieving it...

I have also used the delivery service of the local MSC to get my plane back home... it’s nice, they know how to fly Mooneys... 

+1 For asking the owner of tri-city aero how this works... or, just get on his schedule if able... 

There are a handful of really good MSCs that are easy to recommend...

There are a few mechanics that get high recommendations as well...

Its more about the people, than it is the building they work in...

In NJ, there are two MSCs... I use the one closest to me... and my local shop who also has a high level of Mooney expertise... the other MSC is closer to NYC, and their real estate cost is very high...

Best regards,

-a-

[Jim Peace]

If a shop puts up a MSC sign on the hangar wall they are a MSC.....I can think of at least two of them like that...

[toto]

I'm sure that Doc or Blue or Jonny can answer the question definitively about current requirements, but I think they're nonzero. A local MSC had to drop the designation when their Mooney-trained mechanic left, and they told me that they weren't able to keep the designation unless they had an A&P on staff with a current Mooney certification. (No idea what that really amounts to, but..)

[ArtVandelay]

I assume you need to have all the specialized Mooney tools: travel boards, gear tools, etc. Don’t know expensive that is but probably not trivial.

[201Steve]

It probably means nothing as far as experience on a Mooney. Just because the corporate entity has the emblem, doesn't mean the guy wrenching on it has any advanced experience. Even if at least one mechanic did, I don't think there is any assurance that the same guy is still part of the team. That said, it's a good START as to whether or not they are what you're looking for. The follow up is... you take the PIREPS around here.

Here's an interesting experience. DLK Aviation at KRYY Atlanta. They've been a MSC for years and years. They now specialize in Cirrus, but elect that there's no good reason to get rid of the Mooney emblem. I cannot speak to their working knowledge as of now for Mooney, but I do know that they actually recommend another MSC for various things -> Cole Aviation, MSC in Dalton GA.

[PT20J]

I know someone that used to own a shop that was a MSC. He mentioned yearly training at the factory. He said they always hated to see him show up because he kept asking things like, “Why did you do it that way?” 

Skip

[AerostarDriver]

19 hours ago, 201Steve said:

It probably means nothing as far as experience on a Mooney. Just because the corporate entity has the emblem, doesn't mean the guy wrenching on it has any advanced experience. Even if at least one mechanic did, I don't think there is any assurance that the same guy is still part of the team. That said, it's a good START as to whether or not they are what you're looking for. The follow up is... you take the PIREPS around here.

Here's an interesting experience. DLK Aviation at KRYY Atlanta. They've been a MSC for years and years. They now specialize in Cirrus, but elect that there's no good reason to get rid of the Mooney emblem. I cannot speak to their working knowledge as of now for Mooney, but I do know that they actually recommend another MSC for various things -> Cole Aviation, MSC in Dalton GA.

I had a similar experience with Cole, they were recommending any major work to go to Don Maxwell.

[Bravoman]

46 minutes ago, AerostarDriver said:

I had a similar experience with Cole, they were recommending any major work to go to Don Maxwell.

I’ve used Cole for years. That does not sound correct.  I don’t know what you mean by “major work” , but it certainly seems like there is always a considerable amount of it going on there.  I’ll ask Joe about this next time I speak with him  and report back. 

[Bravoman]

20 hours ago, 201Steve said:

It probably means nothing as far as experience on a Mooney. Just because the corporate entity has the emblem, doesn't mean the guy wrenching on it has any advanced experience. Even if at least one mechanic did, I don't think there is any assurance that the same guy is still part of the team. That said, it's a good START as to whether or not they are what you're looking for. The follow up is... you take the PIREPS around here.

Here's an interesting experience. DLK Aviation at KRYY Atlanta. They've been a MSC for years and years. They now specialize in Cirrus, but elect that there's no good reason to get rid of the Mooney emblem. I cannot speak to their working knowledge as of now for Mooney, but I do know that they actually recommend another MSC for various things -> Cole Aviation, MSC in Dalton GA.

  Dan Kendall, who founded DLk, received  factory training at Mooney. He has since retired, and I do not know whether anybody at that shop, which I understand is now owned by his daughter, has Mooney specific training. 

[201Steve]

3 hours ago, Bravoman said:

Dan Kendall, who founded DLk, received  factory training at Mooney. He has since retired, and I do not know whether anybody at that shop, which I understand is now owned by his daughter, has Mooney specific training. 

This sounds right.  Side note- I just leased office space from Epps at Hangar 4 at PDK. I won't be there myself full time, but will be in and out from time to time. Lunch sometime?

[WilliamR]

In the past, there's also been a requirement for a minimum amount of insurance and usually presenting some basic business plan when becoming an MSC.  Btw, I've also had Cole point me towards Maxwell for major work.  But that was like 12 years ago, a few years after becoming an MSC.

WRT DLK, I know one, if not their most, experienced Mooney specialist besides Dan, quit amicably when Dan retired and now works for my friend Dent at Phoenix Air, Kevin Southworth.

W

Edited January 25, 2021 by WilliamR
edited for grammer

[Bravoman]

16 hours ago, WilliamR said:

In the past, there's also been a requirement for a minimum amount of insurance and usually presenting some basic business plan when becoming an MSC.  Btw, I've also had Cole point me towards Maxwell for major work.  But that was like 12 years ago, a few years after becoming an MSC.

WRT DLK, I know one, if not their most, experienced Mooney specialist besides Dan, quit amicably when Dan retired and now works for my friend Dent at Phoenix Air, Kevin Southworth.

W

Kevin is a buddy of mine. Known him for years.