Aircraft Mechanics & Shops...why no nationwide service?

[Boilermonkey]

I've wondered why there aren't any nationwide aircraft maintenance companies that service GA.  Sure their are authorized service centers, but why aren't their national or regional maintenance companies?    

I've seen more and more shops closing over the past few years.  Many in part because the owner, while a good mechanic, isn't a good business person.  Or, they get older and haven't trained up a new owner, so they shutter the doors.

At the same time I've seen the remaining shows get insanely busy and in some cases their quality decline.

A national or regional provider could standardize quality and training.  Moreover they could offer more stable employment and career paths.  Of course it doesn't provide some of the benefits of owning your own business for the A&P, but then again not everyone wants to be a business owner.  

Seems like an opportunity to start something, or start rolling up some of the good shops that are out there.

[alextstone]

I'll take a stab at this one:

Owners are accustomed to paying rates that are too low for an astute entrepreneur to carve out a profit sufficient to go though the expense, risk and effort to standardize processes and manage multiple locations.

Skill sets needed are too varied from one aircraft type to another and numbers of those flying too low in many cases to realize a benefit from internal training methods beyond the A&P or IA certification

Military contractors and the majors will always have an advantage because they can leverage the very factors lacking for GA as listed above.

 

Alex

 

 

 

[takair]

I think Alex hit it on the head.  There actually are facilities like that, most of the big FBOs have regional maintenance facilities associated with them, but most of us can’t afford them for our aircraft since they have to charge jet rates to try to retain the mechanics.  Even then, many mechanics/technicians can make more in other endeavors.  I think it would be great if someone could figure out a model that works, but right now, what little money comes in is hard to split up further….  Savvy may be the closest to having something that is outside of the OEM and presents some level of consistency….but even they are not for everybody.

[philiplane]

There simply aren't enough airplanes to make it work. While there are 200,000 GA aircraft in the US, there are 286 million cars. So there are economies of scale to allow car dealers to have large networks. And commonality of electronics with CANBUS now. Even so, you're paying $120-150 an hour these days, but they have high efficiency due to standardized products and training to service them. 

If you tried to do it with GA, you'd expect to pay $200+ for shop rates. The 200,000 planes have very little commonality fleetwide. It's more comparable to setting up a network to service exotic cars. 

[A64Pilot]

Small airplane GA is dyeing, a mechanic makes more money and has better benefits working for John Deere than being an A&P, with a few exceptions only A&P’s that work small GA do so because they love aviation, and are getting fewer each year.

In short, there is no money in old little airplanes.

Jets and I assume new Cirrus etc are an exception, but old Cessna’s, Pipers and Mooney’s etc are actually the poorer class of aviation.

[toto]

4 hours ago, takair said:

Savvy may be the closest to having something that is outside of the OEM and presents some level of consistency….but even they are not for everybody.

I’ve often wondered about the Savvy plan and who is using it. I could definitely see a scenario where it could save money and add a lot of consistency to the maintenance experience. Especially someone new to aircraft ownership or someone owning a unique aircraft. 

https://www.savvyaviation.com/savvymx/

[MikeOH]

1 hour ago, toto said:

I’ve often wondered about the Savvy plan and who is using it. I could definitely see a scenario where it could save money and add a lot of consistency to the maintenance experience. Especially someone new to aircraft ownership or someone owning a unique aircraft. 

https://www.savvyaviation.com/savvymx/

I've been very happy with Savvy.  They are more than willing to analyze my engine data, and help with troubleshooting.  Not to mention, if I'm ever stranded they are available 24/7.  In the scheme of aviation costs, their annual fee is a pittance.  (I have no connection with Savvy, so this is an honest, unbiased, opinion)

[FlySafe]

53 minutes ago, toto said:

I’ve often wondered about the Savvy plan and who is using it. I could definitely see a scenario where it could save money and add a lot of consistency to the maintenance experience. Especially someone new to aircraft ownership or someone owning a unique aircraft. 

https://www.savvyaviation.com/savvymx/

Hi toto; i had the Savvymx service for 1 yr. I had a few issues with surprise billing from another shop and thought I would give savvy a try. It was fair to ok but not ideal in my case. Every time an issue came up for consult the advice was not that helpful or specific beyond general solutions I was already aware of. My assigned agent kept dropping the ball in regards to quotes, approval and repair when it came time for work to actually be done. They left me hanging a few times with my regular shop not knowing what to do and me having to call the shop directly to sort out what was going on. My impression was that my agent was not very Mooney savvy, probably better for cirrus stuff and maybe novice owners.  I do continue to use the free engine analysis and upload my logs regularly. They were always prompt and pleasant enough when I contacted them through their client portal.  I greatly respect Mike Bush’s  maintenance advice but then he is not the person you will likely be dealing with.  Your mileage may be different, Just my personal experience. Good luck.

k

[Tommooney]

I use Savvy Mx too. It is nice on a Sunday at a distant desert airport KIFP with no services, to be able to have a Savvy Mx guy call me back in 30 minutes to discuss my possible aog problem and safety of continued flight. I like having Savvy interpret the EDM downloaded engine data a couple times a year and before annuals. I like discussing the annual inspection estimate with a Savvy MX guy to decide which items may not be required or done later a more economically way or options. I agree with what MikeOH said about $700. annual cost in the overall scheme. Savvy has always been prompt for me.

Just my experience.

Tom

[1980Mooney]

4 hours ago, philiplane said:

There simply aren't enough airplanes to make it work. While there are 200,000 GA aircraft in the US, there are 286 million cars. So there are economies of scale to allow car dealers to have large networks......

If you tried to do it with GA, you'd expect to pay $200+ for shop rates. The 200,000 planes have very little commonality fleetwide. It's more comparable to setting up a network to service exotic cars. 

Spot on.  And that "200,000" number of active GA planes per the FAA GA surveys includes helicopters, turboprops, jets, and amateur built.  Even within a fleet/brand like Mooney consider all the modifications over time.  That recent fatal M20J crash in Jacksonville, which seemed to struggle for power, had an early turbocharger modification done by an STC predecessor of Rocket Engineering.  And then there are all the mods by defunct Mod Works and Mod Squad.  I have a Missile conversion by Rocket.  This year I had engine mount issues which were an incredible PITA - the shop had to "learn" at my expense because there are only about 50 nationwide and they had never seen before.