Part 91 Mechanic or No-mechanic

[G3G4]

How many part 91 operators out there with one aircraft have a mechanic on staff. What are your inputs on it. We operate a G-IV and the boss does not want to hire a mechanic. I have my issues with that but wanted to see what others think.

 

[hawkerjet]

I was told that when you get a large cabin aircraft, you'd be an idiot if you didn't have an in house mechanic. I spoke with Steven Davis at Challenger Spares in Georgetown Texas and he would be the one to answer any questions you have to show your boss why you should have your own mechanic. I believe you can contract Steve out to find and interview a mechanic for your plane.

 

[rice]

After the first two trips to a service center a decent Mechanic will have saved the owner nearly his entire salary. How many pilots out there are qualified and capable to scrutinize the cost and necessity of what goes on in the shop. Still blows my mind how the guy doesn't flinch at $20 - $30 mil for the plane but has a damn heart attack over a fair wage for a necessary crewmember.

 

[svcta]

The G-machine will require at least 1 full-time mech. Simply put: It's the cost of doing business. I understand that the pre and post-flight stuff will take a couple of guys an hour or two. Just what I've been told....by an operator that runs 2 or 3 Gulfers.

 

[G3G4]

I hear what everyone is saying and I have tried to stress exectly what all of you are saying to them but hey won't budge. They save a nickel and spend a dime! They will never learn. We also have another problem in that they will absolutly not want to hire a third pilot. 80 percent of our trips are international but aside from that these kinds of airplanes should be operated with three pilots in my opinion. But hey that does not seem to matter.

 

[svcta]

So you're operating a Gulfstream mostly long hauls on 2 pilots? And for people who don't want to pay a mechanic? What's the upshot?

 

[Brett Hull]

1 Lear 60, 3 pilots, no mechanic - but we're trying like hell. Had to Cx a trip today over a non-MELable light bulb (parking brake engaged light, sets off the configuration warning horn if the bulb is burned out. The bulb burned out on taxi, found out when I pushed the thrust lever up) that could have been changed in < 5 minutes if we had one on staff.

 

[Globalflyer]

Unless your aircraft is based very close to a service center, the cost savings of moving the aircraft back and forth for maintenance will likely more than offset the cost of the mechanic not to mention the time savings and increased availability of the aircraft because your in house mechanic will work around the boss' schedule. And yes, the savings an in house mechanic can deliver can pay his salary two or more times over. Your boss should be thinking in terms of what he gets for hiring a mechanic, not what it costs. I say this based on several years of managing a single and later, a two GIV operation.
If you have other questions, PM me.

 

[nfg2u]

Doesn't matter if the Services center is in your hanger, a good mech is going to save you his salary 1-2 times every year. Plus he is going to keep the a/c better than any service or repair center will. Everything he does will be done because he cares about the aircraft not the "hours billed" while in a shop. This will reflect in the quality of the a/c at time of dispatch also in dispatch reliability. When you go to sell the a/c all the records will be up to date and look like someone took good care of the machine. I would not operate any large cabin class a/c without a full time mechanic on staff. If they can afford the a/c they can afford enough pilots and enough mechanics to take care of it. If they don't think they can ( because we know they can ) then I would be looking for another job fast!

 

[Lead Sled]

Unless your aircraft is based very close to a service center, the cost savings of moving the aircraft back and forth for maintenance will likely more than offset the cost of the mechanic not to mention the time savings and increased availability of the aircraft because your in house mechanic will work around the boss' schedule.

That pretty much sums up my experience with it as well. For most of my corporate career I've either had in-house mechanic(s) or had good maintenance available on field or within driving distance. Currently, we're operating under the latter scenario - we have a very competent group of mechanics a couple of hangars away and they send someone over at our request for our dispatch and arrivals.

LS

 

[thatpilotguy]

We have a different situation and one that seems to work for us right now. We have a new aircraft under warranty and have contracted maintenance on the field that the manufacturer has approved. It's about half the cost of a DOM and it seems to work just fine with our current opperation. We are averaging 500 hrs a year with 3 guys and the Service Center takes care of all "big" inspections. We have suggested and I agree that when the a/c is out of warranty it's best to have a DOM.

 

[G3G4]

Our aircraft is on full tip to tail JSSI. Which helps alot when you dont have a mechanic full time. My boss doesnt seem to understand what everyone is saying about the mechanic basically paying for himself over the course of saving money on maintenence. They only can understand the numbers they see in front of them not the numbers that are saved over the course of a year for example. SO when they see that a mechanic might cost them 80K that is a number they can see vs numbers saved in maintenance over the course of a year. I dont know what to do anymore to try to convince them.. I just give up and continue doing my work without trying to convince them now.. There is only so much we as pilots can do. It seems they think that we are out there to screw them and what we say doesnt matter..

 

[NGT]

Alot of operators pay a local qualified mechanic a monthly retainer to track hours and paperwork and hunt for parts and then pay them hourly for preflight and postflight ops. It saves the owner money/headcount/ and benefits and is extremely beneficial to the mechanic who has a full time gig and just wants some part time money. I spent a long time with a 2 pilot GIII and a contract mechanic and the service was excellent. The other advantage is the network of mechanics is extremely tight knit and they can always find someone to help you anytime/anyplace. The mechanic I used had a full time Gwhiz gig and managed 4 other Gwhiz's. I have a friend that is a contract Gwhiz guru if you need any additional information PM me! You would be shocked at how fast owners jump at this setup if they think they are getting full time effort for contract wages!! I have got a Masters Degree in breaking aircraft and not 1 credit hour towards fixing them, so to have someone on speed dial is priceless!!

Good luck!!

 

[FlyFlyFly]

I think you will find that a good tech on retainer or on staff will save you the money spent for them in parts savings alone. The not having to cancel two to three trips a year for nuisance items will help cover it too.

 

[hawker]

I always thought the operations I worked for were a bit on the frugal side by hiring a pilot/mech (me) flying beechjets and citations and getting 2 for 1.
To be operate a Large cabin a/c and not having a Technician, is a waste of money. Not only missing the occasional trip due to there was not some one there to fix the simple item that cannot be MEL (and if you do go you may not want to work there). How about a service center charging you $75 and hour to update your CAMP system or check for those things coming due that do not fall w/in the normal inspections.
OK your department should at least have someone on retainer that is available.

OK here is another soap box! I always get a kick out of operators that require a type rating and currency w/in 6 months to get the job. Any Second class operation would send you to school and get you recurrent or type rate you. Lets see I fly a large cabin a/c that cost about 27 million and they are worried about 50,000 for school, food , hotel.
One trip to Europe we spend that on DOC, gas, food.
Let me also say I am not in charge of anything but the gear and the flaps so take it for what it is worth.