TALKING SHOP
During a recent conversation with Electroair’s Mike Kobylik, I was curious to hear his view of the typical maintenance shop, and how buyers might choose the right one to install an Electroair ignition. Electroair’s retrofit has become a popular and favorable upgrade across a wide market of piston singles and twins, and it has FAA engine and airframe blanket STC approval for replacing both traditional magnetos and associated accessories. Mike used a term that I hadn’t heard in a long time: tradecraft—and it partly has to do with the pride that techs have in their work. I’m a guy who started at the shop more than 30 years ago and quickly learned that finding a shop or mechanic that’s proud of the finished product is worth the hunt. Plus, good shops that are around forever are also the ones who simply care about the work they pump out. The right tradecraft isn’t limited to maintenance and avionics shops. It applies to overhaulers and OEMs.
No, you won’t find pride in workmanship at every shop and you’ve probably dealt with a shop or mechanic that fell short, but could have done better if he really stopped to think about how his work will be viewed by the aircraft’s owner—and by the next tech who works on the aircraft. Kobylik had some worthwhile words of advice on how you might choose and is pretty particular about who should or shouldn’t install his electronic ignition. Kobylik says the best way for any customer to choose a shop is to look at its completed work, while considering how the shop’s technicians might view their job. This is almost always obvious in the finished product—including critical tasks many aircraft owners never consider.
“I like to look at hydraulic work and how the tech bends the tubing. Were they done with a bending tool and do they have the correct radius?” was one worthy example. He made a good point about aesthetics, too. Were the carpeting, headliner and side panels put back on properly? “All of these things add up to tell you about the quality of the mechanic or shop you’re dealing with,” Kobylik said.
I can add to the list. If you know what you’re looking for, you might learn something about a shop’s tradecraft by looking at the finished product. If it’s an avionics project, how do the wiring harnesses look? Are they clearly labeled and neatly routed, with proper chafe protection and proper shielding? Are the radios positioned evenly in the radio stack with enough space between them for cooling and easy removal and installation? If the work includes engine and fuel monitoring, are the wires routed safely and neatly in the engine bay? As Kobylik put it, “If they view their work as tradecraft, you’re likely going to have the best outcome.”
FLYING MEDIA GROUP
By now you’ve probably heard that Aviation Consumer (along with the other titles under the Belvoir Media Group umbrella) was purchased by Tennessee-based FLYING Media Group. The company previously purchased the long-standing magazines FLYING, Plane&Pilot and also the digital ByDanJohnson and AviationGeek brands, plus BusinessAir and Aircraftforsale.com. There will be more brand announcements. It’s worth mentioning in this space that the many readers who flagged me down at AirVenture and others who went out of their way to email and call have spoken loud and clear: They don’t want Aviation Consumer’s tone and purpose to change and neither do I. The industry needs our unique and deep-diving call-it-as-we-see-it coverage now more than ever, and there is a lot of work to do.
As I’ve told many readers in person and in correspondence, as long as I’m at the helm as Editor, I’ll continue to hold down the magazine’s long heritage of being an unbiased, independent voice for the aviation consumer—just as it’s been since 1972—free of advertising influence or personal or corporate biases. When it comes down to it, that’ll be easy. Joining the title 30 years ago, I really don’t know how to do it any other way; readers respect Aviation Consumer for standing in its own corner. Belvoir’s founder, chairman and CEO, Robert Englander, trusted me (and our talented contributors) to serve the loyal Aviation Consumer readership with thoroughly educational advice, and with a high journalistic standard. Englander’s years of kind encouragement will continue to motivate me as I embrace the plans that FLYING Media Group has for Aviation Consumer’s bright future. —Larry Anglisano
