Aircraft mechanics and service technicians are a special breed. They’ve rescued me in the middle of nowhere, at 12,000 feet, to fix a busted starter motor. They are revered for their skill and relied on for their expediency. The trusted group of the mechanically inclined reside far and wide across this country, occupying local FBOs or large corporate hangars working on aircraft annuals, diagnostics and filling the board with imperative repairs. Trying to avoid a “Drop Ball”. Mechanics and technicians conduct inspections following a schedule based on the number of hours an aircraft has flown, calendar days since the last inspection, cycles of operation, or a combination of these collective factors. Despite their mechanical prowess, there seems to be one formula for success on the ground: motivated to be the best and loving your job.

Your trusted aircraft mechanic or technician realizes that the standards of customer service have been heightened due to economic strain and competition. Fixed based operators who have withstood the test of time are the companies that have perfected the science of customer service. Gathering as a team. Working under time pressures to maintain flight schedules or to keep from inconveniencing customers, all the while carrying a tremendous responsibility to maintain safety standards and airworthiness. Communicating and working well together. Treating each other with respect on the job and holding each other accountable for great work. Their work ethic is unprecedented. Whether they’re on front line or working the front desk, these professionals work extremely hard. Fixed based operators and corporate aviation facilities like Banyan Air Service, Swift Aviation and Legacy Air recognize a commitment to meeting the needs of their customers. Customer retention and satisfaction are paramount. Employees of certain FBOs who may have hunkered in the back of a hangar in the past now come out to say hello.

“The customers appreciate it. They walk through the facility and are greeted with a friendly handshake from everyone on the floor”, says seven-year Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) Hartley Staratt of Banyan Air Service in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. “It’s a great place to work. We call our owner, Don Campion, ‘The Head Coach.’ Everyone supports each other in this company.” Don Campion was recently awarded the 2009 FATA Entrepreneurial Excellence Hall of Fame Award and his FBO is ranked #1 Best Independent US FBO by the Professional Pilot 2008 PRASE Survey.

Banyan Air Service, celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, works extremely hard to educate and train its staff. By sending their employees to company-sponsored maintenance programs, Banyan provides their customers with the most talented staff in the industry. “The people at Banyan are incredible,” he continues. Having completed a standard 18-month program, Staratt continues to look for additional ways to educate himself and develop better troubleshooting skills. “By asking a lot of questions and obtaining as much knowledge as possible….” Referencing system manuals in his spare time or working closely with other technicians, “I can understand the systems more confidently and effectively, and do a better job.”

There are nearly 276,000 individuals that work as an aircraft mechanic, avionics equipment mechanic or service and avionic technician in the United States. Almost all of them face a decision. Either love what you do or find something else. Competition for jobs with large airlines, regional carriers and general aviation is stiff. Maintaining good employer/employee relationships may be just as paramount as treating customers well. On the bright side for those hitting the books at a formal program, projected employment for aircraft mechanics or technicians is estimated to grow nearly 10 per cent until 2016. Nonetheless, if you don’t absolutely love what you’re doing, you won’t find a spot. “I intended to find a pilot job when I arrived here almost 20 years ago”, remarks Ed VanWeenan, one of Banyan’s senior Line Technicians. “When I got here, I really started to enjoy the job and working outdoors.” (He makes it sound so simple.) Prior to his twenty year tenure at Banyan, he had given up over 1500 hours of multi-engine commercial time and dedicated himself to serving the business on the ground. “Everyone is involved at this company, but every now and again you get a ‘Drop Ball.’”

”What in the heck is a Drop Ball?” I asked.

“Very rarely, we neglect to put an aircraft on line for a customer or drop the ball in some way. But we all work together as a team to solve the problem and provide the best customer service in the country.” Speaking fluent Spanish, VanWeenan is a sight for sore eyes for South American travelers coming and going. “I have a following with a number of Venezuelan customers. I speak their dialect,” he continues. “They call me Gringo”.

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