What makes a good Client? From this Mechanic's point of view

[roger lee]

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What makes a good Client? From this Mechanic's point of view.

I have talked in the past about what makes a good mechanic and what to look for from the clients prospective.
Well let's think about what makes a good client to the mechanic? How can we help ourselves as owners by being a good client and will this help the mechanic do a better job on your aircraft?

You would think what I'm about to say would be just normal everyday common sense on a few items and for many it is, but the little things we don't think about ahead of time or verbalize to the mechanic can cost you extra money through labor and may even cause something to get missed. (I know heaven forbid, but it does happen)

First we need to start at the absolute beginning. Plan ahead and don't wait until the 3rd week of the month and realize you are due for the Annual by the end of the month. It is okay to get Annuals a tad early , even the month before or at the beginning of the month you are due. Once you realize maintenance is coming up call the mechanic you will use and set up at least a tentative day to bring your aircraft to their shop. This way the mechanic can plan his schedule and possibly have parts needed in advance. Make a written list of items you want the mechanic to look at or fix. This keeps you from forgetting and allows the mechanic to either get parts, research the issue or check for any service bulletins (SB's) that may be specific to your request. Here's a biggy, always talk nice to your mechanic he has your life in his hands (literally) and you want them to do that extra good job on your plane.
It is very important to develop a good two way information exchange. You should ask questions and of course the mechanic should be willing to answer all your questions prior to your appointment. This will hopefully put both the owner and the mechanic on the same page as to what needs to be done, answer the whys and possible cost estimates.
So the big day comes and off to the shop you go. When you see your mechanic a handshake works well and for the extra friendly owners maybe a nice male bonding type hug. (optional)
You can help the mechanic by giving them your written list of items to do which will help insure they address everything you want done. Next it is helpful to remove the 200 lbs. of survival gear out of the luggage compartment. Some pilots could make Survivorman jealous. (no offense)
As a mechanic and owner I expect my clients to give me any pertenant information for the particular job to be done, which is where your written list comes in handy.(i.e. plugs, oil, tire change, Dynon updates, aircraft pulls to the left during taxi, pull my stabilator and check the pivot pin nut torque, ect....)
You say your mechanic should know all of this. Maybe in a perfect world we would never have to tell the doctor what's wrong with us or tell the mechanic my plane pulls to the left during taxi or the CPA what extra deductions you have. There are many different mechanic personalities and skill levels out there. So having a clear understanding of what you want done or expect is crucial to good service by the mechanic. A good mechanic, doctor or CPA is always willing to listen and if he doesn't care then look for another mechanic, doctor or CPA.
It is ultimately up to the aircraft owner to know what needs to be done to their aircraft (i.e. service bulletins or timed out parts replacement, ect...). Now I agree a good mechanic is up to speed here, too, but don't always rely on someone else.
Know your aircraft. Look at the SB's, read down through the aircraft maintenance check list and make a note or two to ask if you want. Look at the Rotax maint. check list and do the same as far as a question or two. This way you know what's going on, the mechanic know's you know and there is a more clear expectation of what you want done.
If you want to stand around and watch (labor cost double here) then just ask the mechanic out of courtesy first. Some mechanics are easily distracted and don't want someone talking to them while they work (this is not good for the pilot), some may not want you to see their trade secrets (whatever they may be ) and it slows many mechanics down and may cost more in labor hours billed, plus others are just uncomfortable, so ask first. For me I don't care if someone hangs around, it just gives me someone to give a hard time to other than my dogs and I'm sure they love the break.
When all the maintenance is done look over all the paperwork, (i.e. the discrepancy list, Rotax & Aircraft check list, read the logbook label and look over the invoice). The mechanic should have spent a couple of hours filling this out and you should take the time to look it over before you leave. It should make the mechanic feel better that you have noticed his attention to the paperwork and taken a role in the maintenance review at the end of the work. I make all my clients look at their paperwork. It usually takes me 2-3 hours of time at home to do the paperwork on every Annual.
Before you leave shake the mechanic's hand or don't forget that hug.
All these things add up and make the owner / mechanic relationship what it should be, a mutual clear information exchange towards a common goal of maintaining your aircraft so it will perform as expected and hopefully keep you in the sky and out of the cornfield.


To summarize:
Pre-plan your maintenance a head of schedule
Make a timely appointment with the mechanic
Be friendly and courtesy
Make a list of maintenance items
Ask to watch
Take the time to look at the paperwork

Following these very simple practices will make you and your mechanic's relationship better which in turn usually translates into a better job from a mechanic that believes you care about what's going on and that you took notice of his hard work and it makes for a more friendly atmosphere. This usually nets you more attention from the mechanic on the work he performs for you because now he has that warm fuzzy feeling about a client. (Was warm and fuzzy over the top, you decide next time you do the right thing by your mechanic)

Last, but not least shake their hand and say Thank You like our parents taught us. Being polite should always be the standard for the client (and the mechanic).

Having a great relationship with your mechanic pays dividends,

Roger Lee
Tucson, AZ

[drseti]

Thanks, Roger, for posting this. I was an aircraft owner for over 30 years before I finally jumped through the hoops to get my own mechanic's certificate. During this time, I developed a relationship with a few mechanics that let me observe, help, hinder, and learn a lot. And, it gave me some insights into what kind of working relationship I want with my own clients, whenever I don my mechanic's cap.

First off, a mechanic needs to know your aircraft and engine serial numbers well before you drop the plane off for work. A good one will spend a full day gathering appropriate manuals, ADs, service bulletins, and service letters/instructions before beginning, say, an annual on an unfamiliar aircraft. This is training for which the mechanic will expect to get paid, one way or another. A fixed new-client documentation fee is one way to handle it; tacking overhead onto the hourly rate is another. I believe most customers prefer the former, because that way next year's annual will be cheaper. As a mechanic, I prefer this as well, because I can do the research at home, at night, at my leisure, and not while trying to be productive in the shop.

The aviation magazines talk about the "owner-hindered annual." Clients should realize that, though their very presence may not slow down the mechanic, their questions will. If the mechanic happens to be a born teacher (some are), he or she won't mind taking some time to educate you. The IA I worked with for the past couple of decades was such a person, and he taught me an incredible amount, not just about fixing or inspecting my own airplane, but about good operating practices that reduce maintenance costs. I was more than happy to pay him for the extra couple of hours he devoted to my education during every annual. But, as Roger has indicated, some prefer to work completely uninterrupted. Such mechanics may well establish a "sterile workshop" rule, akin to the "sterile cockpit" rule many of us enforce when we fly with passengers.

As an aircraft owner, I used to grouse about the high shop rates charged by some mechanics. Only after I became an AMT myself did I come to realize the tens of thousands of dollars of training that a mechanic has to amortize, and the additional tens of thousands of dollars he or she has invested in specialized tools. Still, my plumber charges more per hour than most A&Ps.

It's OK to shop around for the lowest hourly rate, but that may not result in the lowest overall cost. The more experience a mechanic has with a given airframe or engine, the more quickly he or she can repair or inspect it. So, consumers should ask about the mechanic's level of experience with the particular mechanism. Those who offer flat-rate inspections probably have the requisite experience -- otherwise, they wouldn't have known what rate to charge for a particular plane! If the quoted price seems unusually high, find out what extras might be included in the quote. If it seems unusually low, be especially cautious.

Customers sometimes like to make the mechanic's job easier (and maybe save some cash) by delivering the plane newly washed, with a fresh oil change. They are doing themselves and their mechanics a disservice. If I can see the amount of oil on the belly, and can determine exactly where it's coming from, I can track down problems before they become catastrophic. If I change your oil myself, I can see just what's on the oil screen or inside the filter, see the color and texture of your oil, get a sample for spectrographic analysis, and maybe predict an impending engine failure before you find yourself 200 feet in the air and out of runway. If you normally do your own oil changes, ask your mechanic before the annual if you should maybe forgo it this time around.

Realize that an aviation mechanic works on planes primarily because he's a fellow aviator. He or she could surely be making more money working for Mr. Goodwrench -- so treat your mechanic as a member of the exclusive club of aviators, and you will find your plane gets that extra bit of attention.

I had an experience just last week that is relevant. One of my students bought an antique, sport pilot eligible Ercoupe last year. I flew down to Florida with him, did a pre-purchase inspection, test-flew the plane, made my recommendations, and he sealed the deal and had the plane delivered to Pennsylvania. Since I am an LSRM-A, and the 'Coupe is a Part 23 aircraft, I could not do the annual for him. So, he took the plane to an IA, along with my list of squawks from the pre-purchase. Considerable work was done on the plane, after which my student wanted me to test-fly it before we resumed instruction. The IA would not allow it. A pilot himself, he insisted "nobody but me flies a plane on its maiden flight after I've done extensive maintenance." There was a mechanic who was not only willing to stand behind his work, but insisted on it! My student and I both have the highest respect for this attitude.

An hour later, I was flying the 'Coupe.