Before joining The Connor Group, partner Ted Stephenson began his career at a neighborhood auto repair shop when he was just 14 years old. Even though he started on the cleaning crew, his interest and eagerness helped open the door to a role as a maintenance tech. From there, he quickly rose through the ranks of motorcycle dealerships repairing everything from motorcycles to ATVs.
This ultimately led him back to school to become an aviation maintenance technician (A&P mechanic) repairing all types of corporate and civilian aircraft.
In our latest edition of fix v. replace, Ted talks about one of the most unique challenges he’s faced while repairing aircrafts.
What was the issue?
The auxiliary engine cooling doors were malfunctioning on an F-5 fighter jet.
Why was this uniquely challenging?
The Northrup Grumman F-5 is a military aircraft with different manuals and systems compared to a corporate fleet aircraft. It is considered an experimental aircraft and falls under different regulations than the FAA. Ultimately, this dictates what I can repair vs. replace.
What tools or skills were required to complete the fix?
The ability to understand wiring diagrams was important. If I wouldn’t have taken the time to study them, I wouldn’t have discovered there was a bad relay component.
How long did it take to complete?
It took 4 hours to identify and fix the relay component.
What was the ultimate savings?
To replace the control box would have cost $100,000. I replaced a relay on the circuit board for $3000.
What advice do you have for others?
I tell myself all the time: K.I.S.S. (keep it simple stupid). Be sure to look at the whole picture to determine what’s broken. This allows you to make the decision to fix or replace in the most cost-effective manner.