The Aero Experience Week In Review: Aircraft Maintenance In the Spotlight

By Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience looks back on a week of visits to three of our sponsors, with an emphasis on current and future aircraft maintenance projects. Where there is flying, there is aircraft maintenance, especially when it concerns flight schools. Flight training aircraft need constant attention since most fly every good weather day, and along with expected wear and tear, they undergo regular inspections and upgrades. The general aviation community also needs aircraft maintenance services as well, and the demand for A&P Mechanics and IAs remains. Here we highlight some of the stories we are preparing for full coverage later in the spring.

Big River Aviation, St. Louis Downtown Airport

Big River Aviation provides aircraft maintenance and inspection services for the general aviation customers as well as fleet maintenance for St. Louis Flight Training. During our visit this week, Big River Aviation was working on several flight training aircraft along with some long-term repair projects specifically referred to owner/operator Paul Voorhees and his experienced crew. Among the aircraft shown below is a Lancair Columbia, The New Spirit of St. Louis, flown by Erik Lindbergh in 2002 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of his grandfather's 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic. This aircraft will be returned to flight status soon and used locally by AeroCareers to promote aerospace education at STEM events and fly-ins across the Midwest. Big River Aviation was recently featured on The Aero Experience for completing a 50-hour inspection and fuel tank repair on a U.S. Forest Service 1959 DeHavilland Beaver.  

Big River Aviation directly contributes to the development of aircraft maintenance personnel by training A&P Apprentice staff, including Noah Klein, shown below towing an aircraft and assisting with the Dehavilland Beaver 50-hour inspection. His story is coming soon on The Aero Experience.

Gateway Flight Solutions, Creve Coeur Airport

Gateway Flight Solutions provides aircraft maintenance and inspection services for general aviation customers while also maintaining the Gateway Flight Training fleet. The Piper Archer and Cherokee will soon be joined by a Cessna 310 multi-engine trainer and Cessna 172RG complex trainer, each of which are undergoing inspections and avionics upgrades. Gateway Flight Solutions is an authorized Avidyne, Aspen, Dynon and Electronics International dealer, offering quality products and expert installation services. The Aero Experience has begun a series of feature stories covering the fleet upgrades: Gateway Flight Training Provides Avionics Upgrades for Complex Trainer, Part 1.

This week we found progress on the fleet aircraft upgrades along with a wing repair in progress following a recent bird strike to the Cherokee's right wing leading edge.

Elite Aviation, Spirit of St. Louis Airport

Elite Aviation provides aircraft maintenance and inspection services to general aviation customers as well as fleet maintenance for ten Cessna 172 and one Piper Turbo Saratoga aircraft in their fleet. Led by Maintenance Manager Jeff Lucchesi, a highly experienced A&P Mechanic/IA, the maintenance staff are adept at frequent inspections and engine changes necessary to keep a busy fleet in the air. Elite Aviation's maintenance department is known for attracting talented technicians from around the region, many with military service, and there are currently opportunities available for additional staff as the fleet continues to grow to meet growing student and rental demand. The Aero Experience will feature an interview with Jeff Lucchesi (shown below) in a future post.