Avionics News July 2020 - 69

402s with a pair of Beech 99s.
The 99s' systems were all electric
with a few electronic systems. The
mechanics weren't comfortable
with the electrical systems.
One night, they pulled me out
of the parts department to help
troubleshoot the instrument panel
lights. I discovered that the overhead
light control transistors had
shorted. They were the same power
transistors used in our guitar amps.
After they were replaced, I rode
on six night flights to see why the
transistors were failing so often. I
noticed the co-pilot changing out
a burned-out bulb. As he inserted
the bulb, I saw a spark. He had just
shorted out another transistor.
I suggested to the pilots that they
turn off the lights before inserting a
new bulb and to make sure the bulb
was properly seated into the socket
before turning the power back on.
I became the go-to guy for BE-99
electrical problems. As a reward,
I was sent to the Beech factory to
learn how to perform wing eddy
current and X-ray inspections.
Who were some of your
mentors over the years?
I had a lot of great mentors
during my early years in aviation.
One of the airline's owners had
a doctorate in physics and was a
college professor. He taught me
about magnetism and electrical
principals. He recommended

projects to reinforce the theory. I
repaid him by assisting him with his
aircraft maintenance.
Another mentor owned the FBO
and avionics shop next door. He was
a retired IBM engineer with several
U.S. patents, including one for an
IBM barcode reader. I took him
inoperative radios. While I waited,
he would repair them and explain
what he was doing along with the
theory and type of circuits.
You mentioned flying and
maintaining your own
aircraft. What was your
first airplane?
I've typically owned an airplane,
sometimes two at a time, since the
age of 27. My first one was a 1961
Cessna 150 with a runout engine. I
got it for $2,900 and flew it home.
Today, I have a TL-96
manufactured by TL Ultralight. At my
age, I don't enjoy sitting in a singleengine airplane for hours on end to
get to a destination. But I do enjoy
taking very short trips for the $100
cheeseburger and doing touch-andgo landings to maintain proficiency
to make the aircraft perform exactly
as I want. I'll probably own an
airplane when I die.
Tell me about how you
helped improve Wheeler
Airlines' maintenance
organization.
Wheeler Airlines recruited me

for the director of maintenance
position. I was hesitant because
the company was in trouble
with the FAA for maintenance
difficulties. I told them I would
take the job providing each of the
airplanes comes in for inspection
and are grounded until they are
legal and safe with all preventative
maintenance performed. I also
stipulated that I needed enough
mechanics to do the job without
having to call in mechanics who
have worked all day or night on
emergency repairs. The owner
agreed so fast I considered asking
for more money.
It took the airline about
nine months to get back to
a new normal. All mechanics
received training on each type
of airplane, and the training was
documented. Inspectors received
written designations listing their
authority. Airplanes were repaired
in accordance with acceptable
data, and that reference had to
be included in the maintenance
signoff. Shortcuts were eliminated
unless they were approved by
the FAA on an AAIP or the CAMP
maintenance program. We
reduced turnover to about one
mechanic a year.
During the next five years,
the FAA performed three special
audits on the company. We did
well. My secret was complying
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