You’re an airplane owner and you know how to fly, but you don’t know the first thing about maintenance. A new online service is here to try and make sure you get the best service possible.
Fly Mechanic is a rating system for technicians and repair stations. It empowers users to speak honestly about their experiences with a particular repair or alteration. Not surprisingly, it was born of a bad experience.
Co-founder Andrew LaFollette said he was burned a number of times with repairs on an airplane he was flying professionally. That’s when he and a friend decided there had to be a better way to source a mechanic.
The site includes every repair station in the country, and many independent technicians as well. Users can search by airport, aircraft type, or the type of work that needs to be done. Currently there are more than 5,000 shops and almost 800 reviews.
LaFollette said the reviews are upfront. Companies can’t tamper with them, and can only gain better visibility through paid advertising. Both searching and posting are free for users.
