The Right Way to Maintain Your Airplane, with Colleen Sterling

By John Zimmerman
Jul 1, 2025
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Pilot's Discretion Podcast, episode 107

We train mechanics to attack airplanes with tools, but A&P/IA Colleen Sterling says there’s a better way. She shares her advice for using modern tools like engine monitors and borescopes to maintain airplanes based on condition instead of by the calendar. She also talks about her fascinating day job, which involves searching for lost airplanes—including her role in finding the Air France 447 wreckage. In the Ready to Copy segment, Colleen explains why compression checks are overrated, how to be a better air racer, and what it’s like to fly aerobatics in a biplane.

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Quotes:

The right way to approach maintenance: “We want to train GA mechanics to think before they strike with the wrench.”
Why new engine monitors matter: “The intro of engine monitors in our aircraft has really made a difference in collecting data that mechanics can use to subsequently troubleshoot problems.”
Reliability-centered maintenance: “The point is to keep the airplane up and running, not to just do these things like a checklist every X months or years.”
Engine maintenance without using borescopes: “It's like trying to maintain your aircraft kind of blind.”
Using AI to analyze engine data: “What we're really moving towards is using engine data to characterize what a normal engine looks like, and then we're looking for anomalies. And this is more than just CHTs and EGTs.”
Advice for new mechanics: “Learn your electrical skills because that is like the number one problem that an owner's gonna bring to you.”
Using math to find airplane crashes: “I have the fortunate luck of working for a company that's a bunch of mathematical geniuses.”
The value of compression checks: “Overrated. Compression tests mean nothing. They are a dinosaur that the FAA needs to get rid of.”
How to get involved in your airplane’s maintenance: “If you have a mechanic that's willing, an owner assisted annual is a wonderful way to get to know your airplane.”
Flying aerobatics: “I really respect the people that can fly more grassroots airplanes like the big Great Lakes or a Citabria or Stearman for that matter, because you have to be perfect—because it's really visible to the judges.”