A builder’s success can hinge on their relationship with factory tech support. [Kerry Fores]
Key Takeaways:
The author's 20-year career as a "Tech Guy" for homebuilt aircraft involved a demanding role supporting a diverse range of builders, often navigating impatient or ill-prepared customers and the complexities introduced by highly customized experimental planes.
His primary responsibility was to support the company's products as designed, not to provide general homebuilding advice, troubleshoot third-party components, or endorse builder modifications, which frequently complicated issues and could pose safety risks.
Builders are expected to possess a baseline of mechanical ability and resourcefulness, utilize manufacturer documentation, and understand that extensive modifications can limit factory support, ultimately making issues their own responsibility.
Effective support hinges on builders exhausting self-help resources and preparing adequately before contact, fostering a respectful, collaborative relationship with the "Tech Guy" rather than treating them as adversaries.
What follows is the impossible task of summarizing a 20-year career in about 3,000 words. My statements and opinions do not reflect those of Sonex, from which I retired in July 2023.
“You’ve got the coolest job in the world,” a customer would exclaim.
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