Maintenance shop in Northern California

[Samuel Baker]

A lot of shops have shuttered with the recession. My A & I who knew Comanche's retired. Anyone who can give personal recomendations of a honest, careful shop familiar with Comanches' in the northern San Joaquin Valley area (Modesto/Stockton)?
Thanks for any help.

[Kristin Winter]

Not that I know of. The closest that I can recommend is Mangon Aircraft in Petaluma.

[Samuel Baker]

Hi Kristin,

Still babying that Twinkie around Sonoma skies? Are you pretty pleased with the work in Petaluma? It will be a bit of a stretch for me but I need someone who knows Comanches. There is a decent experienced shop on KMOD near home but they are mostly into Bonanzas'. farmdoc

[Kristin Winter]

Yeah! I still have Maggie. We would be flying this weekend except that her alternator system went nuts. Kept overvoltaging! Could figure out why, so am replacing the whole system with a Plane Power system. Must better system.

Mangon runs a very professional shop. They are a Piper Service Center and are very customer focused. They do good work and IMO, make good judgment calls and recommendations. The maintain several Comanches, so they speak pretty good Comanche. They are not top tier like Webco, Heritage, Clifton Aero, etc., but they are the best anywhere around here that I am aware of. I kibitze a bit for them too, especially if the customer asks me to.

Kristin

[Johnbmcg]

Wanted to bump this again.. My mechanic Modesto passed away after 25 years of owner-assisted annuals. Based at KRHV, wondering about Brian Stout at RHV or Johnston in Visalia or ???
John McG

[Kristin Winter]

II used Brian as an expert witness several years ago. I have talked to him since. Brian taught in San Jose States maintenance program for years and ran his little shop. He is very knowledgeable and has not problem letting an owner get his hands dirty, but you don't have to be involved. I would use him if I was down in the south bay and needed someone to do work.