In-House Maintenance

Under strict supervision at Sterling’s Maintenance Center at Mitchell International Airport, factory trained, seasoned technicians ensure that each aircraft in our fleet is meticulously inspected and maintained, complies with all airworthiness directives and service bulletins, and time-limited component changes and periodic maintenance are current.

Every Sterling flight arrival automatically triggers an inspection of airframe, engine inlets, tires and other key components. Flight logs, aircraft logs, operations manuals and all other FAA-required aircraft records are maintained by Sterling. We regularly coordinate major service or maintenance needs, such as engine overhauls or interior refurbishing, to maximize aircraft availability.

Our 24/7 staffed maintenance facility is certified as an FAA Part 145 repair station and is monitored by the Flight Standards District Office located at Mitchell International. We undergo random site audits to both Part 145 and Part 135 standards. In addition, Sterling conducts annual audits of all maintenance vendors.

We employ eight full-time licensed Airframe & Powerplant technicians, averaging more than 20 years of experience. Our technicians are trained at Flight Safety International on all aircraft types we operate and take recurrent training at least every two years.

See profile for Kurt Schlamer, Sterling’s Director of Maintenance

For each aircraft in our fleet, Sterling creates an Approved Aircraft Inspection Program (AAIP) that encompasses manufacturer requirements and other inspections for safety and emergency equipment. Our AAIP standards are based upon the most stringent intervals.

Minimum Equipment Lists (MELs) are also developed for each aircraft, specifying airworthiness categories for all aircraft equipment from flight systems to galley accessories, with dual and triple redundancy for flight systems. To ensure appropriate maintenance prioritization and emphasis on potential safety concerns, the MEL contains four defined categories of action in case of equipment malfunction – ranging from immediate repair of mission critical equipment to repair within 120 days for minor cosmetic issues. This allows for safe and efficient dispatch reliability.