TRUST AND VERIFICATION ARE KEY FOR SAFE, EFFECTIVE A Source: NBAA.org, News Editor, First published July/ August 2025 issue Each team member of a business aviation maintenance operation is tasked with working as an effective part of a cohesive union. But how can managers ensure that everyone pulls in the same direction, and at the same rate? Clearly it begins with trust. But experts point out that marrying trust with verification is vital for success. LAYING A FOUNDATION FOR TRUST The concept of trust, but verify, is rooted in an old Russian proverb, “Doveryai, No Proveryai,” and was famously invoked by former President Ronald Reagan during the Cold War. Its use in aviation calls for understanding the task, proceeding with caution and, ideally, no one gets hurt. Trust rests at the heart of aviation. In fact, the FAA goes to great lengths to instill passenger confidence and is steadfast in that mission. The agency calls this baseline its Compliance Program. “An open and transparent exchange of information requires mutual cooperation and trust that can be challenging to achieve in a traditional, enforcement-focused regulatory model,” the agency says on its website. Fern Campos, Disney’s aviation director of maintenance, operates under a similar philosophy, with one important distinction. Given the critical nature of aircraft maintenance in overall operations, his approach is: doubt, verify and then trust – meaning objective verification must always precede trust. This principle is deeply embedded in the company’s quality management system, where quality assurance (QA) focuses on establishing robust processes to prevent errors, and quality control (QC) ensures that completed maintenance meets required specifications. Through regular audits, QA evaluates the effectiveness of QC and ensures compliance with both regulatory and internal standards. “We manage what we can control, and mitigate what we cannot.” Bill Riter Aviation Department Manager, Rich Products Corp BEGIN WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN Aviation Department Manager Bill Riter of Rich Products Corp. recommends beginning each large maintenance action with a strategic plan. For example, when a C-Check (extensive inspection of an aircraft’s individual systems and components) is on the horizon, the team takes an initial overall look at the project scope and Opening Lines 5 AVIATION VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 05, ISSUE 02
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