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Proper aviation maintenance is measured in more than just dollars and cents — it’s also measured in human lives.

That was the overriding message of a new podcast posted onto Aviation Today, titled: "Safe Outsourcing: How to Ensure Proper Fuel System Maintenance." You can access this podcast for free at www.AviationToday.com.

For this podcast show, I interviewed John Stewart, president and general manager of Dallas-based Southwest Airframe and Temp Services, better known by its no-nonsense acronym: SWAT.

SWAT performs onsite fuel system maintenance, including fuel tank repairs and inspections. As John Stewart told me during the interview, his company provides a specialized and extremely vital service that clients "don’t think about, until they need it."

SWAT is the largest company in its field, with a focus on the bizjet market. Stewart made a strategic decision to target bizjets, to carve out a specialty in that growing niche, but his company can tackle just about any type of aircraft. SWAT works for the OEMs, either behind the scenes or for their service centers. It also works for most major corporate maintenance facilities that outsource maintenance. Below are the most salient excerpts of our 15-minute interview.

Aviation Today: Does increasing reliance on outsourcing adversely affect air safety?

Stewart: Absolutely not, despite recent concerns. If in fact done properly, outsourcing should increase air safety. Why does a company outsource? The number one reason is economics. This translates into competitiveness in the marketplace. Air safety is compromised when sub-standard outsourcing is hired in a precarious way. Companies considering outsourcing should thoroughly examine the company they intend to hire, their internal safety standards and evaluate the motivation behind outsourcing.

Aviation Today: When it comes to your niche, what are some of the recurring mistakes and problems that you see, in terms of fuel system maintenance?

Stewart: The number one problem is the rush. But as far as outsourcing fuel tank repairs, I would say the biggest mistake is scheduling deadlines and proper completion of initial and final fuel leak checks. The typical problem is unrealistic completion schedules, and as hard as we strive to meet our customers expectations, one, and only one factor, affects air safety more than any other, and that’s time. Money is time, and people try to rush the job to save money.

Aviation Today: How can outsourcing companies such as yours that perform fuel system maintenance avoid these pitfalls?

Stewart: Avoiding costly mistakes can be greatly reduced by allowing for estimated downtimes. Cure times are always a concern and can usually be accelerated in some manner. If we need 10 days, don’t push for six. Trust me, it would probably take you 20.

Aviation Today: Don’t the clients — the end users — need to get involved, too? Shouldn’t they take ownership of the work that’s performed?

Stewart: End users definitely should get involved. The end users, often in our case chief pilots that manage flight departments, generally do make themselves available for critical decision-making issues that arise in fuel system maintenance. They shouldn’t just drop it off and disappear — and most don’t. In other words, when clients walk away from the work, safety vulnerabilities arise.

Aviation Today: Elaborate on how clients need to get more directly involved.

Stewart: Make sure your maintenance provider is giving you a clear and concise picture of what is going on with your aircraft. Don’t shortcut the critical stuff and expect perfection. One example: Don’t reinstall a 30-year-old fuel cell that has been properly repaired and expect it to last or be warranted. A new one may cost you a small fortune but you can’t afford the stress of recurring problems and safety concerns that may arise, forcing you back into maintenance. Again, when it comes to fuel system repair and maintenance, it’s important to do the job right, allow for sufficient time on your schedule, and avoid the temptation to rush.