AI- Early Detection Maintenance Works to Solve Technician Shortage

Mike Busch, Savvy Aviation founder and seasoned A&P/IA, is on a mission to modernize general aviation (GA) maintenance and support the often-overlooked GA mechanic community. With the acute shortage of A&P mechanics posing a major threat to GA aircraft owners, Busch believes the answer lies in supporting the shops, not just the owners.

At the front of this mission is the Savvy for Shops initiative: a program designed to support, train, and connect GA mechanics. “There’s never really been a good hangout for A&Ps,” Busch says, which led to the creation of Shop Talk, a free online forum open to all mechanics and A&P students. Modeled after Savvy’s internal community, Shop Talk includes active participation from nearly 50 IAs offering a plethora of knowledge for free.

Savvy also launched Savvy Certified, a free online training program on Sporty's website. Designed to bring mechanics up to speed on modern techniques like minimally invasive techniques and FAA-approved reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), the self-paced course counts toward IA renewal. 

For more intensive support, Savvy’s paid Powered by Savvy service gives shops unlimited consulting access to its expert team. “We’re shifting our focus to help the shops directly,” Busch notes, “instead of always going through the aircraft owner.”

The company’s AI-led efforts are also becoming a reliable resource. The Borescope Initiative, launched in 2024, has had over 150,000 images uploaded, analyzed 2,500 engines, and caught over 1,000 early-stage exhaust valve issues that are fixable for $200–$300 (lap-able) instead of the full $3,000 replacement associated with more extensive damage. Their AI is already 85% accurate at detecting these issues with 15% false positives. 

Meanwhile, Project GADfly Savvy’s most ambitious AI project monitors real-time engine data to detect and explain anomalies before failure occurs, potentially revolutionizing predictive maintenance.

Savvy is also working with Garmin and Crew Chief Systems to streamline data sharing, and Busch hopes these integrations, along with Savvy’s shop-focused tools, will help attract younger mechanics back to GA. Not everything is published yet, but within the year, Busch says all will be available to the public.

FMI: www.savvyaviation.com