Avionics News October 2012 - 45

the downturn in the economy and the Cobham purchase, there were layoffs. That’s when Bill Shields called me. He was starting the 3S ODA, and I was helping him part time writing training modules for the ODA unit members. When he received the ODA in January a year ago, we talked long term. Bill hung his ODA shingle and opened the door, and we’ve been blessed beyond imagination with the amount of work received. The company has grown from an 800 square-foot facility to 4,000 square feet. We went from two employees to 12 in just 18 months.

Explain the difference between 3S Certification and 3S Engineering.

3S Certification holds the ODA from the FAA. 3S Engineering does the engineering and certification work. The ODA acts like an FAA office. 3S Certification verifies the findings of compliance and provides approvals in place of the FAA and issues the STC. The only employee at 3S Certification is Bill Shields, and he serves as the ODA administrator. The rest of us work for 3S Engineering. We have some very talented men and women in the office who are experienced in certification.

I just get up and go to the airport, and it’s a new world every day. I don’t like repetition, and I don’t do the same thing every day. I may be writing a manual or be on the road. I like to travel, although I didn’t sign up for this much. For me, my work has been a lifelong enjoyment in an industry where you never know what the day has in store. Changes occur every day, and you roll with the flow; it fits my personality. At S-TEC, I did training seminars every year at the AEA International Convention & Trade Show. I made all the AEA Regional Meetings, and it afforded me the opportunity to meet a lot of people – from Australia, Europe, all over. I also was on an ad hoc AEA committee on establishing warranty policies, trying to find a balance between repair stations and manufacturers. The results were guidelines published by the AEA for both manufacturers and repair stations – a list of best practices for both sides. I was real proud of that work. I also served on the AEA Member Services Committee for three years and appreciated the opportunity to serve with a great group.

I met and married Alice, who was raised on a dairy farm. She is a farm girl, and I’ve had a lot of fun messing with cows for seven years now. Being a city boy, I’ve been run over, stepped on and pooped on by those cows. We have a horse, a crippled mule, five cows, six dogs and a stray cat. Alice loves animals and has a big heart. She’s also a CASA worker.

What is CASA?

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. You volunteer as a court advocate for abused and neglected children. It is heartbreaking and rewarding.

What else do you and Alice do for fun?

What do you do when you’re not working?

What do you like best about your job?

I will say this about aviation in general: I’ve never had a real job;

Alice and I live on 70 acres outside Stephenville, Texas. I have a herd of cows. Actually, I have five cows. I call it a herd and myself a rancher. I was a city boy, and after my first wife passed away in 2001,

We’re really homebodies. Both of us love to close the gate, and we don’t go out unless we absolutely must. We were fortunate to find one another and find a relationship where we are both ourselves. We’re both comfortable with one another in our own home. We enjoy the animals and the farm. I still enjoy welding. We have 10 grandchildren from a few months old to 18 years old, including five boys and five girls. In short, we have a wonderful relationship that works. q

To learn more about 3S Engineering, visit www.3s-engineering.com.
avionics news

•

october

2012

http://www.3s-engineering.com

Avionics News October 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News October 2012