PILOT'S GUIDE Before DeltaFox THE OF HIGH COST CHEAP S T O R Y B Y D A V I D H U G H E S " THE COST OF GOING WITH A LOW BIDDER CAN SHOW UP BIG TIME AFTER THE JOB IS DONE AND THINGS JUST DON'T WORK THE WAY THEY SHOULD. " A - 46 - ccording to Charles Schefer at Delta Fox Aviation (DeltaFox) in northern Virginia, aircraft owners have the mistaken impression that all avionics installation projects are created equal and meet the same high-quality standards. Price doesn't matter, and it's all the same good work. Schefer knows from experience this is not the case. He has experienced the difference at times when he writes a proposal for a prospective customer who then goes elsewhere to have the work done by the lowest bidder. " I think that too often people assume a certain level of standard exists simply because it is aviation, " Schefer said. " Maintenance is not a commodity even though many aircraft owners assume that it is. " Schefer supports the idea of customers getting multiple quotes for a project but warns prospective clients not to confuse lowest price with best value. He sometimes loses out to other shops that simply charge less. Unfortunately, in the realm of