Maintenance - Sweet Aviation

Why choose Sweet Aviation for your aircraft service?

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
First and foremost, we believe in doing the right thing. We value and insist on safety, thoroughness, and transparent communication, and we will empower you to be an informed, confident aircraft owner. We offer fair pricing on quality repairs that are done in a timely fashion.

PASSION IS CONTAGIOUS
Our team of talented, certified aircraft maintenance technicians are pilots who are passionate about aviation. They are factory-trained experts on multiple makes and models and can apply that knowledge to just about anything with wings or rotors! What’s more, we’re a Cirrus Authorized Service Center, an exclusive group of the most trusted Cirrus service providers.

TRANSPARENCY FROM THE START
Before we begin working on your aircraft, we will evaluate the potential costs and will always obtain your authorization before making any repairs. With detailed communication every step of the way, our highly trained staff is dedicated to getting you back in the air safely and conveniently.

HEART OF THE MIDWEST
Centrally located in Northeast Indiana, we’re easy to find and to access. Not based here? We can help relocate your aircraft to and/or from our shop, during which you can accrue additional flight-training time, and we can also do an evaluation of your aircraft’s performance.

Smith Field Airport (SMD), Fort Wayne, Indiana maintenance options.

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DeKalb County Airport (KGWB), Auburn, Indiana, maintenance options.

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Services:

Cirrus Experts – Factory-Trained and Cirrus-Authorized
Annual Inspections
Pre-purchase Inspections
Personalized Maintenance Tracking
Propeller Balance
Oxygen Bottle Refills
Interior & Exterior Detailing

Ready to Schedule Your Service?

Call us at (260) 267-5505 to make an appointment.

Meet Our Maintenance Team

Sean Barr, Director of Maintenance & Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Sean graduated with honors from the US Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s in political science and a German language minor. He went on to serve eleven years on active duty as an Air Force Special Operations Pilot, logging over 2,100 hours of flight time including 1,000 hours of combat over Iraq and Afghanistan. For his accomplishments Sean was awarded a Bronze Star and eleven Air Medals.

In addition to aircraft, Sean is also passionate about his faith and earned his master’s in Theological Studies from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary while attending A&P school.

Sean enjoys spending time with his four daughters, as well as camping, traveling, and hunting.

Michael Brewer, Maintenance Coordinator

Michael attended Vincennes University in the aviation flight program. There, he received private, commercial, and instrument flight training. He only recently returned to the aviation industry after an exciting 18-year adventure in the live music industry. Now, being a part of Sweet Aviation, he gets to enjoy his passion for both music and flying.

Jeff Reid, Maintenance Admin Assistant

Jeff didn’t know it at the time, but seeing airplanes at an airshow would send him down a career path in the aviation industry. Growing up in the Midwest, Jeff would attend a university where he would receive two Associate of Applied Science degrees as well as a Bachelor of Science business degree. Jeff then joined the Air Force where he would serve six years and be deployed to the Middle East three times. At Sweet Aviation, Jeff handles the administration and logistics for the maintenance shop and plans to earn his pilot license soon.

Austin Scheiderer, Shop Foreman & Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Austin earned his A&P and commercial pilot certificates from the School of Missionary Aviation Technology and has had a career as an aircraft mechanic and flown aerial survey missions across the United States.

Austin later graduated from Ethnos360 Bible Institute with an associate’s in biblical studies. He and his wife, Katie, have have a daughter and hope to one day fly with Ethnos360 as overseas missionaries.

Eric Carranza, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Eric has been working with his hands from a young age, be it putting together model cars or lego sets. His first car was a gradation gift that he had to get running himself. After high school, Eric worked as a service advisor in the automatic industry servicing and repairing automobiles. After a few years, Eric enrolled at Ivy Tech Community College where he earned his A&P license. He complemented this by enlisting in 2018 where he would serve with the 122nd Fighter Wing located in Fort Wayne, Indiana where he worked on the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.

In his free time, Eric loves spending time with his two children, his wife, and family.

Colton Denn, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Colton grew up in Minnesota where he developed a love for fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling. After graduating high school, he joined the United States Navy as an ordnanceman, maintaining ammunition on board the USS John C. Stennis. He went on to serve two deployments: the first in the South China Sea and the other in the Persian Gulf. Colton left the service in 2020 to pursue a career as an aviation mechanic. He received his airframe and Power Plant certification from the Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) in Virginia, before completing his associate degree with AIM in Atlanta. Colton loves to spend time with his family, including his wife Phoenix, daughter Camilla, and two dogs.

Eric Faulkner, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Eric grew up in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area and after his enlistment in the US Army, he focused on aviation as his next passion and turned it into a career path. Specializing in avionics and aircraft electrical systems, Eric earned his A&P through his time on the job and completed the program at Bakers School of Aeronautics.

He and his wife have three children and one of them is a plane lover already. Outside of aviation, Eric enjoys riding his motorcycle and beekeeping.

Cory Flynn, Aircraft Detailer

Cory was born and raised in Fort Wayne Indiana. As a young kid, he worked with his father pressure washing his commercial accounts. Ever since then, Cory knew he had a passion and attention to detail. He then started detailing vehicles and about two years into that, he became more intrigued by the dynamics of performing paint correction and protection. Along with Cory’s training and courses, he traveled to Atlanta, GA to become a Certified Detailer- Skills Validated, then to Irvine, CA to earn his Detailing Master Technician Training Course Certificate. He is an active member of the International Detailing Association as well.

Daniel Horney, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Daniel grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and left the area after enlisting in the Marine Corps. Towards the end of his time in the military, he married his wife, Elizabeth, as she was beginning her career in the US Army as a helicopter pilot. Elizabeth’s career moved them to Washington state where Daniel attended Clover Park Technical College during which time he was issued his airframe and power plant certificates and received his associate degree in aviation maintenance. After working in general aviation in Washington and Alabama, the Army moved them to South Korea where Daniel worked on UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. Upon completion of Elizabeth’s military commitment, they moved back to the Fort Wayne area where Daniel began working at Sweet Aviation.

Carter Kelly, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Carter grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana but has lived in Florida, Kentucky, and Michigan. Growing up he was always interested in mechanical objects and spent his formative years working on his own vehicles and vehicles for friends. Carter became interested in flying and saw aircraft maintenance as a good stepping stone to get into the industry. After high school he attended Ivy Tech Community College where he attained Airframe and Powerplant Certificates.

In his free time Carter enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing video games, working out, and reading.

Jessica McQueen, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Jessica brings 12 years of experience serving in the U.S. Army to her role as an aircraft mechanic for Sweet Aviation. She spent nine of those 12 years serving as a UH-60 Blackhawk mechanic and crew chief. At Fort Drum, she supervised a team of more than 60 mechanics, working on three different military helicopter airframes. She has no shortage of experience flying either, flying mission sets in Central America, Haiti, Afghanistan, and Japan.

Jessica received her A&P certificates in 2023. She is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree in psychology. When not surrounded by aircraft, Jessica loves surrounding herself with her family and pets.

Tom Mollenauer, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Tom is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and received his A&P and FCC licenses from the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics. He started his aviation career in 1996 with regional carrier Continental Express and then ExpressJet Airlines in Cleveland, Ohio. 25 years later after the pandemic closed the doors, Tom found himself working for GA companies. He received his IA license in August of 2022 from Bakers School of Aeronautics. Tom and his wife Kim have have two sons, two grandkids, and two goldendoodles, Skylar and Reign. They are active with their family, kids sports and church. They love drag racing and traveling.

Brock Nafziger, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Brock is from Archbold, Ohio and earned his A&P certificate from Michigan Institute of Aviation and Technology. His passion for aircraft began in his early teens when Brock decided to pursue a career in aviation. He enjoys off-road adventures in his Jeep and spending time with family.

Andrew Rupert, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Andrew was hooked into aviation at an early age when his uncle purchased a flight for him and his brother in a New Standard D-25 at the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. With that start, he graduated from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, with a Bachelors of Technology in Aviation Flight & Maintenance. While finishing his A&P Andrew worked as a part time flight instructor for the university.

In his free time Andrew enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Alicia. The couple is often found camping, hiking, or Kayaking.

Steven Schwanz, Certified Aircraft Mechanic

Steven Schwanz grew up in Minnesota where he trained at the Minneapolis Technical College Aviation Training Program as an aircraft mechanic and also received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia University. In his free time, Steven enjoys spending time with his wife and five sons.

Maintenance & Detailing Services

Keeping You Safe in the Sky

Why choose Sweet Aviation for your aircraft service?

Services:

Ready to Schedule Your Service?

Meet Our Maintenance Team

Email us or give us a call at (260) 267-5505 if you have questions or would like more information.

Maintenance & Detailing Services

Keeping You Safe in the Sky

Why choose Sweet Aviation for your aircraft service?

Services:

Ready to Schedule Your Service?

Meet Our Maintenance Team

Email us or give us a call at (260) 267-5505 if you have questions or would like more information.

Stay Informed

We’ll send you occasional emails about upcoming events, news & more