FROM BEGINNER TO LEAD IN THREE YEARS: MEET BRYAN TECKLENBERG, AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN

Bryan Tecklenberg was still in the early stages of his career as an aviation maintenance technician when he was assigned one of his biggest projects to date: a bird strike on a Beechcraft King Air turboprop. 

The incident immediately grounded the aircraft in Bedford, Massachusetts, almost 200 miles away from the nearest Textron Aviation service center. Tecklenberg was a member of the Textron Aviation team assigned to the off-site repair. To fully assess the damage to the King Air, the team had to remove one of the aircraft’s wings. 

“It was a pretty big job,” Tecklenberg said. “We had to defuel the wings and evaluate how far the damage went into the leading edge skin.” 

Tecklenberg earned one of his first major accomplishments as an aviation professional when the off-site project was completed successfully and on time. 

“It was a great feeling to return the plane to service after something so serious,” he said. “The customer was happy we completed the job in a timely fashion.”  

Today, Tecklenberg is a lead maintenance technician at the Textron Aviation service center in Newburgh, New York. As a technician, he is hands-on, completing large inspections and smaller routine maintenance tasks on Cessna Citation business jets and King Air turboprops. As a leader, he tracks the progress of every aircraft assigned to his crew, and he also serves as a guide for a team of five to 10 fellow mechanics, scheduling their daily duties on each aircraft. 

He recently made the move to lead mechanic after only three years in Newburgh. He credits his rapid ascent to a lifelong interest in aviation and Textron Aviation’s commitment to professional development and providing employees with career growth opportunities. 

Tecklenberg’s professional exposure to aircraft began in the U.S. Marines, where one of his responsibilities included refueling fighter jets. After his time in the military, he enrolled in an airframe and powerplant (A&P) program to become a licensed aircraft technician. 

“I wanted a career change,” Tecklenberg said. “It was my wife, Rebecca, who pushed me to finally go work with airplanes.”  

He worked in the maintenance department of a small charter operator before arriving at Textron Aviation’s New York facility. Becoming a member of the Textron Aviation team accelerated his learning journey and opened up a new world of general aviation customer service, he said. 

“Even with how inspections get started and go through the completion process, everything was so much larger and more structured at Textron Aviation,” Tecklenberg said. “It was fun learning all of the new processes.” 

That structure now provides Tecklenberg with a new level of exposure and responsibility, allowing him to develop and hone his leadership style. As a lead technician, he also has customer-facing duties and is often asked to serve as an expert in customer communications. 

“Sometimes I’m asked to sit in conference calls with customers so I can have a better understanding of their maintenance needs, and it’s helpful having that connection with the person who is using the aircraft,” he said. 

As he continues strengthening relationships with colleagues and customers alike, Tecklenberg wants to continue working on the technical side of the New York service center. Part of his support network in the Newburgh hangar includes a team of technicians and inspectors with decades of Cessna and Beechcraft experience under their belt. 

“I still have a lot to learn as a mechanic, and I want to experience as much as I can, especially with all the new aircraft we have at Textron Aviation,” he said. “I hope to be at the same level as some of my other colleagues, and to have the same knowledge and expertise they have.”