Carolina Turbine Support (CTS), an authorized Mitsubishi MU-2 Service Center, offers expanded maintenance, avionics, and interior capabilities to MU-2 owners in the southeastern United States. As an FAA-approved repair station since 2006, CTS has gained a solid reputation in the industry due to its exceptional reliability in overhauling MU-2 components and in providing technical recommendations to MU-2 owners and operators worldwide.

CTS president and owner Mike Laver moved the facility to the Aiken Municipal Airport (KAIK) in Aiken, South Carolina to allow for its expanded role in maintaining Air 1st’s substantial fleet of 18 MU-2s, and it was promptly approved as an MU-2 Service Center. As a team, Mike and Tom Sapp, CTS Director of Operations, bring a combined 60 plus years of MU-2 experience to the maintenance facility.

Tom Sapp (photo: left) has over 35 years of maintenance, trouble shooting, and component overhaul experience with the MU-2 that began in the mid-70s at Garrett Aviation in Springfield, Illinois. Garrett Aviation was the largest MU-2 service center at the time and Tom conducted required inspections and modifications for the MU-2, and developed many STCs. He also worked as a Tech Rep directly for Mitsubishi in the mid-80s where he visited owners and maintenance facilities to trouble shoot and resolve technical issues for the MU-2 and Diamond aircraft. For ten years he was the service and parts manager for the Intercontinental Jet Service Corp maintenance facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In his experience working at service centers, he helped develop STCs for Tip Tank Dumps, Fuel Pod Tanks, Tip Tank Taxi Lights, Air Conditioning/Pressurization Systems and Baggage Compartments among others.

After several years as the owner/operator of Aircraft Components, an MU-2 component overhaul facility, Tom came to work for CTS. He was instrumental in setting up the repair station, and the reliability of CTS’ overhauled components along with Tom’s sound technical advice greatly improved the reliability of the Air 1^st fleet as well as the aircraft of many other single aircraft and fleet operators.

Mike (photo: right) has been involved with the Mitsubishi MU-2 aircraft for over 26 years as the owner and operator of several MU-2 fleets in both Australia and in the United States, and he has personally overseen the maintenance on these aircraft. To date, he has approximately 110,000 hours as an owner/operator of the MU-2 aircraft.

As a supporter and regular customer of service centers, Mike fully understands and appreciates what a maintenance customer requires. He is now the owner of the only service center that is a pilot of the MU-2, owns the largest fleet of MU-2s, and orders regular maintenance on the MU-2 aircraft. Because he knows what he wants and needs as a customer, he is able to anticipate the service concerns from the beginner to the most discerning MU-2 owner.

As the owner of Air 1st Aviation Companies, specializing in MU-2 aircraft sales, Mike is now able to offer his customers with a complete service support package with the addition of the factory authorized service center with its enhanced maintenance, avionics and interior refurbishment capabilities.

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