Recession Chopper

Suppose your car's warranty has expired. It's unlikely you would take it to an expensive dealership to get a tune-up or a repair. Instead, you might take your car to a less expensive but independently owned repair shop that has qualified mechanics.

That's exactly what Air Technology Group does for helicopter owners. There are thousands of these old birds flying around, spraying mosquitoes, chasing down bad guys and shuttling around executives.

The Naples-based company says it is the only major repair and maintenance facility approved by the Federal Aviation Administration in the Southeast, mainly because it's an arduous process to be approved by such demanding regulators.