Nice Guys in Aviation

[Michael 182]

A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.

I got to the airport around 4:00 on a summer morning in Indianapolis. During
preflight I switched on the master to lower the flaps and check the fuel
gauges. Unfortunately, the master was already on. Some fool had left it on
the night before. Since it was my plane, and I'm the only one who ever flew
it, I had a vague suspicion who might be guilty.

The line guy at the FBO (this is the embarrassing part - years ago - I don't
remember which FBO) tried jumping the plane from his car. No luck - the
battery was truly drained. He called in a mechanic who arrived by 5:00,
attached me to a charger, and had me on my way by 6:00. They told me there
was no charge ("we don't charge for a little electricity") and refused to
accept any tip. Given that I hate getting up early, I thought this was
pretty amazing.

I've met dozens of people like this at FBO's around the country. In general,
the most customer service-oriented group of businesses I know.

Michael

[G.R. Patterson III]

Michael 182 wrote:
>
> A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
> Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.

I took the Maule back down to Moultrie to get the vacuum system put in and get
an AD taken care of. While I was there, Ray Maule went through the aircraft in
person and had them perform every outstanding service bulletin free of charge.
That's one.

On the way back, I stopped at RDU for fuel. During the approach, I discovered
that both landing light bulbs were burned out. I landed just before the flight
center closed and bought new bulbs, but the temp/dew point spread was getting
close, so I decided to spend the night. I went into Piedmont to make the
arrangements.

Unfortunately, a hurricane had blown through several weeks before, and every
hotel in town was full of displaced homeowners. After the guy at the desk spent
half an hour verifying this, I decided that I'd best hop over to the west a
bit to find a place to stay. The desk clerk handed me the keys to one of their
pilot overnight rooms. No charge. That's two, and on the same trip.

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

[Dale]

Front Range Aviation - Great Falls Montana

In 2000 while enroute to Oshkosh we stopped at Great Falls for fuel and
to wait out a Tstorm to the southeast. The battery contactor picked
that moment to fail. The owner of FRA was there and we put the airplane
in the hangar and he started taking it apart. Diagnosed the problem, no
parts available in town, attempted to rebuild/repait but was unable.
Had to order it overnight. We got a motel room, he said he'd have it
ready to go early in the morning for us. When we arrived the next day
the airplane was ready to go as promised. He charged me for the part
and only one (1) hour of labor. I know for a fact he spent at least 3
hours on it!! I made it a point to stop there for fuel on the way back
north, and will stop there anytime I get a chance to fly through that
area.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

[Jon Kraus]

There are 3 main FBO's in Indianapolis that you could have been. Eagle
Creek (EYE) is on the west side of Indianapolis and is named for the
reservoir that is next to the airport. Indianapolis Metropolitan (UMP)
is on the northeast side if Indianapolis (actually in Fishers Indiana).
Indianapolis Executive (used to be Terry Airport TYQ) is on the
northwest side. This used to be Purdue University's airport for their
flight training program (before they built their own). It is a nice
airport with an ILS, GPS and VOR approaches. Metro airport is where I
obtained my Private ticket and Executive is where I am working on my
Instrument. I would say that your courtesy could have come from any of
those 3. There is a Noblesville airport on the nourished but it is a
grass field and you didn't say anything about that . Where were you
flying from?

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL
Student-IA

Michael 182 wrote:

>A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
>Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.
>
>I got to the airport around 4:00 on a summer morning in Indianapolis. During
>preflight I switched on the master to lower the flaps and check the fuel
>gauges. Unfortunately, the master was already on. Some fool had left it on
>the night before. Since it was my plane, and I'm the only one who ever flew
>it, I had a vague suspicion who might be guilty.
>
>The line guy at the FBO (this is the embarrassing part - years ago - I don't
>remember which FBO) tried jumping the plane from his car. No luck - the
>battery was truly drained. He called in a mechanic who arrived by 5:00,
>attached me to a charger, and had me on my way by 6:00. They told me there
>was no charge ("we don't charge for a little electricity") and refused to
>accept any tip. Given that I hate getting up early, I thought this was
>pretty amazing.
>
>I've met dozens of people like this at FBO's around the country. In general,
>the most customer service-oriented group of businesses I know.
>
>Michael
>
>
>
>
>

[Jay Honeck]

> A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
> Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.

Great thread!

1. Back in '97, on our very first trip to Iowa City, our rental Cherokee 140
started leaking oil -- badly. We didn't notice until after we landed, and
Mary brushed up against the fuselage. Her bright red cloth coat was
instantly ruined with oil -- which had covered the entire right side of the
wing and fuselage!

It was Saturday, of course, so who would check the plane? We were only
there for the day, checking Iowa City as a possible location for our
business.

Amazingly, the FBO called in an on-call A&P, who instantly got to work. It
turned out to be a missing valve cover gasket, which he replaced within
minutes. He then called our FBO in Wisconsin, and arranged for them to pay
for his time and parts -- we literally had to do nothing. It was fabulous!

(In an ironic aside, just 18 months later this very same A&P would rake me
over the coals for almost $5K on our first annual inspection -- of a plane
that HE had passed at the pre-buy inspection...)

2. Another great turn of events. We were somewhere in Nebraska (I sadly
can't remember where), again in a rental 140, and the plane would NOT pass
the mag check no matter what I tried. This time it was on a Sunday, and the
place was pretty well deserted...

....Except for one guy, who just happened to be a mechanic! He brought out
his tools and we removed and cleaned all the spark plugs while my kids
played in the grass. It turned out to be a very fouled spark plug, which
we cleaned, reinstalled, and all was well.

He refused to accept any money, and sent us merrily on our way.

There *are* good people everywhere in aviation.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Michael 182" > wrote in message
news:6vH2c.516844$na.1172814@attbi_s04...
>
> I got to the airport around 4:00 on a summer morning in Indianapolis.
During
> preflight I switched on the master to lower the flaps and check the fuel
> gauges. Unfortunately, the master was already on. Some fool had left it on
> the night before. Since it was my plane, and I'm the only one who ever
flew
> it, I had a vague suspicion who might be guilty.
>
> The line guy at the FBO (this is the embarrassing part - years ago - I
don't
> remember which FBO) tried jumping the plane from his car. No luck - the
> battery was truly drained. He called in a mechanic who arrived by 5:00,
> attached me to a charger, and had me on my way by 6:00. They told me there
> was no charge ("we don't charge for a little electricity") and refused to
> accept any tip. Given that I hate getting up early, I thought this was
> pretty amazing.
>
> I've met dozens of people like this at FBO's around the country. In
general,
> the most customer service-oriented group of businesses I know.
>
> Michael
>
>
>

[Tom Sixkiller]

"Jay Honeck" > wrote in message
news:zF%2c.84768$ko6.437064@attbi_s02...

[uplifting stories snipped]
>
> He refused to accept any money, and sent us merrily on our way.
>
> There *are* good people everywhere in aviation.

And outside of aviation as well.

Many years ago, (1977 I think) my mother (64 at the time) had a flat tire.
She pulled to the side of the road with the trunk open and her emergency
flashers on.

She was really shaken when a trio of grungy looking bikers pulled up an
offered to change the tire for her. Shaken, hell...she was scared witless
(at least it sounded like "witless" when she told me about it). Well, while
she hemmed and hawed, one guy started to remove the spare from the trunk.
She didn't know whether to run or what.

She was immediately relieved when one of the bikers took out his wallet and
showed my Mom his badge. Seems it was some off duty police officers out for
a Saturday ride...they just didn't see the need to get dressed up. They had
her on her way in a few minutes.

An interesting aside: Now, she didn't know them, and they didn't know
her...but I knew all of them -- it turned out that two of the fellows were
guys I worked with.

Small world, huh?

[Rick Glasser]

On Sun, 07 Mar 2004 15:48:18 +0000, Michael 182 wrote:

> A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
> Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.
>
> I got to the airport around 4:00 on a summer morning in Indianapolis.
> During preflight I switched on the master to lower the flaps and check the
> fuel gauges. Unfortunately, the master was already on. Some fool had left
> it on the night before. Since it was my plane, and I'm the only one who
> ever flew it, I had a vague suspicion who might be guilty.
>
> The line guy at the FBO (this is the embarrassing part - years ago - I
> don't remember which FBO) tried jumping the plane from his car. No luck -
> the battery was truly drained. He called in a mechanic who arrived by
> 5:00, attached me to a charger, and had me on my way by 6:00. They told me
> there was no charge ("we don't charge for a little electricity") and
> refused to accept any tip. Given that I hate getting up early, I thought
> this was pretty amazing.
>
> I've met dozens of people like this at FBO's around the country. In
> general, the most customer service-oriented group of businesses I know.
>
> Michael

Back east here, Maxwell McCready, the airport manager at Crisfield, MD
(W41) is a legend. He brings homemade soup and bread to the shack on
Sundays in the winter. He will take you into town and back for the
"best" Maryland blue crab; he still does this in his own car after the
county sold his airport van. After I mentioned wishing I could pick up
some Silver Queen corn last fall, he drove us around to 3 roadside stands
trying to find some, but, due to the late hour, they were all closed.
Don't take my word for it, see many other's comments on $100 Hamburger and
AirNav.

--
Rick/JYO
PP-ASEL-IA
remove 'nospam' to reply

[Dan Truesdell]

On our way to OSH last summer, we were forced by weather to take a
circuitous route from BTV (Burlington, VT) to Dayton to wait out the
weather (bad winds in upstate NY and a front in MI). We chose Dayton
because it has the WP Air Museum, so we would have something to do if we
were there for a few days. In any event, we landed at around 9:30 on a
saturday night. All three of the main FBO's were closed. One had some
guy in the office, but he refused to help us. At that point, all we
wanted was a tie down spot and some way to get to the terminal to get a
car. Finally, we ran into one of the security guards checking the gate
near where we were. After asking about parking, the guard phoned "Gil".
Gil arrived in his Jeep a short time later. After directing us to a
parking spot, he helped up load our gear into the Jeep, and drove us to
the airport hotel (a perfectly fine establishment, I might add). During
the long trip through all of the taxiways, he even gave us suggestions
of where to eat and what to do if we were stuck for a while. Gil worked
for the airport, but certainly went out of his way to accommodate us.
(This reminds me that I need to write to his superiors to commend his
attitude.)


Michael 182 wrote:
> A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
> Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.
>
> I got to the airport around 4:00 on a summer morning in Indianapolis. During
> preflight I switched on the master to lower the flaps and check the fuel
> gauges. Unfortunately, the master was already on. Some fool had left it on
> the night before. Since it was my plane, and I'm the only one who ever flew
> it, I had a vague suspicion who might be guilty.
>
> The line guy at the FBO (this is the embarrassing part - years ago - I don't
> remember which FBO) tried jumping the plane from his car. No luck - the
> battery was truly drained. He called in a mechanic who arrived by 5:00,
> attached me to a charger, and had me on my way by 6:00. They told me there
> was no charge ("we don't charge for a little electricity") and refused to
> accept any tip. Given that I hate getting up early, I thought this was
> pretty amazing.
>
> I've met dozens of people like this at FBO's around the country. In general,
> the most customer service-oriented group of businesses I know.
>
> Michael
>
>
>


--
Remove "2PLANES" to reply.

[[email protected]]

Excellent idea.

My battery is getting low and I ended up without enough juice to turn it
over after fueling at Reid-Hillview in San Jose, CA a couple of weeks
ago. I wandered around until I found some mechanics in the NICE AIR
hangar. One of them stopped what he was doing and brought a cart
probably 300 yards across the field to the self-serve pump and gave me a
jumpstart, and would not accept payment or a tip.

I tell whoever I know is going to be in San Jose. All they got from me
is fuel profits (they also run the fuel tank).

(This is in contrast to an FBO at another small Bay Area airport who
charged me $40 for the same service.)



Michael 182 wrote:
> A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
> Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.

[Brian Cox]

"Michael 182" > wrote in message news:<6vH2c.516844$na.1172814@attbi_s04>...
> A thread in RAO referenced nice guys in aviation. Let's give them credit.
> Give an example when someone went above and beyond for you.
>
We were flying from Denver to Milwaukee in July 2002, and skirting
some weather across Nebraska. We stopped in Fairmont, MN (FRM) for
fuel and to let the weather blow over. The attendant looked to be all
of 16 years old, very friendly and clean cut. He fueled our plane and
asked if we needed something to eat. He produced some menus from
local restaurants and let us relax in the lounge while he went to get
the food for us. We tried to tip him, which he refused. He told us
that it had been a slow day, he had already finished mowing the grass,
and was still on the clock, so might as well be earning his pay. It
reinforced my appreciation of the good folks in aviation, and also the
fact that there are a lot of really great teenagers.

Brian Cox
N3827X