Color Me Annoyed

Well, my 2007 annual condition inspection ends tomorrow... Yee Old
Crusty Mechanic has been increasingly hard to contact for the past two
months and now has disconnected his phone, his airplanes are gone, and
his hangar has been sold... I'm beginning to suspect that he does not
intend to do the annual on Fat Albert as he has promised several
times, right up to recently.. I hear rumours that he is wrenching on
diesel trucks for a living now... There indeed, is no joy in Mudville
tonight...

So, I got hold of another mechanic who promises that we can talk about
it next week!

Ya see, if general aviation is in such trouble, and mechanics are
having to go to wrenching on trucks for a living, then why can't you
find a mechanic who will work on your airplane within a reasonable
time frame? (mutter, mumble)

Anyway, I am forced to cancel a scheduled flight this weekend and the
one for next weekend is likely DOA also... I am going to see if a
bargain can be struck for me to pull the inspection plates and have
him inspect it and do the compression test, and sign the ship off so I
can have it for the 9th and 10th and then he can swing the gear,
etc., and do the other things I have been contemplating (new
hydraulic hoses, and 'maybe' a top overhaul on the right engine), at
his leisure...

Putting the RV7 back on the front burner and getting it finished is
beginning to look more attractive daily, then I won't be at the mercy
of these mechanics who whine they are starving, but just can't seem to
find the time...

denny

Ya see, if general aviation is in such trouble, and mechanics are
having to go to wrenching on trucks for a living, then why can't you
find a mechanic who will work on your airplane within a reasonable
time frame? (mutter, mumble)


Yep. The full time mechanic that has been working on my plane has
essentially quit the business, only performing annuals on the minimum
number of planes to keep his IA. (Fortunately mine is one of them.)
His main problem is getting paid. Owners either refuse to pay or make
him wait for the $$$. I don't understand this because they are just
shooting themselves (and others) in the foot.

Regards,
Jerry

wrote:


His main problem is getting paid. Owners either refuse to pay or make
him wait for the $$$. I don't understand this because they are just
shooting themselves (and others) in the foot.


Funny, I've always had the opposite problem. I've had the same mechanic
for 18 yrs. and every time I show up to pick up my plane (checkbook in hand)
there is no bill ready, so I can't pay. They've always been able to get the
work done in a reasonable time, but the billing could take a week or two.
He's getting a lot better since he hired some staff to keep the paperwork
moving.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

--
Message posted via AviationKB.com
http://www.aviationkb.com/Uwe/Forums...ation/200801/1

Well, my 2007 annual condition inspection ends tomorrow... Yee Old
Crusty Mechanic has been increasingly hard to contact for the past two
months and now has disconnected his phone, his airplanes are gone, and
his hangar has been sold...

Hmmm. Doesn't sound like said Crusty Mechanic is your friend, to me.

Maybe you should fly Fat Albert to Iowa City, Denny. Our FBO here is going
great guns, with four or five full-time A&Ps.

I prefer to use my old friend who is now semi-retired (he only works on
planes of his choosing, in between wrenching full time on jets and building
his next airplane), but I've heard that the shop on the field here is quite
good.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"
"Denny" wrote in message
...
Well, my 2007 annual condition inspection ends tomorrow... Yee Old
Crusty Mechanic has been increasingly hard to contact for the past two
months and now has disconnected his phone, his airplanes are gone, and
his hangar has been sold... I'm beginning to suspect that he does not
intend to do the annual on Fat Albert as he has promised several
times, right up to recently.. I hear rumours that he is wrenching on
diesel trucks for a living now... There indeed, is no joy in Mudville
tonight...

So, I got hold of another mechanic who promises that we can talk about
it next week!

Ya see, if general aviation is in such trouble, and mechanics are
having to go to wrenching on trucks for a living, then why can't you
find a mechanic who will work on your airplane within a reasonable
time frame? (mutter, mumble)

Anyway, I am forced to cancel a scheduled flight this weekend and the
one for next weekend is likely DOA also... I am going to see if a
bargain can be struck for me to pull the inspection plates and have
him inspect it and do the compression test, and sign the ship off so I
can have it for the 9th and 10th and then he can swing the gear,
etc., and do the other things I have been contemplating (new
hydraulic hoses, and 'maybe' a top overhaul on the right engine), at
his leisure...

Putting the RV7 back on the front burner and getting it finished is
beginning to look more attractive daily, then I won't be at the mercy
of these mechanics who whine they are starving, but just can't seem to
find the time...

denny

On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:26:01 GMT, "JGalban via AviationKB.com"
u32749@uwe wrote:

Funny, I've always had the opposite problem. I've had the same mechanic
for 18 yrs. and every time I show up to pick up my plane (checkbook in hand)
there is no bill ready, so I can't pay.

Our guy is like that too, as is my favorite avionics shop.

I just keep the check at hand and send it off as soon as the bill
arrives.

On Jan 30, 7:26*pm, "JGalban via AviationKB.com" u32749@uwe wrote:

* *Funny, I've always had the opposite problem. *I've had the same mechanic
for 18 yrs. and every time I show up to pick up my plane (checkbook in hand)
there is no bill ready, so I can't pay. *They've always been able to get the

We have the same problem with late billing. The year before
last, our A&P was so busy that he did not have the time to take care
of the billing. The next annual, we got a big bill for the two
annuals along with several big jobs that he did over the year
(installing a photo window, JPI engine monitor etc). It was nice that
he did not charge interest. However, in checking out the details, we
found that he had charged us labor for a recall item which was
supposedly to be paid by Lycoming. It took few phone calls to find out
that Lycoming had paid him but his secretary did not record it
properly so he corrected the bill.

Hai Longworth

Here are your choices: Go to school and get your A&P license, then put in the required 3 years and acquire the IA rating, or build a homebuilt and get a repairman certificate.

Being an A&P in General Aviation simply isn't worth it anymore. Auto shops pay far better wages without the liability and a government agency such as the FAA scrutinizing your every move. Then add in aircraft owners that threaten lawsuits over anything they are unhappy with, or the "I'm gonna call the FAA!" threats when you try to tell them why their annual is going to cost a lot more than they have budgeted.

Most aircraft owners view this as their hobby and expect the mechanic to treat it as his hobby also. These same owners will balk and raise hell about paying $60 an hour for an A&P, but gladly pay the Chevy dealer $90 an hour to work on his SUV.

I can't count the times when pilots on the airport discovered I had an A&P/IA would come to me wanting "sign off my annual" if they "do all the work". What this really meant was "I'll open up the panels and cowlings, then you take my logbooks and sign them". I even had one guy walk in my hangar with his logbooks and told me "I've done everything, I just need these signed".

Needless to say, I don't work on anyone's airplane except my own.


So bitch and complain all you want. This doesn't affect me since I can do all my own work. And as time goes by, it's only going to get worse.

On Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:27:32 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

Well, my 2007 annual condition inspection ends tomorrow... Yee Old
Crusty Mechanic has been increasingly hard to contact for the past two
months and now has disconnected his phone, his airplanes are gone, and
his hangar has been sold...


If Ye Ol' "crusty" mechanic is who I think he is, last I heard he was
working with the trucking business with which he used to have
connections, but he was still working out of his hangar.

Hmmm. Doesn't sound like said Crusty Mechanic is your friend, to me.

Tis a long story, but he was a pretty good mechanic and would let you
work along with him IIRC. I thought he was a good guy to work with
and had no complaints except for one guy who helped him some years
back.


I don't get out there near as often as I'd like and usually enough
happens between visits it takes a while to catch up.

Since my first flight there's only been one really good day and I
wasn't able to fly that day. Maybe tomorrow BEFORE the big storm
comes in. :-))

Roger (K8RI)

Maybe you should fly Fat Albert to Iowa City, Denny. Our FBO here is going
great guns, with four or five full-time A&Ps.

I prefer to use my old friend who is now semi-retired (he only works on
planes of his choosing, in between wrenching full time on jets and building
his next airplane), but I've heard that the shop on the field here is quite
good.
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Just general comments to the posts...

Yup, Ol Crusty never could seem to get a bill together... He wrenched
on my airplanes for 17 continuous years as best I can remember...
When I did get the bill some 5 or 6 weeks later I always sent a check
by return mail as I knew he was usually in a cash flow crunch... A
couple of times I even drove the check 20 miles to him after my office
hours on the day I received it because I knew he needed to pay his
mechanic... And I did consider him a friend (he still left me twisting
in the wind - for whatever it's worth)...

Being in one business or another for 50+ years I can cite you chapter
and verse on slow pay/no pay people... All business owners have these
problems...
When I had the auto body shop it only took me one bad customer to set
the rule that the car is not pulled out from behind the chained fence
until the bill is paid in full...
Airplane mechanics who are not getting paid just do not understand how
to run a business... The plane does not leave the shop until the bill
is paid - period...
If the customer needs credit let him get it from the bank, his
buddies, where ever... or go to Helen Waite
Anytime I have a bill at any of the big guys, Jet Center, Millionaire,
etc. my plane stays behind their hangar doors until the eye candy at
the front desk calls the shop foreman and informs him the bill is paid
and he can bring the plane out to the ramp... They understand what it
takes to stay in business...

I agree with plane owners being cheap *******s... In fact I told Ol
Crusty numerous times that he needed to raise his shop rates, paint
the floor, get new tool carts, everyone wears a clean uniform, present
the customer with an itemized estimated bill and have it signed in the
three places before turning the first wrench, and act like he is a
skilled professional... Doing that and having a business manager
would have kept him in business.. The auto dealers understand that -
and for those who don't it will only be a short time before Roger
Penske's name will be out front in place of theirs......

denny

Originally Posted by Denny

I agree with plane owners being cheap *******s... In fact I told Ol
Crusty numerous times that he needed to raise his shop rates, paint
the floor, get new tool carts, everyone wears a clean uniform, present
the customer with an itemized estimated bill and have it signed in the
three places before turning the first wrench, and act like he is a
skilled professional... Doing that and having a business manager
would have kept him in business.. The auto dealers understand that -
and for those who don't it will only be a short time before Roger
Penske's name will be out front in place of theirs......

denny

And if the mechanic did this and raised his rates the aircraft owners would refuse to go there. Remember, most aircraft owners expect the mechanic to do this as his hobby too. Also when the typical pilot has an annual done they somehow expect the plane to be "warranteed" for the rest of the year, i.e. if a mag fails 6 months and 150 hours later, they are back to the IA complaining he "didn't do his annual correctly" and want him to pay to repair the problem. If he doesn't, then said aircraft owner tells everyone what a "crook" this "incompetent" A&P is and drags him through the mud, or better yet runs to the FAA and tries to complain.

Aircraft owners are digging the hole deeper and deeper. The end result will be no one willing to work on your aircraft, or taking it to the Mega dollar FBO and getting a $12000 annual on your 172.

Like I said, glad I got my A&P/IA.