Requiem for an A&P

My friend is closing his aircraft repair shop at the end of the month,
after trying to make a go of it as an independent in Iowa City for the
last six years. With 40 years of wrench experience, over 100 engine
rebuilds, a Grand Champion trophy for his homebuilt(s), and a raft of
loyal friends and followers at airports across the Midwest, he has
finally run up against a problem that he simply can't fix.

His is just a part-time shop, for sure -- his day job is working on
cargo jets -- but he and his best friend opened in 2000 to fulfill
their dreams, and they were soon rewarded with as much work as they
wanted. Everyone on the field -- with the exception of the FBO's
managers, of course -- thought his shop was the best thing that had
happened to Iowa City Municipal for a very long time.

After his buddy was forced to retire earlier this year, due to
deteriorating health, my friend soldiered on, but business was slow
after gas prices soared, and it was getting hard to do a lot of the
work without a second set of hands. And his 62 year old body just
wasn't able to contort into Spam Cans as well anymore.

Nevertheless, he loved his work, and he loved his customers, and he
kept at it. He'd owned and operated shops at other airports, and he'd
seen tough times before. This sort of thing just happened, and he was
used to it.

Over the years Mary and I became close to him, and -- although I'm
hopelessly clumsy, next to him -- he always took the time to show me
the proper way to use the tool, and the best way to accomplish a job.
His patience with me was remarkable, and he never billed excessively or
unfairly, even when I deserved it.

His generosity is legend. He designed and welded brackets to hold
display propellers for our hotel, he welded chairs that humongous
guests had crushed, and he did more for us personally and
professionally than we can ever hope to repay. Many times he refused
payment for what he considered "little stuff" -- and he personally
built the engine I fly my kids with. There's just not much higher
praise than *that*.

But times change. When he opened that liability insurance bill last
month, and it read "$15,000.00", he knew it was time to go. If he did
one annual a month, all year long, that would barely pay for the
insurance the airport required of him, and that simply didn't make any
sense anymore.

He's told me if he was 40, he'd keep fighting, but with only a few good
years left, he simply can't see the point in working for the lawyers.
At the end of October, he'll be shutting his hangar door...for good.

It's all so damned sad. With GA slowly withering, and frivolous court
settlements soaring, there will continue to be fewer and fewer aviation
businesses to spread the increasing risk over -- and we will all pay
the price for it. When guys like my friend can no longer make a buck
wrenching on our planes, we all lose.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

When he opened that liability insurance bill last
month, and it read "$15,000.00", he knew it was time to go.

Sad story, and unfortunately not an isolated situation, I'm sure. How much liability coverage does your
airport require?

We've got the same movement afoot at our home base, and it's definitely a threat to the tail gate
mechanics on the field. We're hoping an agreement is reached that they can live with.

Mike

We've got the same movement afoot at our home base, and it's definitely a threat to the tail gate
mechanics on the field. We're hoping an agreement is reached that they can live with.

Not to quibble, but my friend's shop is far from a tail-gate affair.
His shop is as complete as any I've seen, with everything from a full
screw/nuts/bolt/washer inventory, to engine hoists and jacks, to air
tools and compressors.

But, he's a one-man show, and that is apparently a very difficult
situation in today's aviation climate.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

We are still curious about how much liability insurance the board
required.?

Ben
www.haaspowerair.com


Jay Honeck wrote:
We've got the same movement afoot at our home base, and it's definitely a threat to the tail gate
mechanics on the field. We're hoping an agreement is reached that they can live with.

Not to quibble, but my friend's shop is far from a tail-gate affair.
His shop is as complete as any I've seen, with everything from a full
screw/nuts/bolt/washer inventory, to engine hoists and jacks, to air
tools and compressors.

But, he's a one-man show, and that is apparently a very difficult
situation in today's aviation climate.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
When he opened that liability insurance bill last month, and it read
"$15,000.00", he knew it was time to go. If he did one annual a month,
all year long, that would barely pay for the insurance the airport
required of him, and that simply didn't make any sense anymore.

Hmm. They tore up one of the runways. Now the financial requirements
have been set so as to run off an A&P. It's almost like some developer
has somebody's ear at City Hall and is slowly making the airport useless,
such that the city will sell the land cheap for development. Naah -
that never happens.

Matt Roberds

On 26 Oct 2006 20:54:54 -0700, "Jay Honeck" wrote
in .com:

When he opened that liability insurance bill last
month, and it read "$15,000.00"

Have you shopped other insurance companies for a quote?

We are still curious about how much liability insurance the board
required.?

I don't know. Whatever amount $15K buys you nowadays.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

What a shame. As pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation enthusiasts beg,
scheme, and dream of ways to attract more traffic, business, and revenue to
our general aviation airports, more and more airport managers, city/county
board members, their liability frightened lawyers and insurance companies
hope, wish, and dream that we'd all go away. I'll also bet that once the
one and only A&P on the field closes his doors the city and the airport
manager will refuse to allow (most likely illegally) outside A&P's to come
onto the field to do repairs. What's the saying? Those who trade their
rights for security will soon have neither? Something similar can be said
for those who operate and manage our general aviation airports. Without
risk, there are no rewards. Without effort, there is no gain. Without
service or products there are no customers. Without customers, there is no
business.

Soon to be seen sign at GA airports: "Fly in and visit us, we offer you
nothing"

Jim

"Jay Honeck" wrote:

We are still curious about how much liability insurance the board
required.?

I don't know. Whatever amount $15K buys you nowadays.
--

The current draft proposal at DVT is $1M general liability, and $3M for vehicle operation. Yes, I am
curious if that's typical/reasonable.

Mike

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
My friend is closing his aircraft repair shop at the end of the month,
after trying to make a go of it as an independent in Iowa City for the
last six years. With 40 years of wrench experience, over 100 engine
rebuilds, a Grand Champion trophy for his homebuilt(s), and a raft of
loyal friends and followers at airports across the Midwest, he has
finally run up against a problem that he simply can't fix.
snip

But times change. When he opened that liability insurance bill last
month, and it read "$15,000.00", he knew it was time to go. If he did
one annual a month, all year long, that would barely pay for the
insurance the airport required of him, and that simply didn't make any
sense anymore.

snip
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

What rationale does the airport authority use in determining if (and what
amount) of liability insurance is required for an A&P?

I really don't see how the airport is at risk from an A&P any more than it
is at risk from an individual owner, or even worse, someone with a big 'ol
self fueling rig. ;-)

As a potential customer of the A&P, I would be interested in his liability
coverage because he might have a bad day and mess up my airplane (jack
incident, for instance), but that's my issue, and has no relevance to the
airport authority.

KB