Jimmyred

I definitely will be looking at all options. Thank you.

I believe that that is where my panel goes. The mounting screws appear to be at the same place. I will have to look at what the mounting screws are mounted to to see if they can be moved up. I am working on obtaining a fuel selector right now. I really appreciate the suggestion. Thank you.

Unless it's your horse.

Thank you too.

I think that people should know what my experience was with Don Maxwell Aviation. I hope what happened to me doesn't happen to them. Maybe, people will think oh if he would have done this, or done that, it wouldn't have happened. But I think people should know what happened and how I was treated. So they can make a informed decision. That's all.

This is why I discussed with Don, before any work was started, that the controls could be repaired or replaced. But since they refused to keep me in the loop as to what they were doing, even though I requested it many times, I was not given the option on having the original throttle repaired or taking a grinder to my brand new panel.

Yes, I am very disappointed. I trusted my plane to them and they let me down.

Or the original could have been repaired. There are shops that do that. This is what I told Don when I took it in. However, I guess what really hurt was that he just abandoned me. He took my money and then said your on your own.

Thank you for the suggestion!

No, that throttle was not on the airplane when I brought it in NOR did I provide it. I wouldn't expect that they would grind into my panel without my consent anymore than taking a Sawzall to the side of the fuselage to work on the trim screw! I said to Don that they were sticky and may need to be replaced or repaired. Not do major surgery and replace them at all cost! No this isn't even close. What they did was pure laziness and incompetence.

No. I discussed that all three controls were sticky and needed to be repaired or replaced. And this is the problem that until the mechanic looks at it then how can you know what the best options are? Could I have basically wrote up a contract of all the things, that may have been needed to be replaced, repaired, should new parts be used, old parts be used, what should happen if they damage something, etc. But really is that really possible, to anticipate every possible scenario before a mechanic even looks at it? No, I don't think so. What is reasonable is that when the customer ask to talk to the mechanic every two days or so, so that both side understands what they found and agreeing on a course of action, that that is reasonable. And that didn't happen even though I requested it multiple times.

Believe me I called them many times and tried to talk to the mechanic. And I did actually drive down there to try to see what was going on. I would talk to Christa, on the phone, and I did say that I didn't feel comfortable not knowing what was going on. Yet she said that unless I had a "specific" question then all she could do was read from the list. And, like you say, it is a fine line of not bugging them and trying to make sure the work is being done properly. And I can say that no one there took any time to help me with my concerns.

Nope, no cross words were said. I addressed what I found on my flight back and asked how we should address them. I said that I was under the impression that they were a premiere Mooney shop. Once I brought up that they had cut into my panel he stated, "I am done with you" and hung up. That's it.

Or Don Maxwell Aviation could have called me and said that they were about to grind into my brand new panel. And ask if I was cool with that? They had replaced all of the controls but instead of getting one that fit like the old one they ordered one that didn't fit and so they got their grinder out and made it fit! If they would have spent 15 minutes and called me I would NOT have allowed them to grind my new panel and the old one could be repaired. There are shops to do that but I was not given that option. Anyone with half a brain should know that you don't take a grinder to a brand new panel like this. This is not acceptable and the blame falls directly with Don Maxwell Aviation! And when I called and brought this up with Don Maxwell he said, "I am done with you" and hung up! That is the service I got from Don Maxwell Aviation.

I would not call Don Maxwell Aviation a premiere shop. When I repeatedly ask about my plane all I got was Christa saying, "If I had a specific question she would relay it". How can you have a question when you don't even know what they are doing to your plane? And my fears were realized when I got my plane back and they GRINDED OUT part of my brand new, $100k, panel! No call, no e-mail, they just grinded it out! Now it says "ottle"! Really, this is the work of a great shop?