Nice article about Sam Jewell of Jewell Aviation

[ryoder]

I found this today while looking for reviews on Jewll Aviation as an engine overhaul shop.

http://www.dddnews.com/story/2206635.html

He seems like a solid guy.

[neilpilot]

I can give Sam & David a good reference (see my other posts).  Just picked up our M20C at their shop this morning.

[aaronk25]

I'm a very happy overhaul customer. Said well above, "solid guy".

[aviatoreb]

Their prices are remarkably so much lower than the named brand top shops - how do they do it?  It leaves me scratching my head worried that there must be cost cutting corners cut, and that the product would be a less reliable engine, wondering if this can be for real.  But that is not what I am hearing from the few people here that have used them.  Does the other foot drop?  If they are really an equivalent proper shop, and at roughly half the price of Penn Yan, Mattituck, Zephry, Western, etc, etc.....then we would be crazy to go to anyone but Jewell.

[neilpilot]

My experience at Jewell has been limited to the 20 annuals that they've done on my M20 E & C.  When I first went there in 1995, I was drawn by their local reputation and a less-than-satisfactory annual done by a shop here in Memphis the previous year.  Their base fee for the M20E annual was around 60% of the Memphis shop, and they didn't nickel-and-dime me the way I had been treated in Memphis.  Between 1995 and 2015, I skipped taking my Mooney to Jewell only one year. I brought my E to DMax's in 2001, since I wanted an MSC to take a close look at my E after years in a non-Mooney shop.  I also had Don do mods that required specific Mooney expertise.  Don reported no deficiencies that I could attribute to the initial 6 years of Jewell annuals.

 

I attribute their lower cost, to a large extent, to the rural Kennett location away from the Metro area and the relatively low overhead.  BTW the fuel at KTKX is consistently lower priced, maybe for the same reason?

[ryoder]

I'll probably get my overhaul done at Jewell. My IA can do a field overhaul but I like that Jewell has made a name for himself and offers up front pricing and a warranty. Zephyr costs too much and I am hangared right next to them.

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[aviatoreb]

I'll probably get my overhaul done at Jewell. My IA can do a field overhaul but I like that Jewell has made a name for himself and offers up front pricing and a warranty. Zephyr costs too much and I am hangared right next to them.

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I would love to hear your feedback of your experience once your overhaul is done.  And do they offer various services like cylinder reconditioning or new cylinders, etc.  Will you have them do the engine removal and replacing too?

 

Also a little recon if they are working on any big bore continentals in there too.

[ryoder]

I would love to hear your feedback of your experience once your overhaul is done. And do they offer various services like cylinder reconditioning or new cylinders, etc. Will you have them do the engine removal and replacing too?

Also a little recon if they are working on any big bore continentals in there too.

I will have him do the entire operation if I go there for an overhaul. I will take pics and write up my experience. I don't mind that it's a trip for me. It will give me a reason to use my Mooney for a long cross country flight.

As for the Continental, I'd just call him.

I don't see myself doing this right away. I only have 2560 since new so this engine has some life left in her

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[aaronk25]

What I like about Jewell is Sam will tear the engine down and then tell you in his best estimation what it needs for parts in order to reliably run another full TBO. In my case he said that my cylinders had light putting in them and was able to hone them out and still meet top end of service specs! When asked if I should go with new Jugs, of which he could have sold me he said it would be a shame to not re-use cylinders in such great shape.

He also has extra wide value cylinders on the shelf that are great candidates to be overhauled. It's true you don't know what CHT the previous operator ran them at or how many total hours but given that he said he would basically donate the cylinder if you paid him to re-furnish it. Which seemed to me to cost around $500.

In today's business environment I have a lot of respect for talented straight shooters.