SHOPS THAT TREAT YOU RIGHT and THOSE THAT DON'T...

[ArtVandelay]

It would be nice to have a simple spreadsheet: airport, state, name of shop,FBO without comments. For no other reason other to carry as a reference when traveling.

Having a problem, quick scan of your list for a shop nearby (hence the reason for the state), direct to. That way you don't have an AOG where you are at the mercy of yahoo looking to take advantage of the situation.

[ArtVandelay]

FPR:

Interior work: Aero Trim

Bradley aviation (1 of mechanics owns a J)

DAB:

Daytona Aircraft Service - MSC, SM is on MS

[DonMuncy]

2 hours ago, Marauder said:

I asked for that a couple of years ago. The fear I think was that it would begin capturing negatives and the proverbial sh$t storm that usually brings with it.

I would love to see a list of shops and a simple way for people to vote a single positive vote if they used them and found them fair.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have generally resisted having postings about shop quality, as I feared seeing a good shop/guy getting bad publicity from a single disgruntled customer. However, we see those disgruntled customers posting anyway (not referring to the original poster here). Maybe if we had a kind of permanent survey with a simple 5 choice list (1) Great shop - I highly recommend (2) Satisfactory - I would use them, but would prefer a better shop (3) Neutral (4) Not good - I would not go there unless AOG (5) Bad - I would  pay some someone to move my plane before I would let them touch it again.

If enough people contributed, a prospective customer could check the percentage numbers so a single mad customer would be evident among the good reviews. Would it be possible to limit it to one review per shop per pilot, so someone could not intentionally sway the poll.

[Marauder]

2 hours ago, Marauder said: I asked for that a couple of years ago. The fear I think was that it would begin capturing negatives and the proverbial sh$t storm that usually brings with it.

I would love to see a list of shops and a simple way for people to vote a single positive vote if they used them and found them fair.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I have generally resisted having postings about shop quality, as I feared seeing a good shop/guy getting bad publicity from a single disgruntled customer. However, we see those disgruntled customers posting anyway (not referring to the original poster here). Maybe if we had a kind of permanent survey with a simple 5 choice list (1) Great shop - I highly recommend (2) Satisfactory - I would use them, but would prefer a better shop (3) Neutral (4) Not good - I would not go there unless AOG (5) Bad - I would  pay some someone to move my plane before I would let them touch it again.

If enough people contributed, a prospective customer could check the percentage numbers so a single mad customer would be evident among the good reviews. Would it be possible to limit it to one review per shop per pilot, so someone could not intentionally sway the poll.

Sort of like an Angie's list for mechanics and shops, I like it!

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[gsxrpilot]

Only 18 replies to get Don Maxwell on the list :-) I'm one of the lucky ones who live in Texas and has Don doing my annuals. As FlyDave said, I'd like to have Don do ALL the maintenance on my bird and really be the only hands to touch her other than my own, but it seems everyone has that idea and it often takes a month or more to get in the door in Longview.

 

[MyNameIsNobody]

Pretty fantastic to see NOTHING but positives regarding experiences with shops providing Mooney Service.  Gives me a warm Holiday feeling to read the kind words about those that maintain our birds.

[ryoder]

This weekend I paid my IA for an inspection after he already observed repairs.  He brought his grandson over in his golf cart and I shook his hand and remarked on how big he got since the last time I saw him.  Clemens finished the inspection and signed off the logs and I asked how much I owe him.  He said 20 bucks.  I handed him forty and said Merry Christmas.  He handed one of the twenties to his grandson.  I told him he would make a great mechanic one day and he smiled brightly.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, ryoder said:

This weekend I paid my IA for an inspection after he already observed repairs.  He brought his grandson over in his golf cart and I shook his hand and remarked on how big he got since the last time I saw him.  Clemens finished the inspection and signed off the logs and I asked how much I owe him.  He said 20 bucks.  I handed him forty and said Merry Christmas.  He handed one of the twenties to his grandson.  I told him he would make a great mechanic one day and he smiled brightly.

With such a generous pay packet,  his grandson would be better off working at McDonalds than at the airport.  Your IA must be the patron saint of CB's everywhere.

Clarence

[ryoder]

11 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

With such a generous pay packet,  his grandson would be better off working at McDonalds than at the airport.  Your IA must be the patron saint of CB's everywhere.

Clarence

This is why I don't like the internet.

 

[DXB]

This is a great thread on shops people like that I may refer to in years to come - and I hope it keeps growing.  

It feels a tad more complicated to call out a shop where you had a bad experience, unless you were blatantly cheated, or were the victim of gross negligence or incompetence and can prove your assertion.  But otherwise it's just another human relationship, where usually there are issues on both ends that make things go awry. With this in mind, I'd be curious to see a separate "don't be that customer" type thread from the multiple mechanics on here.  I haven't been doing this very long, and so I doubt I've learned how to get the best out of the folks doing the hard work on my plane.  Like anything else, I suspect getting to know the mechanics over years helps a lot.

I don't want to divert this thread any further...

[Alan Fox]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2015 at 5:01 PM, VWH3RD said:

Another one from KVAY Bill Ohara from BP Air worked on my M20J and Ovation for 20 years

Sounds like Skip..

[MyNameIsNobody]

30 minutes ago, ryoder said:

This is why I don't like the internet.

 

Think of Clarence as someone in the Charles Dicken's Classic BEFORE he had his visits 

JUST KIDDING....:)

Bah Humbug!

[MyNameIsNobody]

28 minutes ago, DXB said:

This is a great thread on shops people like that I may refer to in years to come - and I hope it keeps growing.  

It feels a tad more complicated to call out a shop where you had a bad experience, unless you were blatantly cheated, or were the victim of gross negligence or incompetence and can prove your assertion.  But otherwise it's just another human relationship, where usually there are issues on both ends that make things go awry. With this in mind, I'd be curious to see a separate "don't be that customer" type thread from the multiple mechanics on here.  I haven't been doing this very long, and so I doubt I've learned how to get the best out of the folks doing the hard work on my plane.  Like anything else, I suspect getting to know the mechanics over years helps a lot.

I don't want to divert this thread any further...

Divert away.  I like your idea.

[flyingvee201]

I've had good experiences with Lance and Dakota at Cherry Hill Aviation at Seymour, IN (KSER).

[Oldguy]

I've used Rickey Gilmer at KPLR (Pell City, AL) for the past 3 annuals and other work between them. Treated me fairly, did good work and maintains several Mooney's at that field and others nearby. Stuck my head in this past weekend and saw a 252 in annual and an Acclaim getting an overhauled engine.

[Mooneymite]

While the elf in my hangar works cheap, I do not recommend him.  I think he's been stealing beer out of my refrigerator.

[C-GHIJ]

On ‎2015‎-‎12‎-‎28 at 5:29 PM, Mooneymite said:

While the elf in my hangar works cheap, I do not recommend him.  I think he's been stealing beer out of my refrigerator.

That's why I keep the beer in my plane.!!!!! I get thirsty on long flights.

[M20F-1968]

I second the vote for Brian Kendrick.  He is one of the key people that helped me with my rebuild.  During the rebuild I had difficulty getting the Johnson bar adjusted.  The plane went to two Mooney Service Centers without a definitive fix.  Brian did some research, went to the factory and looked up some data, and found that there were three lengths of rods on which the main gear springs were installed (despite only 2 different air frame lengths at that time), found the older longer parts, and installed them for a definite fix.  My Johnson Bar now operates very easily and quickly.  If you know the extend of my project, you will understand the scope of Brian's abilities.  He is hones, reliable and fair. 

John Breda

[Wakeup]

I have had several great experiences with Gann Aviation (9A5).  Rick Cayson is awesome. Carlos is the owner and rebuilds engines and hoses. They are well known for building high performance engines.   They always have several Mooneys in the shop. Highly recommended!!

[aaronk25]

Chuck Willett at Dodge Center Aviation in Dodge Center l, MN. KTOB. One man band shop but he is talented and is one guy that does excellent Mooney work as well any other piston and turbine aircraft.

Don't forget about Jewell Aviation in Kennett, MO for engine overhauls. I hear he does good Mooney airframe work too but haven't had him work on mine yet, besides the engine.

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[neilpilot]

27 minutes ago, aaronk25 said:

Don't forget about Jewell Aviation in Kennett, MO for engine overhauls. I hear he does good Mooney airframe work too but haven't had him work on mine yet, besides the engine.

I've had Jewell at KTKX do 19 of my last 20 Mooney annuals (M20E & M20C).  Obviously I'm happy with their work, since I keep coming back.