Sporty's Cincinnati Avionics Shop BEWARE

[Davarron]

I am not one to write reviews on companies unless I had a very exceptional experience or a downright horror story. Unfortunately, this review is a horror story and I caution anyone from even THINKING about taking their precious airplane to this shop. Many of you probably remember the electrical pulsing issue I was having in my J model last year. After replacing numerous items, the issue was traced to a cut wire that both ends were touching and arcing behind the panel with the vibration of the engine. Mechanic says it was a clean cut that someone had made. The problem began immediately after my avionics installation through Sporty's Cincinnati Avionics last July. Upon receiving my airplane after a $23k avionics job, the windshield was scratched, the overhead air vents were never reconnected, chipped paint on the wing where tools had been placed, cracked rear seat plastics, a green mark on the prop on only one blade, and a nose wheel strut that was covered and I mean covered in black grease. Not to mention handprints and finger prints all over the paint. To some degree, I expect a level of service and care for the aircraft commensurate to the amount of money that I am paying someone or company. In the shop's defense, they fixed those problems I just mentioned, after hearing exactly how I felt about them. Fast forward a month. I am preflighting the plane and notice that the newly installed antennas have the caulk separating between the fuselage and the antenna. Caulk from 1983 is still holding on the other antennas so there's no reason for two month old caulk to be separating already. Next, fast forward to a few weeks ago when I had an IFR cert done. My shop had to remove the Lynx transponder to check the connections on the back but couldn't remove it from the panel. They got it about halfway out and then it gets stuck. They get behind the panel with a light and camera and see that the transponder had been jammed in the panel, secured with a strap, and the rivets holding the rack in place where not blind flush rivets like they are supposed to be. They are rivets with protruding heads which had caught on the transponder and jammed. Not only that, but the shop found that the G5 initial setup settings were not calibrated correctly and it was not within tolerance. I am just astonished at the lack of proper procedures, lack of detail and care, and a lack of safety. I would NEVER even take the airplane back there because I DO NOT want them even touching the aircraft again. About a month after I had this work done last July, I heard from another airplane owner in a Cirrus that just had avionics installed and his entire center stack was sagging to one side when he landed after getting back from Cincinnati Avionics. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT. Please protect your valuable airplanes and do yourself a favor and not use Cincinnati Avionics. Like I said, I do not usually write reviews but I feel it is necessary in this case since there were so many issues and problems, some that were safety concerns, that I do not want anyone else to have to deal with. Take your business elsewhere.

[steingar]

That is such a shame to hear.  That shop used to have a top notch reputation.  

[tigers2007]

This stuff worries me. Hackjob techs pencil-whipping the work of their hackjob apprentices. I should have quit my job, went to A&P school, and apprenticed with a world class avionics installer and then opened my own shop. There is clearly some money to be made at the $90-115/hr avionics rate.

I hate reading and hearing about these horror stories.


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[Davarron]

One of the problems is that the apprentices aren’t being watched or work being reviewed by more experienced workers. I understand everyone starts from somewhere (I’m young myself) but they need to be observed and taught the correct way, taught to be careful, and taught how to do things correctly. No one is perfect right out of the gate. The experienced workers should be double checking their work. 

 

This shop at the time was extremely busy and I felt as though they were just pushing me through to get the job complete. I realize they were busy, but substituting quantity for quality is a huge mistake in any business. Now they lost me as a customer and probably many more as a result of my problems. 

[EricJ]

Maybe we should just have a sticky thread about avionics horror stories with a thermometer graphic on how much people have spent at shops they were unhappy with.

 

[LANCECASPER]

On 5/18/2019 at 7:24 PM, EricJ said:

Maybe we should just have a sticky thread about avionics horror stories with a thermometer graphic on how much people have spent at shops they were unhappy with.

 

And conversely another sticky with good experiences

[DAVIDWH]

Now where is that zero to five star avionics shop post I recommended on a previous blog?

Perusing previous posts and adding my experiences, we are at about 7 one star shops, haven't seen any five star shops from the ether yet.

I know somewhere they are out there. Please post your five star experiences.

Again, thanks for sharing your experience with that one.

 

Best,

[DXB]

Avionics shops can do whatever they want right now - they have way more business than they can take on. So doing crappy work doesn't affect their bottom line, and moving stuff through quickly is particularly lucrative at present.  They should still care about avoiding the time and hassle of rectifying bad installs, dealing with pissed off customers, not getting sued, and their reputation in the long term, but the lax culture bred by lack of competitive pressure probably makes a few shops forget these concerns as well.  I had to delay some work until January next year at the earliest because my preferred shop couldn't get to it until then.  In retrospect, I think it's just as well - I want them doing it when  incentives do not favor fast and sloppy work so strongly.

[Andy95W]

39 minutes ago, DAVIDWH said:

 

we are at about 7 one star shops, haven't seen any five star shops from the ether yet.

 

I think they're out there and I've seen a few.  The problem is that the 1 star reports generate paragraphs of detail, the 5-star reports are simple statements like "We used ABC Avionics and they were great."

[Oldguy]

1 hour ago, Andy95W said:

I think they're out there and I've seen a few.  The problem is that the 1 star reports generate paragraphs of detail, the 5-star reports are simple statements like "We used ABC Avionics and they were great."

And my 5 star may be your 1 star and vice versa. Even the better shops can make a mess of things some time, but they work with the owner to get it right. We have all heard those stories here on MS about mechanics and avionics shops.

For me the rating gets adjusted based on the ownership the shop takes in the problem and resolving it.

[bob865]

On 5/14/2019 at 1:11 PM, Davarron said:

Not only that, but the shop found that the G5 initial setup settings were not calibrated correctly and it was not within tolerance.

Same thing happened following my G5 install.  Found when we did the Pitot/Static check too.  The guy doing the inspection is a Garmin dealer and told us that Garmin intentionally ships the G5 40ft off so they can identify when they are off.

Not to mention all the other issues they caused.  I will be glad when the ADS-B rush is over.  Hopefully the avionics industry will go back to normal.

[David_H]

No one hears about the low-dollar avionics horror stories because there aren't many to be told lately.

Avionics shops don't even want to speak with you unless you're ready to go on (at least) a 6-month waiting list to spend a minimum of $10K.

[steingar]

13 hours ago, David_H said:

Avionics shops don't even want to speak with you unless you're ready to go on (at least) a 6-month waiting list to spend a minimum of $10K.

I think there's some truth to this.  When I wanted some old boxes installed the avionics shop at my home airport never returned my calls.  When my friend wanted dual G5's installed they called him right back.

[ChrisV]

13 minutes ago, steingar said:

Avionics shops don't even want to speak with you unless you're ready to go on (at least) a 6-month waiting list to spend a minimum of $10K.

Ok, let's talk about some good too...  Last month put down a deposit and scheduled at Garmin 345 install at Pacific Coast.  They were booked until late July, so 3 months, not bad.  I asked them to let me know if something earlier comes available and last week they said they had an opening 2 weeks earlier, even better for me.  I'm not spending 10K, only 7.  Dewey has been great communicating so far.  Hope the install goes the same way.

[Bravoman]

I can honestly say that I have never had a bad experience with the three Avionics shops I have dealt with, Sarasota Avionics out of Punta Gorda and Venice, Precision Avionics in Thomaston, Ga., and Avwest at Kryy (Atlanta). They have all treated me well.

[67 m20F chump]

I second the shop in Thomaston,Ga.  David was able to get my Century IV autopilot working.  He never gave up on it.  Great shop!

[Ruth and Brian]

We had Muncie Aviation do some panel work. They did a great job, but insist that Ken Talhelm to do the work. He’s a genius! Bill Roundtree is the guy to ask for doing an estimate.

ruth and Brian

[steingar]

3 hours ago, Ruth and Brian said:

We had Muncie Aviation do some panel work. They did a great job, but insist that Ken Talhelm to do the work. He’s a genius! Bill Roundtree is the guy to ask for doing an estimate.

ruth and Brian

Good to hear. Muncie is where I should have gone. Good to hear they’re still on the ball.

[Ruth and Brian]

Yes they are! Make sure Ken does the work, though there are probably other good techs there.

[whiskytango]

19 hours ago, 67 m20F chump said:

I second the shop in Thomaston,Ga.  David was able to get my Century IV autopilot working.  He never gave up on it.  Great shop!

Is it possible that you are referring to Rendrag Aviation in Thomaston GA (KOPN)?  They have a David Gardner on staff.  There is a Precision Avionics in Griffin GA but no one on staff named David.  I would be interested in finding someone who doesn't give up on INOP Century autopilots!

[67 m20F chump]

Yes I am talking about David at Rendrag in Thomaston KOPN.  He is real busy with adsb now but he is the guy that stuck with my autopilot and got it going.  He is an honest guy and I will be going back to his shop when I need avionics work done.

[Greg Ellis]

Well... as long as this has turned into a Pirep Page for good avionics shops, I will put in my 2 cents for a shop at Fort Worth Spinks Airport in Fort Worth Texas.  Cam Aircraft did a great job on my panel upgrading from the original shot gun panel to ADS-B In/Out, new GPS, G5, new audio panel, and EDM 900.  They did a clean install.  They assign one guy to your airplane and yours alone.  He does not jump around between jobs.  He did a really great job and followed up on the one problem I had after the install.  They are probably one of the most expensive shops in the area but they deliver for the price.

[DXB]

I am not telling anyone about my trusted avionics shop at the moment, lest they bump me from their schedule in January 2020 to take on more lucrative work