I just returned from Weep No More

[docket]

Ok, except for the traffic ticket, Southwest Airlines screwing up my connecting flight, and a $300 dollar limo ride for the return (that was my choice after the damed traffic ticket) the Weep No More deal was awesome. 

I picked the plane up today and it was clean, the plane didn't smell like fuel, and my paint looked fine.  Paul Beck was a great person to deal with and he finished the plane exactly when he said that he would.  Paul even painted the screw heads back so that it doesn't look like we have even been in there.

I have my fingers crossed that the seal job holds for a long time but my sense is that it will without the crossed fingers.  And, Paul tells me that there is no need to cross my fingers.  I can say that in the 1100 mile crossing today that there are no blue streaks anywhere and my fuel gauges now appear to work.

It is a pleasure to deal with a company that accomplishes what it promised even if it is in the middle of nowhere (no offense intended to those of you not from Texas).

If anyone wants the inside info on going there please give me a call. I do know the driver to hire and which connections not to try -- boycot if at all possible the people at SWA.  

Seriously, I think it was money, lots of it, well spent since I hope to no longer worry about a stinky cabin.

[paulbeck]

Thanks Eric!! It was a pleasure to get 56FM back to leak free! I will have to call you to hear about the "ticket"!!

Paul Beck

Weep No More, LLC

www.weepnomorellc.com

[KSMooniac]

Great to hear the PIREP, and it is absolutely not surprising to this happy and leak-free customer.

[richardheitzman]

I had the chance to stop in and see Paul on my last trip to MSP region and it was fun to catch up and see what was going on. I agree that Paul does a great job, stands behind his work and is a great guy to hang around with. BUT, I must disagree with the Southwest Airlines bit. Most of you know I travel about 60% of the time for AmSafe and I have to say, the ONLY airline that has done well in all that time is SWA. Delta, United, United Express, AA all have been a royal pain to deal with. I am very sorry there was issues with your experience with them. If it was weather related then there was nothing they could do, if it was a mechanical then they should have taken care of you. I would suggest you contact the customer support people, they usually are very good about taking care of pissed off customers. Every now and then they screw up, but let them have the chance to make up.

[Parker_Woodruff]

Gotta say I'm a happy SWA customer, but unfortunately have to travel on American for most of my flights. (Airline miles and destinations).

[docket]

Ok, I am usually a rah rah SWA guy since I live in Texas but you guys gotta hear this because it may be a sign that SWA is losing its luster:

My flight 1401 was from HOU to DEN to MSP departing at 6:20 p.m. on Saturday night and I went SWA because I have a ton of frequent flier miles.  Although the flight was on time we were held on the ground in HOU for other connecting passengers for almost 50 minutes.  I asked if we would make the DEN to MSP leg because it was a close connection.  I told them quite clearly that I would just get off and fly up the next day if there was an issue.  The SWA gate agent came aboard and said no problem, they will hold the DEN to MSP plane because it was the last flight.  

Well with the benefit of a heavy hand on the throttles and perhaps favorable winds we landed in DEN 3 minutes before the DEN to MSP was scheduled to depart.  I was the first one off the plane and I went to the gate and arrived exactly at the scheduled departure time.  As I walked up they were pulling the jetway back and, you guessed it, they would not return the jetway or allow us to board the plane.  I can't imagine that a rule exists from the FAA preventing them from returning the jetway but maybe someone smarter than me knows. 

In any event, here was the worst part, there was an unescorted 10 year old kid on the connection who got dumped off with me.  Believe it or not the gate agent asked me to chaperone this kid for the night since the next SWA flight didn't leave until 11:55 the next day and they had no person available to watch the kid.  Well, I called the kids parents and asked them whether they wanted me (a total stranger) to watch their kid for the night and I got appointed.  I thought that it was bizarre that SWA would ask me to watch a strange kiddo but I agreed -- I could not believe that they were going to release this kid to me.

The situation then got worse because I noticed on the monitor that there was a Frontier flight to MSP still sitting at the gate (albeit in a different terminal).  I asked SWA gate agent to try and call Frontier and see if they could get me (now us) on the Frontier flight.  The SWA agent said that she was not allowed to call other airlines but I could do it myself.  I learned, but was not surprised, that a reservation agent has no ability to get in touch with the gate agent to see if they could hold the flight while we switched terminals -- I gave up.

Bad customer service is one thing -- this was bizarre.  As I was facing my prospects for the evening, I asked SWA if, at least, they would put us on the Delta flight first thing in the morning so I could get on to MSP.  I know that SWA can issue credits for other airline travel but they wouldn't even discuss it.  We didn't even get a travel voucher on SWA for this hassle.  In the end, I didn't want to wait until 11:55 the next day for the SWA flight so I bought two full fare tickets for my new 10 year old friend and I -- he likes flying First Class.

I can promise you one thing, the 10 year old kid will remember this trip for a long time.

I gave this same story to SWA through their website -- I will post whatever they respond.

 

[docket]

Back to the real point behind the post, here are a few pictures of Paul's good work.

[HopePilot]

Paul -  How much damage to the exterior paint does the process usually do?  I don't need my tanks sealed yet, but I'm afraid if I get my plane painted, they'll start dripping blue (Murphy's Law).

Also, any hope you'll set up a franchise near California?  MN is way far.  You should think about sending someone on the road.

[docket]

There was virtually no damage and Paul did touch up the screw heads and seams when he finished.

[Cris]

Kuddoo's to Paul for his workmanship. I'm glad for Docket that the paint work matched. As I mentioned in Docket's painting thread the paint touchup on my tanks did not come close to matchiing & it was done at an MSC so Paul's work may well be the exception. To be fair my MSC knew I was getting an estimate from a paint shop on the field to partially repaint the plane but I still think they should have matched the colors. Once that happened the decision to repaint was made for me.

Docket In all my years of airline travel I have never heard of such a thing to chaperone a 10 year old that you did not know. I'd think SWA's potential liability would be hugh. You are a good soul to undertake such a task.  

[docket]

The only good thing about the involuntary chaperone is that the kid was a nice kid and really got a thrill by getting to fly first class since I am certain his family situation would not accomodate that under any circumstance.

Even though Paul did great with the paint I am still likely repainting the bird in the next year or so.  I just need a little break since I have just dropped this last bucket of money on the plane.  Funny thing, for me, is that I will probably just paint it white again but your plane sure looks good.

[DaV8or]

Quote: HopePilot

Also, any hope you'll set up a franchise near California?  MN is way far.  You should think about sending someone on the road.

[Parker_Woodruff]

Quote: DaV8or

Not going to happen. California's environmental laws make the process impossible and/or way, way too expensive. For us, we have to go to Oregon. I have been told that this stripping process started in California decades ago at LASAR.

[DaV8or]

Quote: Parker_Woodruff

This is the difference in Texas and California.  In Texas, if you feel like starting a fuel tank resealing business, you just go do it.

If you do it under your name, that's cool.  Or just go get a DBA at the county tax office for something like $8.50.

[mjc]

Quote: DaV8or

I'm sure Texas has regulations regarding the handling of hazardous chemicals. All states do. The difference is, Texas is reasonable and understands that sometimes nasty chemicals are needed to get jobs done and keep business moving. They no doubt figure out ways so that businesses can work with these chemicals. In California, they either just ban the chemicals, or they require the handling and treatment of said chemicals to be on the order of handling of nuclear waste or a plague virus from outerspace.

This is what drove computer manufacturing out of California and to China. Probably would have gone there anyways for the cheap labor, but it happened nearly over night it seems as soon as they came down on a lot of the chemicals needed to produce circuit boards and chips.

[Bill_Pyles]

Well, this post has gone all over the map from Weep No More to escorting an unaccompanied minor on his first FC trip to state laws related to businesses that use harsh chems.... 

Let me just say that my new-to-me 1980 M20J is having its tanks re-sealed by Paul Beck this week, and I am excited to see the work done by Weep No More based on all the great reviews I have read over the months.  It is comforting to know how many of you have been delighted by Paul's work.

[docket]

Lets now talk about the debt ceiling.  

[fantom]

Quote: Bill_Pyles

Well, this post has gone all over the map.....