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Need A&P in Dothan KDHN

M00N37

By M00N37
in General Mooney Talk

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M00N37 Contributor

M00N37

Posted
Posted

I need a mechanic to swap both mags. My plane is grounded in Dothan, AL (KDHN).

Anybody knows a reliable mechanic nearby to swap the mags maybe this Friday ? I should be receiving overhauled mags on Thursday.

MoonFlyer68 Community Regular

MoonFlyer68

Posted
Posted

I live in the Dothan Area but am currently overseas for work so I do not have all my information available.  If you talk to the folks there at the FBO they have the contact info for a small shop there on the airfield.  I had my tires changed by them after I got a little too heavy on the brakes.  Unfortunately, I don't recall the shop name but as I said, the FBO has all the info.  Good luck.

M00N37 Contributor

M00N37

Posted
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Posted
9 minutes ago, MilitaryAV8R said:

I live in the Dothan Area but am currently overseas for work so I do not have all my information available.  If you talk to the folks there at the FBO they have the contact info for a small shop there on the airfield.  I had my tires changed by them after I got a little too heavy on the brakes.  Unfortunately, I don't recall the shop name but as I said, the FBO has all the info.  Good luck.

I tried the shop on field but they are too busy with another bigger plane.

MoonFlyer68 Community Regular

MoonFlyer68

Posted
Posted
Just now, M00N37 said:

I tried the shop on field but they are too busy with another bigger plane.

Aside from the shop, I personally know 3 other A&P's in the Area.  All of them work out at Fort Rucker on helicopters primarily.  Let me reach out and see what I can do.  Will get back to you.

MoonFlyer68 Community Regular

MoonFlyer68

Posted
Posted

I wish I could be more help to you but I struck out.  The problem is that almost all the A&P mechanics in the area work on helicopters out at Fort Rucker and that's all they ever do.  The contacts I have all basically said they have not touched a piston engine in over 15 years since they graduated from A&P school.

Having said there there is something else you can try.  Just up the road from Dothan is the town of Ozark.  At the Ozark airport there is a community college that trains A&P mechanics.  You might try reaching out to them for some help.  Obviously the instructors should be very proficient.  Just a thought.  Here is the web address for the college.

https://www.escc.edu/alabama-aviation-center/ozark-campus/

I wish there was more I could do for you.  I feel your pain but with me being overseas my hands are tied.

Best of luck.

M00N37 Contributor

M00N37

Posted
  • Author
Posted
6 hours ago, MilitaryAV8R said:

I wish I could be more help to you but I struck out.  The problem is that almost all the A&P mechanics in the area work on helicopters out at Fort Rucker and that's all they ever do.  The contacts I have all basically said they have not touched a piston engine in over 15 years since they graduated from A&P school.

Having said there there is something else you can try.  Just up the road from Dothan is the town of Ozark.  At the Ozark airport there is a community college that trains A&P mechanics.  You might try reaching out to them for some help.  Obviously the instructors should be very proficient.  Just a thought.  Here is the web address for the college.

https://www.escc.edu/alabama-aviation-center/ozark-campus/

I wish there was more I could do for you.  I feel your pain but with me being overseas my hands are tied.

Best of luck.

Thank you. I will try that.

Dandy Don Rookie

Dandy Don

Posted
Posted

MOON37

Sent message to you. Did you get it?  I am new here to so I hope you do get it. I sent Mark (mech) a message to make sure he is ok with passing his number to you. Waiting for his reply.  I brief him that you needed to swap out both mags.  You guys can work out the details once I get y’all together  

Dandy Don

M00N37 Contributor

M00N37

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So my plane were ground away from home twice. 
First time I was charge $300 for replacing a mag. The guy took almost 4 hours. 
Second time I found two mechanics, first guy wanted flat fee if $500 to swap two mags. Second guy said it’s $75 an hour and should takes 2 hours. 
Ended up taking 3 hours, which is fine, but he wanted $420.

What is wrong with mechanics ? Should I stop flying beyond gliding distance of my home base so I don’t get screwed by random mechanics now ?

carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

M00N,

Expect things to get better with time...

But realize, it may take longer than average...

Much of your success is depending on other people...

Many of the MSers around here are mechanics...
 

 

I am just re-visiting this thread...

It seems pretty odd that you left out some seriously important information that would have been helpful to know up front...

Then there is the new guy that was trying to help you out?

Where did things go wrong?

How did you know what was needed?

Why did you buy two mags?

Chances of having a dual mag failure are pretty small...small enough to call it unlikely...

So having to fix one along the way happens, but isn’t ordinary...

 

There is also a way of letting people know you need some help away from home... the use of AOG in the thread title works wonders...

I am still a bit unsure of what you are detailing, but I do sense you are unhappy with people in general...

How do you expect to get help using this technique? Is this a negotiating strategy?

fear of not getting screwed by random mechanics will keep you flying between locations with known mechanics...

 

wait a minute... good news... your success may actually be dependent on yourself... try to stop blaming the other people that have tried to help you...

PP thoughts only, not a magician... or therapist...

Best regards,

-a-

 

M00N37 Contributor

M00N37

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, carusoam said:

M00N,

Expect things to get better with time...

But realize, it may take longer than average...

Much of your success is depending on other people...

Many of the MSers around here are mechanics...
 

 

I am just re-visiting this thread...

It seems pretty odd that you left out some seriously important information that would have been helpful to know up front...

Then there is the new guy that was trying to help you out?

Where did things go wrong?

How did you know what was needed?

Why did you buy two mags?

Chances of having a dual mag failure are pretty small...small enough to call it unlikely...

So having to fix one along the way happens, but isn’t ordinary...

 

There is also a way of letting people know you need some help away from home... the use of AOG in the thread title works wonders...

I am still a bit unsure of what you are detailing, but I do sense you are unhappy with people in general...

How do you expect to get help using this technique? Is this a negotiating strategy?

fear of not getting screwed by random mechanics will keep you flying between locations with known mechanics...

 

wait a minute... good news... your success may actually be dependent on yourself... try to stop blaming the other people that have tried to help you...

PP thoughts only, not a magician... or therapist...

Best regards,

-a-

 


engine quit when switched to left mag. Just wanted to get both replaced with overhauled units at the same time.


Oh I appreciate the help. 
Just don’t appreciate being overcharged.

maybe my math is wrong. How is $75 x (3hrs + 1hr(travel)) = $420 ?

well...It’s not even full 3 hrs of work. If you really wanna be accurate, it’s more like 2.3hrs and he lives 8 miles away so unless he drives really slow, it’s not 1 hr drive. 

Thinking back about it, I did left something out. I guess I just didn’t wanna hear it. This guy said to me at the end the rate he told me ($75) was not for field call. Well why told me normal shop rate when he knew this was field call ? It’s not like I didn’t tell him exactly what needs to be done, where and what time. Maybe it’s my fault for not asking the right questions. It’s my fault to expect people to be honest.
There are mechanics that I trust and always treated me right, and then there is this guy. 

Edited by M00N37
Hank Grand Master

Hank

Posted
Posted

Be glad, Moon. When my left mag died away from home, the mechanic was in his shop during normal hours. Replacing it with OH took 3 weeks and $1600 . . . . And I also learned who to not use.  :angry:

  • Like 1
67 m20F chump Rising Star

67 m20F chump

Posted
Posted

I got clipped by Landmark at FDK when my alternator on my Debonair failed on the way to sell the plane.  They charged me $1000 to remove and replace it labor only.  I could do it myself in an hour.  The term highway robbery comes to mind.  
 

I try to be proactive about IRAN or overhaul things when I have access.  For example when the prop was getting resealed I checked the time on the alternator and replaced the belt.  You will find mechanics you trust who don’t shake you down.  Just not usually on the road.  Look at it this way.  The mechanic was planning a day at home with the family and you got him to drop everything and work your problem for a few hundred.   It does suck but you are flying again.

  • Like 1
kris_adams Mentor

kris_adams

Posted
Posted

My only AOG experience ended up with the FBO charging me $400 more once I left and they sent the bill.  A quick call and clarification and they reduced to the original quote stating they "couldn't remember" what they had priced me.

carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

Sooo you got taken advantage of while on the road...?

you are concerned that this will happen all the time...?

There are ways to minimize maintenance that occurs while away...

There are services that can be pre-purchased...

 

Looking at the mag issue you had...

How many hours were on each mag?

Many people intentionally won’t OH both at the same time.  This avoids normal wear and infant mortality issues from occurring at the same time...

They will use a Preventative Maintenance schedule to OH every 500 hours or so.

planned maintenance works out better on cost and service. Especially if a warranty issue arises... 

What was the reason for replacing both mags while on the road?

price, quality, and being away from home base... fix what was broken... no more, no less...

ouch...

Then work on the next issues that will arise...

I’m trying to point out there are better ways to handle some things in advance... and even then there are going to be some outliers...

PP thoughts only... not a mechanic.

Best regards,

-a-

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