Problem with a Canadian paint shop, having hard time getting my airplane back...

[FlyingToIST]

I have been dealing with this Canadian paint shop up in PittMeadows, BC
for about 4 months now. They took my airplane (A Piper Tomahawk) in
February to paint and put the interior plastics and carpeting that I
provided them (worth about $1000).
Since then the delivery time gt pushed back more than four times. Last
week I paid a surprised visit to the outfit and turns out that the
aircraft was painted in all white base color only. There was no
interior work done, not a trace of the trim colors or registration.


The ailerons and flaps were taken off and painted very badly. The
collection of dust on the paint was a proof that it hasen't been worked
on for a long time.
At this point I am worried because my phone calls are not being
returned. I am worried about the fact that in May the annual is due,
and I will have to get a ferry permit to get the aircraft back to the
States side.


I have to admit that I was attracted to the cheap rates of this place
and I don't think my complaint with Better Business Bureau of British
Columbia is not going to produce anything.


At this point I am thinking about calling local RCMP office, but I am
out of all the ideas to get the aircraft back..


Any ideas what will be the best course of action to follow on this?


Thanks...

 

[Immelman]

I can't help your predicament (doesn't sound too good!) but one thing sounds concerning: Aren't there issues with control surface balance after a paint job? I am not sure if it applies to lower-speed aircraft but it would be one thing I'd check on. You don't want the traumahawk's tail fluttering off on your ferry trip home.

Good luck.

 

[cforst513]

just another reason why we ought to invade our little brother to the north and annex them into the 51st state. eh?

 

[Metro752]

just another reason why we ought to invade our little brother to the north and annex them into the 51st state. eh?

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The more we talk about it, they might get wise, and it will be harder to do......and we at least want B.C.

 

[cforst513]

oh, yeah, you're right. sorry.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE, FRIENDLY CANUCKS!!! JUST ENJOYING MY MAPLE SYRUP AND BACON IN THE SOVEREIGN COUNTRY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. CARRY ON. KEEP SELLING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS CHEAPLY. WE'LL KEEP BUYING THEM. GOOD DAY... EH.

 

[vclean]

Hi there hoser. Oh look it's Celine Dion! Zoink! Oops, you're now part of the U.S. Here's your 1040A, it's due every April 15th.

 

[GravityHater]

be careful what you wish for.. adopt them and you might also inherit their crazy socialist programs. I came here in 91 because I was working day and night to pay teenagers to screw. Yes that's right. I was a cdn, and discovered the dirty little secret of socialism... I made about 700 a week and after taxes including hidden ones I had maybe 200 left of disposable income. No way I was going to buy a house or airplane. The dope addict alcoholic single (teen) mothers discovered the fracking government would PAY them to screw and have babies AND then if they had more babies the dumba$$es in Ottawa would send them MORE of my money! Talk about encouraging stupid behavior. So many of the males learned the system...work for x weeks and qualify for unemployement, then quit and draw dole (from MY salary) then drink beer (with MY money) and screw around the rest of the year.
The $&#% do-gooder socialists gave away a beautiful country, AND ITS CREEPING ITS WAY HERE!!

 

[Vladimir Lenin]

two questions:
why did you get a traumahawk
why did you want to (re)paint "it"?

 

[FlyingToIST]

This is pathetic, I didn't ask all these people if we should invade Canada. Yet, all the posts , except Imelman's , was B.S.. you all need to get a life..

And to Vlademir Lenin, if you haven't flown a Tomahawk, you wouldn't know the answer for it. If you ask me it's a great aircraft in terms of endurance, roomy cabin, teaching someone to fly compared to C150/C152 family. I have about 100 hrs on the two seater Cessna's and I don't think I want to go back to them.

If you get a chance, get some dual time on the aircraft, you are going to like it.

 

[Art Vandalay]

If you ask me it's a great aircraft in terms of endurance, roomy cabin, teaching someone to fly compared to C150/C152 family. I have about 100 hrs on the two seater Cessna's and I don't think I want to go back to them.

Just curious, but is this 59T that you bought in Ohio? If it is, I am sorry for you as I knew it would be a troublesome situation.

But to address the above quote, how is a T-Hawk roomy at all? And how is it great in terms of endurance? I know that 2 average sized people cannot even fly with full fuel. How is that great endurance?

Also, isn't there some kind of 12k hour AD on the airframe where they are unairworthy after that point? Not sure on this one, but I thought I heard/read that somewhere.

Good luck with the Canadians, and I hope you can get your plane back.



Art V.

 

[cforst513]

This is pathetic, I didn't ask all these people if we should invade Canada. Yet, all the posts , except Imelman's , was B.S.. you all need to get a life..

And to Vlademir Lenin, if you haven't flown a Tomahawk, you wouldn't know the answer for it. If you ask me it's a great aircraft in terms of endurance, roomy cabin, teaching someone to fly compared to C150/C152 family. I have about 100 hrs on the two seater Cessna's and I don't think I want to go back to them.

If you get a chance, get some dual time on the aircraft, you are going to like it.

it's called a thread hijack. here's another: they elected a new pope today. discuss.

 

[Immelman]

I got my PPL in a traumahawk. I probably have 100hrs in them, or so. The C150 is okay but I prefer the Traumahawk. It is roomier.. you don't butt shoulders with CFI. I am not a linebacker, but I am tall, and I was always comfortable. The visibility is better too.

It holds 30gal usable on 7gph (conservativelyh), and cruises more like a C172 (150hp version w/o wheel pants) than a C150.

I've had it up to 11,500' over the mountains on a standard day, climbed up there no problem, with two people on board (max gross) -- they tend to out-climb the C150.

During my primary instruction the CFI and I, and full gas, would have it right up to max gross, and we operated at density altitudes in excess of 6000-7000' routinely. It climbed better than a Cherokee 140 in those conditions (but what doesnt?).

Now, the Traumahawk I have most of my time (and learned in) I thought performed just a bit better than the others I've flown since then... some of them can "oil can" in the tail quite a bit in certain situations and that gives people the creeps. Some airplanes do it, some don't.

For a primary trainer I think more highly of it as it demands just a bit more attention to the C150/2.... It is just a bit squirrley, tends to yaw around a bit in cruise if it is not silky smooth air.

 

[TrafficInSight]

Just curious, but is this 59T that you bought in Ohio? If it is, I am sorry for you as I knew it would be a troublesome situation.

But to address the above quote, how is a T-Hawk roomy at all? And how is it great in terms of endurance? I know that 2 average sized people cannot even fly with full fuel. How is that great endurance?

Can a 152?

Also, isn't there some kind of 12k hour AD on the airframe where they are unairworthy after that point? Not sure on this one, but I thought I heard/read that somewhere.

The wings are life limited to 11,000 hours and then have to be replaced. It's not an AD, it's a requirement of the type certificate which was issued under Part 23.

 

[Ralgha]

This is sad, he asks a question hoping to get some advice in getting his airplane back, and shortly thereafter ends up defending his own airplane choice! How many of you own your own airplane? I wish I had an airplane.

Sorry I don't have any advice for you, but I hope you figure something out. Ignore all these putzes, you've got a fine airplane.

 

[FlyingToIST]

Well, Art V. was busting my chops about the airplane of choice last year when I bought it for dirty cheap. You can buy airplanes two ways :
1. Buy a cream de la cream
2. Buy a **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ty one and then bring it up to your standards.

I choce the second way because I couln't afford the #1.

Since the purchase the aircraft has new carpet, new interior plastics put together by yours truly. The airplane needed paint very bad, and that was the reason I went and spent the money.

I ferried the aircraft on weekend from Ohio to Washington and going over I-80 at 6 am in the morning was a fun and great flying experience. The aircraft, maintained 10,500 with no problem and with the luck I had with winds I got endurance on it to have 3,5 to 4 hr legs (very comfortable).

Also, for Art's information the Piper Seminole has a 11,000 tt limit on its wings does that make it a bad aircraft too? Tomahawks have STCs that you can extend the wing time to 17,000 and the place that does that is only 10 miles from me.

It's a fun aircraft and with 125HP STC it outperforms the C172M models in the pattern in terms of climb performance. It's a good aircraft to build time and get private pilot license as well.. Oh, lastly this specific one is IFR certified to boot.


I will try to post some pictures when I get it back..

Cheers to everyone who really cared..