Should I be upset?

[thee12nv]

Long and short of it.
My A&P has been working on my aircraft engine for 6 + months, several trips and thousands of dollars, not to mention two mid-air engine stopages. He specializes in my airframe - Searey which only uses the Rotax enigne. He doesn't know the service bulletins. Or do the maintence as outlined by Rotax.
The latest conclusion is that I needed a clutch in my 912S which without it a three bladed prop will chew up the gearbox. Well when I bought the craft i asked if I needed a clutch and he said no. So now i just paid 4k+for a gear box rebuild and installation of a clutch by Lockwood Aviation. Now i just got his bill and it is near 2k for trouble shooting and test flying. I already paid several thousand replacing fuel pumps lines etc .

So all in all I spent around 8-9k and 6 months of downtime with my plane because as he put it was "shooting in the dark". In my opinion if I would have taken it to lockwood in the first place it would have cost me $1.5 - 2k and one week down time.

Am I off base here? I am livid right now.

 

[SpoilerFault]

Of Course you should be upset. Obviously this guy doesn't know what he's doing if he's "shooting in the dark" by his own admission. A good A&P is worth his weight in gold but there are some who just aren't really worth anything and make all of us look bad! Of course I don't know all of the facts and I'd hate to throw this guy under the bus but it sound like you'd be better of taking your aircraft elsewhere. Just my .02 cents

 

[Gatorman]

I would not get too upset until I had some hard facts. If his results pan out and you have an aircraft that is up and up...get over it and chalk it up to a lesson learned. You spent the money and gave up the time and now you have a good flying machine again.

If you have anymore problems with it, take it back and have him warranty his work and only the work that he has done. Otherwise he will fine other things wrong with the aircraft and try to conpensate his losses with the additional work.


If I were you, I would still find and alternate mechanic.

 

[GravityHater]

The best attribute a good mechanic can have is the attitude, "I wish I could help you but I am unfamiliar with that; maybe you would be better off going to the experts at______"
It can be an ego buster, and they hate to turn away work - but in the end you will have much more respect for them, and I think their business will do better.

 

[cargopod]

maybe you should take it to a jet-ski shop... why would you come on a message board and whine.. if it stops in flight and you carry it back to him the problem is yours... it sounds like he really not interested in your craft..


He doesn't know the service bulletins. Or do the maintence as outlined by Rotax.... this was your first clue he did not know your engine...save you money sell that hybrid and buy an Aircraft;.
do you and your mechanic who is prob. a great guy who is hard working and trustworthy a favor and get a 150.. and leave anything with a clutch on the road..

 

[Twisted Mind]

For what it is worth I agree with cargopod. Buy a real airplane with an engine designed for the specific aplication. Aircraft like t-crafts and champs are aviailable for cheap and have contidental engines. The contidentals are rock solid and you can rebuild one for what you paid to "fix" your old rotax. Rotax's should be left on the ground.

 

[crash-proof]

Not a mechanic here, but your T-crafts and Cessna 150s can't land in water, from what i know. And just to update those with their minds stuck in 1970 the Rotax he's talking about is a 4-stroke model, thousand's are in service around the world and the way they're selling may one day match the number of Lyc and Conts out there now. Far fetched? We'll see. But the 912/914 series ain't no dinky lil 2-stroke for sure. And it needs maintenace just like any other motor.

flame on

 

[JohnE]

Not a mechanic here, but your T-crafts and Cessna 150s can't land in water, from what i know. And just to update those with their minds stuck in 1970 the Rotax he's talking about is a 4-stroke model, thousand's are in service around the world and the way they're selling may one day match the number of Lyc and Conts out there now. Far fetched? We'll see. But the 912/914 series ain't no dinky lil 2-stroke for sure. And it needs maintenace just like any other motor.

flame on

You're comparing 1950's technology with 1990's. Rotax aircraft engines are proven to be economical and reliable. It's actually a great design. Only problem is that most A&P's only know the old tech. Having an A&P lets you work on anything from a 150 to a Gulfstream.

PM me if you need a list of good mechanics (at least in the midwest).

 

[skydivinguy]

For what it is worth I agree with cargopod. Buy a real airplane with an engine designed for the specific aplication. Aircraft like t-crafts and champs are aviailable for cheap and have contidental engines. The contidentals are rock solid and you can rebuild one for what you paid to "fix" your old rotax. Rotax's should be left on the ground.

yep, my 46 Cessna 140 had a Continental engine. maybe I should have looked for one of them "dental" ones....lol!!!

 

[skydivinguy]

Not a mechanic here, but your T-crafts and Cessna 150s can't land in water, from what i know. And just to update those with their minds stuck in 1970 the Rotax he's talking about is a 4-stroke model, thousand's are in service around the world and the way they're selling may one day match the number of Lyc and Conts out there now. Far fetched? We'll see. But the 912/914 series ain't no dinky lil 2-stroke for sure. And it needs maintenace just like any other motor.

flame on

Which motor are you talking about? Landing gear? Avionics cooling fan?!? A/C blower???

Maybe you meant the ENGINE?