X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from fed1rmmtao03.cox.net ([68.230.241.36] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.0.9) with ESMTP id 1098982 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Wed, 10 May 2006 09:56:33 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=68.230.241.36; envelope-from=ALVentures@cox.net Received: from BigAl ([72.192.132.90]) by fed1rmmtao03.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.06.01 201-2131-130-101-20060113) with ESMTP id <20060510135545.KHPE19317.fed1rmmtao03.cox.net@BigAl> for ; Wed, 10 May 2006 09:55:45 -0400 From: "Al Gietzen" To: "'Rotary motors in aircraft'" Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] Re: FW: [LML] FBO Gouging Date: Wed, 10 May 2006 06:55:53 -0700 Message-ID: <002401c67439$745e41d0$6400a8c0@BigAl> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0025_01C673FE.C8044BD0" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6626 In-Reply-To: X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 Importance: Normal This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0025_01C673FE.C8044BD0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =20 Comments should be posted on the AIRNAV site for that airport. http://www.airnav.com/ =20 Al =20 =20 Warning! =20 I flew with a friend to the Kentucky Derby on Friday to KSDF and blew a = left main tire tube half way down the runway on landing. I called Atlantic Aviation, the only FBO on the field, a week before to ask about costs = saying we were coming in for the Derby weekend. They said there were no = landing fees if you buy gas and only a $5/night tie down. They also had free = crew cars! Great!=20 =20 It took 1 hour to arrive and tow us off the runway by using a hand dolly under the tire and the tug tied onto our tow bar because they did not = have the correct adaptor. Atlantic then wanted to charge me $200 for the = tow, without asking first. There were no tie downs. We could have easily walked the airplane off the runway with the small hand wheel dolly. = Then they wanted $500 for their maintenance shop just to take a look at it = plus $75/hour to pull the tire, replace the inner tube and reinstall the = tire. Remember, Atlantic has no competition on the airport. =20 Wait, it gets better! I respectfully declined Atlantic Aviation's $800+ offer, and took the tire to the auto parts store where I replaced the = tube for 10 dollars, plus a 10 dollar tip to Eric, the counter guy who let me = use his work bench and tools for free. I then found a gas station and = filled the tire to what the gage said was 45 psi and reinstalled the tire on = the airplane with two friends lifting up on the wing with their backs, no = jack! =20 When the airplane was lowered the tire looked a bit flat so I checked = the pressure and found the actual pressure was 30 psi! I then walked over = to Maintenance... five guys who were doing nothing but standing around. I politely asked if they had a portable air tank because I needed just = about 10 pounds of pressure in order to safely take off. They went into conference for ten minutes while Jim and I stood there and then emerged = to say that they would "sell me the air" for $150! =20 =20 So, It was back to the auto parts store to buy a $30 air tank, and the = gas station for air. =20 =20 Now we needed gas.... =20 6.25/gal for 100LL!!... Also respectfully declined, at this point not wanting to give them my credit card number. We would stop on the way = home if necessary! =20 =20 Also, no free crew car or even a shuttle ride the 3 miles to the = Churchill Downs. A Hertz Rental cost us $271.56 for a 27 hour rental with the = AOPA Discount! (Glad I bet that $2 on Barbarao to win the Derby!) =20 Of course there is no recourse except telling this story. It is the = best "Consumer Protection" we have! Repost this wherever you like. =20 Buyer Beware! Atlantic Aviation's FBO at KSDF is the worst case of = gouging I have seen in 30 years of flying! =20 =20 Thank god for experimentals that we can repair ourselves! =20 =20 Regards, =20 Stu Seffern www.Lantzairflyers.com sseffern@yahoo.com =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0025_01C673FE.C8044BD0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

 

Comments should be posted on the = AIRNAV site for that airport. http://www.airnav.com/<= /p>

 

Al

 

 
Warning!
 
I flew with a friend to = the Kentucky Derby on Friday to KSDF and blew a left main tire tube half way down the = runway on landing.  I called Atlantic Aviation, the only FBO on the field, = a week before to ask about costs saying we were coming in for the = Derby weekend.  They said there were no = landing fees if you buy gas and only a $5/night tie down.  They also had free = crew cars!  Great!
 
It took 1 hour to arrive = and tow us off the runway by using a hand dolly under the tire and the tug tied = onto our tow bar because they did not have the correct adaptor.  = Atlantic then wanted to charge me $200 for the tow, = without asking first.  There were no tie downs.   We could have = easily walked the airplane off the runway with the small hand wheel = dolly.  Then they wanted $500 for their maintenance shop just to take a look at it = plus $75/hour to pull the tire, replace the inner tube and reinstall the = tire.  Remember, Atlantic has no competition on the = airport.
 
Wait, it gets = better!  I respectfully declined Atlantic Aviation's $800+ offer, and took the tire = to the auto parts store where I replaced the tube for 10 dollars, plus a 10 = dollar tip to Eric, the counter guy who let me use his work bench and tools for free.  I then found a gas station and filled the tire to what the = gage said was 45 psi and reinstalled the tire on the airplane with two = friends lifting up on the wing with their backs, no jack!
 
When the airplane was = lowered the tire looked a bit flat so I checked the pressure and found the actual = pressure was 30 psi!  I then walked over to Maintenance... five guys who = were doing nothing but standing around.   I politely asked if they had a portable air tank because I needed just about 10 pounds of pressure in = order to safely take off.  They went into conference for ten minutes while = Jim and I stood there and then emerged to say that they would "sell me the air" for $150! 
 
So, It was back to the = auto parts store to buy a $30 air tank, and the gas station for air. 
 
Now we needed = gas....
 
6.25/gal for = 100LL!!...   Also respectfully declined, at this point not wanting to give them my = credit card number.  We would stop on the way home if = necessary!  
 
Also, no free crew car = or even a shuttle ride the 3 miles to the Churchill Downs.  A Hertz Rental = cost us $271.56 for a 27 hour rental with the AOPA Discount!  (Glad I bet = that $2 on Barbarao to win the Derby!)
 
Of course there is no = recourse except telling this story.  It is the best "Consumer = Protection" we have!  Repost this wherever you like.
 
Buyer Beware!  = Atlantic Aviation's FBO at KSDF is the worst case of gouging I have seen in 30 = years of flying! 
 
Thank god for = experimentals that we can repair ourselves!
 
 
Regards,
 
Stu Seffern
www.Lantzairflyers.com
sseffern@yahoo.com
 


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