[f-AA] annuals and love of flying

[Al]

Hi Nanice,

A little hole in the wall called Cassville, MO. SW corner of the state.

Al
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Arecit 
  To: aeronca at westmont.edu 
  Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 9:10 AM
  Subject: Re: [f-AA] annuals and love of flying



  Hi Al,

  Thanks again for your recent msg. re' my headliner for the J5.  Where are you located?

  Nanice  (south FL)


  In a message dated 10/27/06 07:06:13 Eastern Standard Time, aeronca747 at yahoo.com writes:
    I've been the FBO mechanic and the guy working out of my truck. I've been an 
    aircraft owner since I was 18 and my wife and I currently own
    9 aircraft in various states of disrepair, we should have two back in the 
    air by Oshkosh. I've done annuals that I was ashamed to give the owner
    the bill (172, 14K and three months, he never flinched and I did all his 
    maintance until I moved away 8 years later) and I've done them for FREE.
    I'LL HELP ANYONE THAT NEEDS HELP TO KEEP A PLANE FLYING. I know what it 
    means to be short on cash, AF pay, a wife, two
    daughters, a house, cars, cats, dogs and a Piper J5A restoration. Somehow we 
    managed, I think a big part was due to my family loving flying.
    We always found a way to make it happen. Even in the worst times selling the 
    plane never came up.

    Lloyd, I fully understand were your coming from, I had a strip and a shop 
    until insurance shut it down. I've done work for guys that never asked
    "how much" and I've worked for guys that couldn't understand why a set of 
    plugs wouldn't go to TBO...they were new 10 years ago??? I started a
    Monocoupe 90A for a guy and he sent me a 4 pound package on welding I 
    packed the plane back up and had him pick it up.

    My current job dosen't allow me to work outside like I did, plus with the 
    projects we and I have, I have VERY LITTLE free time. I'm the only
    OLD PLANE guy in our shop and we currently have a Waco CJC, French Nord, 
    Cessna 140A, 3 Great Lakes, David's (owner) Gee Bee Model Y
    and a Swift waiting for my attention. Plus 3 Warner 165's, O-200 and a 
    TSIO-360 to overhaul. I have a Meyer's Little Toot and the 65CA as outside
    projects in my shop.

    My wife and I own a GeeBee Model D, Pacer, Tri-Pacer, Vagabond, J5A , 2 
    Monocoupe 90A's (HIS & HERS), Great Lakes, Pitts S2E and
    I'm partners on a Lockheed Altair. The Gee Bee and Pacer will fly within 12 
    months.

    I've spent my life listening to people make excuses why they CAN'T fly...I 
    don't get it. If you TRUELY LOVE FLYING you can always find a way.
    One of the driving forces for me becoming a mechanic was I knew I couldn't 
    afford to pay some FBO the monies to keep my Tri-Pacer flying. I would
    of ended up with a ticket but this speeded it up. Outside of the FBO gig I 
    don't do any Spam Can work, the FBO's were I lived didn't understand the
    rag birds or just wouldn't work on them so they came to me and a few others.

    If you find a good mechanic that is willing to work on your 
    Aeronca/Piper/Tcraft and KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING do whatever you can to keep 
    him
    otherwise you could end up with a guy that signs off a 9 month annual...

    I'm Tired Now
    Al 





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