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Hi Mark, I still hate to see that happen to anyone, it's totally uncalled
for. Fred
At 08:42 AM 5/10/2006 -0500, you wrote:
Fred,
Thanks for the offer, but the story is second-hand. It was posted
on the Lancair list today by a fellow Lancair owner. Sorry I didn?t
make that clear.
Mark
From: Rotary motors in aircraft
[
mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of CCI
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 8:39 AM
To: Rotary motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: FW: [LML] FBO Gouging
Hi Mark, You should of let me know you were coming, I could of got you to
the Derby and the hotel, no problem. Atlantic is that bad without the
derby going on, unfortunately. You should of went to Bowman (KLOU) or
Clark Co. (KJVY) where they still have some sense (most of the time
anyway). Your not the only complaint I've heard, offering free tiedowns
for Derby turned out to be nothing but a dirty trick. Let me know if your
up this way again, if nothing else I can get you to the right place where
that won't happen, again. Fred
At 07:53 AM 5/10/2006 -0500, you wrote:
Not
rotary, but worth passing along anyway.
From: Lancair Mailing List [
mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Stuart Seffern
Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 7:29 AM
To: Lancair Mailing List
Subject: [LML] FBO Gouging
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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