X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Wed, 10 May 2006 08:29:28 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from smtp104.plus.mail.re2.yahoo.com ([206.190.53.29] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.0.9) with SMTP id 1097885 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 09 May 2006 13:39:06 -0400 Received-SPF: none receiver=logan.com; client-ip=206.190.53.29; envelope-from=sseffern@yahoo.com Received: (qmail 31825 invoked from network); 9 May 2006 17:38:11 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=yahoo.com; h=Received:Message-ID:From:To:Subject:Date:MIME-Version:Content-Type:X-Priority:X-MSMail-Priority:X-Mailer:X-MimeOLE; b=YaxRiZhZyt5WzGf7H4OoAGh2uCNMT/83FarF4IVYIOBnpbDAHT7I15Zf1+tzjjq9vphVW/WTS9khajoK6yGU84YaxUup/wNcF4Pyu2n3eJKIqOV00P7xMpLgI3nIbLhzj+Lw0cllXP/U5GTTtN3UZOEwEnnwTl9eMX5IgQZGHAM= ; Received: from unknown (HELO StusComputer) (sseffern@66.188.124.202 with login) by smtp104.plus.mail.re2.yahoo.com with SMTP; 9 May 2006 17:38:10 -0000 X-Original-Message-ID: <085101c6738f$533a3900$0201a8c0@StusComputer> From: "Stuart Seffern" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mail List USA" Subject: FBO Gouging X-Original-Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 12:38:02 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_084E_01C67365.693CA0F0" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2869 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_084E_01C67365.693CA0F0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable 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!=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. 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! =20 So, It was back to the auto parts store to buy a $30 air tank, and the = gas station for air. =20 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! =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!) 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! =20 Thank god for experimentals that we can repair ourselves! Regards, Stu Seffern www.Lantzairflyers.com sseffern@yahoo.com ------=_NextPart_000_084E_01C67365.693CA0F0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Warning!
 
I flew with a friend to the Kentucky = Derby on=20 Friday to KSDF and blew a left main tire tube half way down the runway = on=20 landing.  I called Atlantic Aviation, the only FBO on the field, a = week=20 before to ask about costs saying we were coming in for the Derby = weekend. =20 They said there were no landing fees if you buy gas and only a $5/night = tie=20 down.  They also had free crew cars!  Great! =
 
It took 1 hour to arrive and tow us off = the=20 runway by using a hand dolly under the tire and the tug tied onto = our tow=20 bar because they did not have the correct adaptor.  Atlantic then = wanted to=20 charge me $200 for the tow, without asking first.  There were = no tie=20 downs.   We could have easily walked the airplane off the = runway with=20 the small hand wheel dolly.  Then they wanted $500 for their=20 maintenance shop just to take a look at it plus $75/hour to pull = the tire,=20 replace the inner tube and reinstall the tire.  Remember, Atlantic = has no=20 competition on the airport.
 
Wait, it gets better!  I = respectfully declined=20 Atlantic Aviation's $800+ offer, and took the tire to the = auto=20 parts store where I replaced the tube for 10 dollars, plus a 10 dollar = tip to=20 Eric, the counter guy who let me use his work bench and tools for = free.  I=20 then found a gas station and filled the tire to what the = gage said was=20 45 psi and reinstalled the tire on the airplane with two friends lifting = up on=20 the wing with their backs, no jack!
 
When the airplane was lowered the tire = looked a bit=20 flat so I checked the pressure and found the actual pressure was 30 = psi!  I=20 then walked over to Maintenance... five guys who were doing nothing but = standing=20 around.   I politely asked if they had a portable air = tank=20 because I needed just about 10 pounds of pressure in order to safely = take=20 off.  They went into conference for ten minutes while Jim = and=20 I stood there and then emerged to say that they would "sell me the = air" for=20 $150! 
 
So, It was back to the auto parts = store to=20 buy a $30 air tank, and the gas station for = air.  
 
Now we needed gas....
 
6.25/gal for 100LL!!...   = Also=20 respectfully declined, at this point not wanting to give them my credit = card=20 number.  We would stop on the way home if=20 necessary!   
 
Also, no free crew car or even a = shuttle ride=20 the 3 miles to the Churchill Downs.  A Hertz Rental cost us = $271.56=20 for a 27 hour rental with the AOPA Discount!  (Glad I bet that = $2=20 on Barbarao to win the Derby!)
 
Of course there is no recourse = except=20 telling this story.  It is the best "Consumer = Protection" we=20 have!  Repost this wherever you like.
 
Buyer Beware!  Atlantic Aviation's = FBO at KSDF=20 is the worst case of gouging I have seen in 30 years of flying! =20
 
Thank god for experimentals that we can = repair=20 ourselves!
 
 
Regards,
 
Stu Seffern
www.Lantzairflyers.com<= /DIV>
sseffern@yahoo.com
 
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