Good Mechanic in South East Pennsylvania

[Azpilot]

I'm looking for a good mechanic in South East Pa. So Preferably: Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Chester, Delaware Counties. Will also consider some parts of New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. I would like to get one that could come to the aircraft instead of my partner flying them on ferry permits.

I have a 47 Cessna 140 and my Experimental 170B Turbo.

Both need Annuals/Condition Inspection. Prefer someone that allows the owner to assist.

Its a long story, but my partner chose this mechanic and he's stiffed us for more than $1500 and hasn't delivered anything. The annual for the 140 started in July and hasn't been completed. All that is left is an ELT check and compression test. The 170B needs to have the documents finalized out with the FAA (gotta love exhibition catagory). All that is needed here is a Magneto timing.

And the mechanic still has my books for my 140.

But the worst part of it all is that he keeps telling my partner that he will get to it soon but cancells at the last minute.

Meanwhile, I'm in Arizona on work and I can't get ahold of this mechanic.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Well your talking my back yard. Unfortunately I know only a few mechanics and haven't known any of them to travel except maybe to retrieve an established customers plane. I'm also afraid none of them would except anyone else's work and would want to inspect the airplane over from the start.

As for your experimental I'm not sure what you mean or need but unless you have a working relationship with Philadelphia or Allentown FSDO I doubt you will have a rewarding experience. The mechanics I know won't waste their time trying to get anything unusual done through either FSDO.

Wish I could be more help.

[Azpilot]

Both of the aircraft are near to Doylestown.

I've called Joe Flury at Quakertown. He told me that he could do the 140 but he won't touch the 170.

I haven't called George Taylor at Van Sant yet. He finished my L-16 that Billy Smela and Fern Started

I don't think I'm going to try Leading Edge just yet.

God this is going back, I called Bobby Coomes he used to be an IA at Quakertown, He said he could do the 170, but I'd have to ferry it down to Texas.

Some other options would be nice.

Most of the IA's that I know have given it up because they are getting too old.

All that the Allentown FSDO said was that the 170 needed to be "shown as airworthy with complete inspection"

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Joe Flurry will do a fine job with the 140 but like I said no short cuts because it was inspected before. You might try Allen Wold who is also at Quakertown. He and Joe have facing hangers and talk to each other so if there is a particular reason Joe doesn't want to get involved with the 170 Allen will know about it. But Allen is his own man. 484 951 2467 is the number I have for him.

George did some excellent work restoring my friends J3. He seems to be VERY busy but at the current time the Van Sant runway is closed for a runway leveling project. He may have time.

I also have a friend who is retired military. He is playing around with his Mooney and a Aztec as well as it seems some other work mostly on experimentals. He seems pretty busy building a new house and working on his own stuff he has on hand. Not really in business competing for work with Joe and Allen. If you really get stuck I could ask him if he is interested in the 170.

[GAHorn]

Well your talking my back yard. Unfortunately I know only a few mechanics and haven't known any of them to travel except maybe to retrieve an established customers plane. I'm also afraid none of them would except anyone else's work and would want to inspect the airplane over from the start...

Yep. They sound like good guys.

To all: If someone brought you an airplane for inspection and told you they'd already looked inside the tail and below the floor and inside the wings.... would you sign-off on an inspection without also looking in there? Of course not. Whomever begins an inspection anew will perform a complete inspection of all areas...or they are not really performing a legitimate inspection, they would be pushing a pencil.

How does a mechanic "stiff" you for over $1500? I could see where a guy could spend $1500 researching the paperwork on that "170 Turbo", depending upon how it's documented (or not.)

[CBogle]

Jay Shearer of Shearer Aviation at Deck Airport near Lebanon, PA. Jay did my first and second annual on my '48 after purchase about 8 years ago. A real stickler for doing it right...updated/created some missing paperwork by working with the local FAA rep. Had no problem with owner assisted annuals. Clean shop, fair (not cheap, not expensive) hourly rate. Been in business at same airport a long time and as far as I know, still in business.

Curt

[n3833v]

Yes, Jay is still in business. Owners can help. He is a quality worker. Deck 9D4.

John