In in a nutshell, I have been able to document engine TT since it came from the remanufacturer, TT on complete subsequent cylinder assemblies, receipts and yellow-tags for the crankcase, crankshaft, camshaft, rod and main bearing, rod bolts (i.e., all repairs as a result of prop-strike only 379 hours ago). Anyway, he suggested that I simply buy a new logbook and start writing. He is an airline captain and also still stays very active as an A & P, flight instructor and a host of other aviation-related activities (unfortunately, he lives more than half-way across the country from me!). Having said that, I had a nice chat with my son last evening. I realize there's little anyone can do about this, but I do share my experiences (good or bad) in hopes that it might help someone else avoid a pitfall. I appreciate all of your comments, and please accept my thanks for allowing me a place to rant. Perhaps refer him to the local 10-minute oil change or gas station. He doesn't need to be turning a wrench on aircraft.
Lost pilot logbook license#
He sounds like the kind of guy that probably got his license after failing a few times and then is barely competent as a working mechanic. This jacka$$ needs to be driven out of business. This'll give you the clown's mechanic's certificate, if he even has one. n_inquiry/ () and click on "Search airmen certificate information" in the right side of the page. If you can itemize how much this is costing you then you can also go after him in small claims court to compensate you for some of your losses. At a minimum, the AG should point you in the right direction, take your complaint and investigate him if they get too many against him.
Two resources you can try: Better Business Bureau and your State's Attorney General's office. Most communities have some kind of consumer protection watchdog. Lesson learned? Make copies of your logbooks. One thing for sure, I will not recommend this guy to anyone. Should I file a complaint, and if so, with who? Somehow, I don't think the FAA would be much interested in investigating a lost logbook, but maybe I'm wrong. But, he's very messy with his work environment - crap everywhere. He's slow, but did an otherwise thorough job on my airplane. Beyond that, I have little idea what, if anything, I should do about this guy.
Once I get the so-called "reconstructed" logbook, I will never set foot on his premises again. From that point, he gets 10 days to get the job done. The only thing that mechanic is going to get from me now on is copies of records. Anyway, I think we can put together a new logbook that will be accurate regarding hours on parts and AD compliance. Also, I found some valuable information in my dad's pilot logbooks that help nail down the hours on the cylinders (they were warranty replaced 600 hours after the initial engine installation, but that's another story). Fortunately, I have saved every last receipt for my airplane, including all the receipts for the engine work and parts. Well, I'm home now and going through my records. So he says, "well, we can reconstruct the logbook." I'm thinking, "oh sure." No, it's not a factory reman, but still well within serviceable limits." Yes, it was a field overhaul due to a prop strike, but it was done right. That engine had extensive work done to it only 350 hours ago including a yellow-tagged crankshaft, yellow-tagged camshaft, new piston rings, new main bearings, new rod bearings and magnaflux and zyglow of just about every part in the engine, not to mention that the carburetor was overhauled. Then he breaks the silence and tells me, "well, your engine is past manufacturers TBO" as if to excuse or minimize the loss of the logbook. No appologies, no offer to bend over backwards to make this right, no initiative. So I'm standing there glaring at him and he goes silent. It seems that a pile of papers slid off his deck and fell right into the trash can. Finally today, I confronted him face-to-face and he admitted that he may have accidentally thrown my logbook out with the trash. Meanwhile, I kept calling to see where he was at in his search, but my messages weren't returned. until the mechanic told me he couldn't find my engine logbook.Īt first, he thought perhaps he had accidentally placed it with another aircraft (many logbooks look alike, don't they?), but as time went by, that turned out to be not what happened. We did a lot of work on the airplane including new sealed lift struts, new (rebuilt) magnetos and all the other usual stuff. Well, I got the airplane back on April 1st (that should've been a hint right there), along with the airframe logbook and a several pages of nicely done spreadsheet info that shows all the AD's to date and that they were complied with. You guys might remember me ranting about the ordeal with the annual on my Tripacer a few months back.