Nice and toasty at the ranch... and lots of opportunity to play in the sky!
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We have been huddled in the office and wringing our hands over our insurance debacle, and we have discovered a new avenue to try. It will take appx 4 weeks to engineer, but here is the plan:
For now, we are removing our proposed requirement for renter's insurance. We really didn't like the awkwardness it presented, and it wasn't our typical smooth way of doing things.
We are engaging a new insurance tactic which we expect to lower our deductible back where it belongs. Coverages will not be affected, we are just partitioning the fleet into risk categories a little more finely. Insurers love that.
Foreign time-builders will still be required to carry full-value insurance to rent.
So... for now.. biz as usual. Sorry for the turmoil -- we're adapting as best we can to a strange situation.
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I know some things in maintenanceland!
Cessna 61Q is out of 100hr
Cessna 68U is out of 100hr
Cessna 739's LED light has not burned out, setting a new record for our light-eater. Nighttime pilots rejoice!
Cessna 94M is in for 100hr. We have discovered the beginnings of a crack in one of her landing gear saddles. Normal wear, but not something we tolerate once we see it starting. 94M will be down for about a week.
The landing gear saddle is the piece of aluminum the gear leg flexes against on those difficult landings. It acts as a fulcrum, between the wheel at one end, and some very impressive spring packs in the belly at the other end. Betcha didn't know our planes had shocks on the mains didja? How else can we dribble them down the runways of SoCal every day? :)
I'll see if we can get a pic of the saddle to share for everyone. Feel free to stop by the hangar also if you're curious. 94M's suspension will be on display while our wrenches swap this part out -- it's neat in there, and worth a look. I expect it will be viewable starting tomorrow.
Cessna 63B completed a 100hr too. Because everyone else was doing it.
Cessna 17J is slated to return at the end of next week -- wow! She will be burning-in a new engine when she arrives, so we are looking for folks who want to do some low-altitude XC flying. Contact the office if that sounds like your bag.
Bonanza 11N is completing her annual. Like 94M, we found a small crack forming in the prop spinner bulkhead. Even though it's a cosmetic part, it's a highly-stressed area, and we are not interested in decorating a moving prop with the shrapnel of a nosecone. This is rough on pilots and upholstery.
11N will return appx Thursday or so, after the part arrives.
Woof!
Who invited the thunderstorm out to play on Sunday? Stop that. It felt like Florida for a day -- luckily it was way worse in Florida, so our smugness remains unchallenged. SoCal for the win.
Looking great all this week -- grab some air therapy!
Blue Skies,
- Mike
