Frustrating parts problem.

[gismo]

On my last flight back home I started having problems with the stall warning horn circuit. It would come on at speeds well above stall intermittently. When I pulled the switch out of the wing I found that it was bad so I ordered a used replacement from an aircraft salvage dealer ($500 used $1500 new for a $3 switch and $4 worth of sheet metal, what a racket).

The part was ordered by phone on Tuesday with overnight shipping as I need to fly to Michigan Friday and wanted to get the part installed Wednesday in time to test fly it before our latest winter storm arrived. Unfortunately the salvage outfit didn't bother to ship it until yesterday so it obviously didn't show up until today. I found out about the delayed shipping when I called yesterday to get a tracking number. Today when the part still hadn't arrived by 4PM I called UPS to see why. Turns out the salvage yard sent it to my billing (home) address instead of my office like I asked. That meant I had to drive home before going to the airport adding another half hour to the effort. When I learned of the shipping delay I called the salesman to ask what happened and left a voice mail expressing my disappointment since he wasn't available when I called. Today I left another slightly stronger message and I have yet to hear back from him at all. I guess he doesn't want my repeat business very badly.

 

[ScottM]

Customer service ain't what it used to be. But don't be shy, tell us who it was and perhaps we can avoid causing them any problems by ordering our parts elsewhere.

 

[L10MAN]

Lance, this might be a bit late, but did you try contact cleaner on the AOA switch. Mine didn't work at all, soaked it with contact cleaner. Now works good last long time.
Ron

 

[Tom-D]

I called my favorite radial engine overhauler, and asked if he would make up a open loom ignition harness for me. the reply was Yeah right away. I'll get it in the mail.

3 weeks I waited, then today I call to see where we were with this, he tells me they ordered the leads wed. they will be 2 more weeks because he wanted to save a buck or two on shipping so he waited until he had a big order.

 

[gismo]

Lance, this might be a bit late, but did you try contact cleaner on the AOA switch. Mine didn't work at all, soaked it with contact cleaner. Now works good last long time.
Ron

I didn't try that, but the problem with my switch was that it was passing enough current to operate the horn when it was supposed to be open. It feels like something mechanical inside is broken. I think I could probably find a suitable replacement micro switch as it looks like a standard type, but I didn't have the time to find the right one, and I'm not certain that would be a legal repair.

 

[gismo]

Customer service ain't what it used to be. But don't be shy, tell us who it was and perhaps we can avoid causing them any problems by ordering our parts elsewhere.

I'm waiting to see if I hear back from the salesman next week. If not I'll name names. I think at the very least they ought to offer to refund the overnight shipping charge.

 

[Dakota Duce]

Lance said in part..

When I pulled the switch out of the wing I found that it was bad, so I ordered a used replacement from an aircraft salvage dealer. $500 used or $1500 new for a $3 switch and $4 worth of sheet metal.

..And the GA industry wonders why more people don't get into flying. Situations like that are why I say "to heck with'em" and "do my own thing".

Dakota Duce

"May All Your Flights Be Of Good Weather!"

 

[JRitt]

Lance I feel your pain. The #1 and #2 largest case overhaulers both sent me the wrong case when mine had to be replaced taking 3 weeks to overhaul the case they had before sending it and then telling me there was no such thing as the case I wanted. Eventually CSI sent me the right case but the process took 3 months from the time I sent my case in (that failed) till I recieved a good one. I should be breaking in an overhauled engine on Thursday.

 

[Steve]

I can't locate the reference offhand, but I believe your mechanic can legally replace an OEM aircraft sub-component with an "off the shelf" sub-component if it can be demonstrated to have the same form, fit, and function of the original, i.e., is the same part no. from the sub-component mfg., and is duly logged as such in the aircraft records.

 

[Henning]

I can't locate the reference offhand, but I believe your mechanic can legally replace an OEM aircraft sub-component with an "off the shelf" sub-component if it can be demonstrated to have the same form, fit, and function of the original, i.e., is the same part no. from the sub-component mfg., and is duly logged as such in the aircraft records.

I'd love clarification on that. The best source I know interprets that to mean you have to prove it to mil-spec from the part it replaces. How onerous of a burden is that?

 

[Steve]

I believe this is the reference I remember...

http://www.avionicswest.com/myviewpoint/partsowner.htm

In the nuke business we called it "commercial grade dedication"....but we had a design engineering group to do the omni-domini....

Some "official" info at http://www.aviationtoday.com/reports/avmaintenance/papers/AC43-FAB.pdf

I'd love clarification on that. The best source I know interprets that to mean you have to prove it to mil-spec from the part it replaces. How onerous of a burden is that?

 

[gismo]

I can't locate the reference offhand, but I believe your mechanic can legally replace an OEM aircraft sub-component with an "off the shelf" sub-component if it can be demonstrated to have the same form, fit, and function of the original, i.e., is the same part no. from the sub-component mfg., and is duly logged as such in the aircraft records.

Yeah, since AFaIK the "lift detector" isn't an instrument I think the microswitch could be replaced if you could find an exact (by p/n or mil spec) replacement. It might even be OK to replace with one that had the same or better specs WRT max current/voltage and MTBF. I considered that, but there just wasn't enough time. Maybe I'll see if I can fix the bad one for the next time.

 

[jdwatson]

Refuse the shipment and decline the charge on your credit card. Nothing gets a company's attention like a charge-back.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

On my last flight back home I started having problems with the stall warning horn circuit. It would come on at speeds well above stall intermittently. When I pulled the switch out of the wing I found that it was bad so I ordered a used replacement from an aircraft salvage dealer ($500 used $1500 new for a $3 switch and $4 worth of sheet metal, what a racket).

Lance,

I feel your pain. Well, at least my club does - I'm just the treasurer, pushing other people's money around.

We just replaced the same part on one of our Archers. $1000 for the part. (It's unheated, that must be what the extra $500 is for you!)

We also had to re-do the wiring harness for the radio stack in the same plane. $3000+.

FWIW, the two squawks (inop stall warning and crackling noises in the audio panel) cost more than the last annual and last two 100-hours, combined.

 

[gismo]

Refuse the shipment and decline the charge on your credit card. Nothing gets a company's attention like a charge-back.

It's a bit late for that as the part's already installed and tested. I was in a hurry because I needed to fly to Michigan a few days after the problem surfaced on the way home from Utah. That's why the shipping delay was so frustrating. I asked and paid for overnight shipping only to have them wait a day to actually ship even though I was told it would ship the day I ordered it. At least the part was the correct one.

And since the company never bothered to call me back about the delay, I'll name them: Dodson International of Kansas. Next time I think I'll try White Industries first as I've had better luck with them in the past.