The (long) rest of the story - after wheel fails
Now the rest of the story. In another thread I wrote about my front wheel splitting. in half in half at the hold short line, runway 29R, A1 at Jefferson County (BJC) while starting for an air rally to Jackpot, NV (06U). Many planes behind me, I told tower I had a flat tire and wasn’t going anywhere. Didn’t hear anything for awhile and since tower seemed busy, I queried ground. They had requested ops get a tug. While we waited, tower and the planes behind sorted things out and got off at A2.
Tug finally gets there and line guy from Denver Air looks at the front wheel and says ‘they didn’t tell me you had a flat, all I brought was a tow bar.’ So the ops lady takes the tug driver back for more equipment. Meanwhile ATC decides to let more planes out for A2. Soon half a dozen are lined up on the taxiway, no run up area there. So when the ops truck comes back they have to pull around the line in the mud. (Did I mention it’s been raining off and on all morning.) Now they've got a winch dolly. So we get the nose on the dolly and the line guy starts heading for the taxiway. Wait a minute, Ops says. Taxiway is full of planes, so tower clears us down the runway to E. Nice parade, ops truck, tug, and N234MP at 2-3 mph. Tower keeps asking for expedite but tug is pedal to the medal. Landing traffic get shifted to 29L Finally we’re off the movement areas and parked on a corner of the ramp.
Now we have to decide what to do. A friend in the rally had room and offered to take us. But I had a busy week ahead at work so needed to deal with the plane over the weekend if I could. So we told Walt we try to get it fixed and come late. Another friend, Dave was out to change his oil, heard the commotion on the radio and came over. He offered to drive us anywhere we needed. So we to the FBO and asked if there were any mechanics around. Turns out Legacy Air has an A&P on duty Saturdays. Not common but sure is nice. So Russ brings his tug down and pulls the Mooney over to Legacy’s hangar. Sure looks like all we need is a wheel, tube and tire. He starts looking up part numbers and their stock. After a while he come back and says they have the tire and tube but no wheel. He starts making calls. I decide to call my mechanic back in Fort Collins.
Me: ‘Jim, you working today?’
Jim: ‘Yep;
Me: ‘I’m at Jeffco, my nose wheel failed and I need a replacement. Do you happen to know where any Mooney nose wheels are?’
Jim: ‘I’m laying under a Mooney right now. Just a minute ....................…………….You can borrow Steve’s’ (Now I thought he was kidding.)
Me: ‘OK, let me see what Legacy turns up here and I’ll get back with you’
Meanwhile Russ says he can’t find anything but can have one here by Tuesday. So if the offer was real, Fort Collins looks better. Dave is still hanging around and says, ‘I’ve got to warm my oil up away. I’ll take you to Fort Collins.’ So…..
Me: ‘Jim, were you guys serious?’
Jim: ‘Sure, Steve even says he’ll bring it down in the 150’
Me: ‘No, the wheel’s enough, I’ll come get it.’
So we jump in Dave’s 182, fly up to Fort Collins. Where Steve balls me out for not letting him fly it down. He’s real tired of working on his plane.
Turns out Steve’s M20G is up on my jacks for his annual. They just mounted a new nose tire and still need a couple days before the annual will be done.
Dave and I make it back in moderate rain. Dave’s VFR only but the field waited to go IFR until we were back. Borrowed wheel mounted up and paper work done, I’m looking at filing to get out. But the weather comes up and we get out in decent but raining VMC. We have to go around over Laramie but make Jackpot, NV (06U) in time for the award dinner and the show later. Enjoyed the Kingston Trio with our pilot friends. We finished the trip Sunday with 2 hours solid IMC. A very satisfying weekend even after the rough start.
If this isn’t a perfect example of what the GA community is, I don’t know what is. Expect for Legacy Air, no money changed hands.
Now the rest of the story. In another thread I wrote about my front wheel splitting. in half in half at the hold short line, runway 29R, A1 at Jefferson County (BJC) while starting for an air rally to Jackpot, NV (06U). Many planes behind me, I told tower I had a flat tire and wasn’t going anywhere. Didn’t hear anything for awhile and since tower seemed busy, I queried ground. They had requested ops get a tug. While we waited, tower and the planes behind sorted things out and got off at A2.
Tug finally gets there and line guy from Denver Air looks at the front wheel and says ‘they didn’t tell me you had a flat, all I brought was a tow bar.’ So the ops lady takes the tug driver back for more equipment. Meanwhile ATC decides to let more planes out for A2. Soon half a dozen are lined up on the taxiway, no run up area there. So when the ops truck comes back they have to pull around the line in the mud. (Did I mention it’s been raining off and on all morning.) Now they've got a winch dolly. So we get the nose on the dolly and the line guy starts heading for the taxiway. Wait a minute, Ops says. Taxiway is full of planes, so tower clears us down the runway to E. Nice parade, ops truck, tug, and N234MP at 2-3 mph. Tower keeps asking for expedite but tug is pedal to the medal. Landing traffic get shifted to 29L Finally we’re off the movement areas and parked on a corner of the ramp.
Now we have to decide what to do. A friend in the rally had room and offered to take us. But I had a busy week ahead at work so needed to deal with the plane over the weekend if I could. So we told Walt we try to get it fixed and come late. Another friend, Dave was out to change his oil, heard the commotion on the radio and came over. He offered to drive us anywhere we needed. So we to the FBO and asked if there were any mechanics around. Turns out Legacy Air has an A&P on duty Saturdays. Not common but sure is nice. So Russ brings his tug down and pulls the Mooney over to Legacy’s hangar. Sure looks like all we need is a wheel, tube and tire. He starts looking up part numbers and their stock. After a while he come back and says they have the tire and tube but no wheel. He starts making calls. I decide to call my mechanic back in Fort Collins.
Me: ‘Jim, you working today?’
Jim: ‘Yep;
Me: ‘I’m at Jeffco, my nose wheel failed and I need a replacement. Do you happen to know where any Mooney nose wheels are?’
Jim: ‘I’m laying under a Mooney right now. Just a minute ....................…………….You can borrow Steve’s’ (Now I thought he was kidding.)
Me: ‘OK, let me see what Legacy turns up here and I’ll get back with you’
Meanwhile Russ says he can’t find anything but can have one here by Tuesday. So if the offer was real, Fort Collins looks better. Dave is still hanging around and says, ‘I’ve got to warm my oil up away. I’ll take you to Fort Collins.’ So…..
Me: ‘Jim, were you guys serious?’
Jim: ‘Sure, Steve even says he’ll bring it down in the 150’
Me: ‘No, the wheel’s enough, I’ll come get it.’
So we jump in Dave’s 182, fly up to Fort Collins. Where Steve balls me out for not letting him fly it down. He’s real tired of working on his plane.
Turns out Steve’s M20G is up on my jacks for his annual. They just mounted a new nose tire and still need a couple days before the annual will be done.Dave and I make it back in moderate rain. Dave’s VFR only but the field waited to go IFR until we were back. Borrowed wheel mounted up and paper work done, I’m looking at filing to get out. But the weather comes up and we get out in decent but raining VMC. We have to go around over Laramie but make Jackpot, NV (06U) in time for the award dinner and the show later. Enjoyed the Kingston Trio with our pilot friends. We finished the trip Sunday with 2 hours solid IMC. A very satisfying weekend even after the rough start.
If this isn’t a perfect example of what the GA community is, I don’t know what is. Expect for Legacy Air, no money changed hands.
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