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Thread: Gyro House overhauled AI -- inop after 80 hours/18 months

  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark van Wyk View Post
    I spoke to my mechanic. He said he talked to Gyro House, and to paraphrase my mechanic, and I quote "..they said it's out of warranty and there's nothing we can do blah blah blah -- eff you." .
    Your gyro was out of warranty. I don't see that you have any reason to be indignant that they will not give you a longer warranty than you paid for.

    If they chose to go above and beyond, that would have been great, but I bet you wouldn't have posted about it to 3 different boards.

  2. #12
    L16 Pilot's Avatar
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    I agree "the gyro was out of warranty". Now having said that it seems a lot 'certified aircraft quality' units have a short service life. May I mention directional gyros, turn and bank indicators (I had one that lasted probably 50 hours tops but out of warranty in time). Radios, transponders....the list goes on. I spent a small fortune trying to keep the radios and transponders operating when I had my Cherokee and they were 'maintained' by a approved service center. Finally gave up and bought something simple (Champ) and use a 'uncertified' handheld that cost maybe $250. End of problem.
    If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money!

  3. #13

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    If you can be a smart consumer, when you have something that you feel is unsatisfactory, first make a polite notice to the company or business with your problem. The unit is clearly out of warranty, in fact is twice the warranty period, But the company might offer something, perhaps to do a repair at a discount. I had Cont once offer cylinders at a discount price in a similar situation. The hard part may be getting your problem to the attention of the right person. Being too negative, too condemning is not likely to help. And best not to leave it to a 3rd party to do your talking, unless he has some in with them.
    I recently had a meal at a restaurant that did not taste right, I politely told the waitress who told the manager who tasted the sauce herself and agreed it was not right. The gave me a free meal, and said hope I come back again.
    Last edited by Bill Greenwood; 07-13-2016 at 10:16 AM.

  4. #14
    L16 Pilot's Avatar
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    Yep I agree with you Bill but part of the problem is the company who performed the 'repair' gave you a 90 day or (say) 50 hour warranty. Meanwhile you live in NW Wisconsin and shut down for the winter. So much for the 90 day warranty period but you're right it's possible to get some satisfaction if you get to the right party. By the way, I know something about this as (in a former life) I worked as a service manager for a large truck dealership and had to evaluate various requests for 'adjustments'. Meanwhile the company who built a certain engine we sold did a lot of 'stonewalling' even though they knew they had a problem.
    If God had intended man to fly He would have given us more money!

  5. #15
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by L16 Pilot View Post
    Yep I agree with you Bill but part of the problem is the company who performed the 'repair' gave you a 90 day or (say) 50 hour warranty. Meanwhile you live in NW Wisconsin and shut down for the winter. So much for the 90 day warranty period but you're right it's possible to get some satisfaction if you get to the right party.
    The calendar limitation in this case is a bit silly... few folks do a thousand hours in a single year. I can see some sort of calendar limit applying, but not one requiring an owner to fly 80 hours a month.

    However, of course, there are SOME folks who have an unreasonable attitude towards warranties. Too much experience with these kinds of can harden the attitude towards those with more-reasonable objections. Depending on the persons involved, making the issues public may harden the attitudes even further.

    Ron Wanttaja

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by rwanttaja View Post
    The calendar limitation in this case is a bit silly... few folks do a thousand hours in a single year. I can see some sort of calendar limit applying, but not one requiring an owner to fly 80 hours a month.

    However, of course, there are SOME folks who have an unreasonable attitude towards warranties. Too much experience with these kinds of can harden the attitude towards those with more-reasonable objections. Depending on the persons involved, making the issues public may harden the attitudes even further.

    Ron Wanttaja
    I have to concur with Ron on the 'hardening' of warranties. I built a guitar for a touring musician. My warranty is very loose (most of which is determined by the manufacturer of the parts as an individual). I stand behind all my work. No question...... This musician put the guitar through three world tours and was constant issue over his mistreatment. Eventually I had to put him to the bottom of the list and DEFINE and set of rules that each of my guitars now leave the shop with. He alone took what was a GREAT relationship with many many customers and flushed it. Unfortunately for those whom I would give flexibility to were lumped into the same group as that one creep.
    Rick

  7. #17

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    The calendar limitation in this case is a bit silly...
    1 yr warranty on an OH'd gyro is common in the industry.

  8. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by martymayes View Post
    1 yr warranty on an OH'd gyro is common in the industry.
    What is the average expected lifetime for a $600 - $1,000 overhauled vacuum-driven attitude indicator? I'm getting a newly-purchased OH AI installed today -- NOT from TGH.
    Under normal conditions, no unusual attitudes, I fly average 50-75 hours a year, usually weekly, parked outside with canvas cover, Rapco vacuum pump, average suction. Clean filters and lines, etc. C-150.
    How long? I would hope AT LEAST 350 hours/three years .

    Is it better to buy new? I'm seeing prices averaging $2.5K to $5K for new ones.
    Digital?

    I really enjoyed training for IFR and I like keeping my plane IFR current and I like to stay IR current. An AI is required equipment for certified IFR-legal planes. So, I have no choice but always have a working AI.
    Last edited by Mark van Wyk; 07-14-2016 at 10:48 AM. Reason: Added more text

  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark van Wyk View Post
    What is the average expected lifetime for a $600 - $1,000 overhauled vacuum-driven attitude indicator? I'm getting a newly-purchased OH AI installed today -- NOT from TGH.
    Under normal conditions, no unusual attitudes, I fly average 50-75 hours a year, usually weekly, parked outside with canvas cover, Rapco vacuum pump, average suction. Clean filters and lines, etc. C-150.
    How long? I would hope AT LEAST 350 hours/three years .

    Is it better to buy new? I'm seeing prices averaging $2.5K to $5K for new ones.
    Digital?

    I really enjoyed training for IFR and I like keeping my plane IFR current and I like to stay IR current. An AI is required equipment for certified IFR-legal planes. So, I have no choice but always have a working AI.
    MTBF for pneumatic instruments is ~1000h. However, that's under optimum conditions. The only gyros I've changed with that kind of TIS is on planes that fly every day, or nearly so. However, I don't think expecting 400h or life out of a gyro is unreasonable. Again, be nice to know the forensics of what caused the o'haul unit to fail. Otherwise, can't do much about it.

  10. #20
    crusty old aviator's Avatar
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    I find that aircraft that don't fly much tend to go through gyro instruments much more often than aircraft that are flown regularly (usually commercially). I've heard that all that sitting around doesn't agree with the bearings, but I'm not an instrument tech, just an IA.

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