Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

How to keep the Cessna 170 flying and airworthy.

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oldtrucksrule
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Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by oldtrucksrule »

Hello,

I have a 1948 Cessna 170. My family has owned since 1989. I inherited a few years back. It’s been in a hangar at my family’s airport in West Texas. Last year we trailered it (wings installed) to an airport nearby to get her back up and running. I’ve kept my CFI current and the airplane with the intention of teaching my three daughters to fly. I learned to fly in her and want to continue the legacy for my daughters. Well, time is of the essence, my oldest turns 16 in October and is chomping at the bit to learn. The mechanic that has done recent work is a King Air pilot for his main job and he’s become extremely busy and can’t complete the 179 in a timely manner.I

I’m looking for suggestions on getting her airborne and I feel this is the place to come.

I’d be willing to pull the wings and get her somewhere to get her finished promptly.

She doesn’t really lack much to be finished. I upgraded to an alternator and the wiring needs to be completed. I’ll attach some pictures to get an idea of her current state.

I’d be happy to talk in more detail with anyone who may have a suggestion.

Thanks, Cory
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Last edited by oldtrucksrule on Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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GAHorn
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by GAHorn »

When you say “West Texas”…. do you mean “West, Texas”…. or “Western Texas”..??

(For those who don’t know, there is a town of “West” in Texas, near Waco….. the home towns of Ann Richards,
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Willie Nelson (played basketball in school)…
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and Jack Wheelis (who was rumored to have provided Hermann Goerring the cyanide and rec’d Goerring’s wrist-watch as a token.)
F9D608AB-C32B-446B-A626-82EC4EBBFEE5.jpeg
F9D608AB-C32B-446B-A626-82EC4EBBFEE5.jpeg (43.29 KiB) Viewed 3980 times
How is THAT for a Hi-Jack..?? :mrgreen:
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
hilltop170
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by hilltop170 »

Cory-
You may have waited too long to get the plane back in the air quickly, before October, depending on what it needs, all the good shops are loaded up with work and everybody wants their job done now. But now is better than later to get on the list.

Randy Long, 325-625-5495, in Coleman is familiar with 170s. And, his shop does excellent fabric and metal repair. Randy has a storage hangar that you might be able to get the plane to him soon (assuming he agrees to do the work) and it will be there when he is ready to start on it without having to time the delivery.

Good luck!
Richard Pulley
2014-2016 TIC170A Past President
1951 170A, N1715D, s/n 20158, O-300D
Owned from 1973 to 1984.
Bought again in 2006 after 22 years.
It's not for sale!
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oldtrucksrule
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by oldtrucksrule »

hilltop170 wrote:Cory-
You may have waited too long to get the plane back in the air quickly, before October, depending on what it needs, all the good shops are loaded up with work and everybody wants their job done now. But now is better than later to get on the list.

Randy Long, 325-625-5495, in Coleman is familiar with 170s. And, his shop does excellent fabric and metal repair. Randy has a storage hangar that you might be able to get the plane to him soon (assuming he agrees to do the work) and it will be there when he is ready to start on it without having to time the delivery.

Good luck!
Great information! Thanks, I just got off the phone with Randy, great guy! They're 3+ years out but, I'm sure he does fantastic work.
counsellj
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by counsellj »

You never stated exactly where you are located, but I recommend you call Tommy at Rio Grande Aviation in Del Rio. He worked my 170 as well as a buddy's when we were stationed there. (830) 775-2309
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oldtrucksrule
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by oldtrucksrule »

counsellj wrote:You never stated exactly where you are located, but I recommend you call Tommy at Rio Grande Aviation in Del Rio. He worked my 170 as well as a buddy's when we were stationed there. (830) 775-2309
Yeah, I guess that is important information. My airplane is located in Seminole, TX. It's between Lubbock and Midland near Hobbs, NM.
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GAHorn
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by GAHorn »

oldtrucksrule wrote:
counsellj wrote:You never stated exactly where you are located, but I recommend you call Tommy at Rio Grande Aviation in Del Rio. He worked my 170 as well as a buddy's when we were stationed there. (830) 775-2309
Yeah, I guess that is important information. My airplane is located in Seminole, TX. It's between Lubbock and Midland near Hobbs, NM.
Seminole!… WATERMELON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD! :P

I flew with an old Marine from Seminole…Frank Tull… volunteered for Viet Nam, worked on F-4s as a Marine hydraulics mechanic, came back and married his High School girlfriend LuWann and a career in corporate aviation in Houston for Cameron, first as a JetStar mechanic..then as a JetStar pilot… later for Pennzoil, and subs…. and He is how I learned Seminole was famous for watermelons.
I passed thru that town on the way back home from the Cody convention.
Click to ENLARGE if you dare…
Click to ENLARGE if you dare…
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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oldtrucksrule
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by oldtrucksrule »

GAHorn wrote:
oldtrucksrule wrote:
counsellj wrote:You never stated exactly where you are located, but I recommend you call Tommy at Rio Grande Aviation in Del Rio. He worked my 170 as well as a buddy's when we were stationed there. (830) 775-2309
Yeah, I guess that is important information. My airplane is located in Seminole, TX. It's between Lubbock and Midland near Hobbs, NM.
Seminole!… WATERMELON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD! :P

I flew with an old Marine from Seminole…Frank Tull… volunteered for Viet Nam, worked on F-4s as a Marine hydraulics mechanic, came back and married his High School girlfriend LuWann and a career in corporate aviation in Houston for Cameron, first as a JetStar mechanic..then as a JetStar pilot… later for Pennzoil, and subs…. and He is how I learned Seminole was famous for watermelons.
I passed thru that town on the way back home from the Cody convention.
F70D1305-2E66-449F-9C37-3CA5729B2093.png
Where that picture is taken is in front of my mom's gift shop building. Small world.
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GAHorn
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by GAHorn »

That picture was taken INSIDE MY TRUCK! :lol:

We should hold a “Watermelon Fly-In” there! (in Seminole…not my truck).
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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cessna170bdriver
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Re: Mechanic needed West Texas or Eastern New Mexico

Post by cessna170bdriver »

Seminole is where my Dad’s 310J ended up.
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Miles

“I envy no man that knows more than myself, but pity them that know less.”
— Thomas Browne
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