The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Well I have a good one,
Apparently over the weekend the was a fire in the adjacent t hanger were my 170 was sleeping. I had brought my airplane up to a friends to do the annual, we were finished but I left it there to pick up later this month. They put the fire out, however my 170 is covered in soot and ash and some greasy kind of slime, although my doors were closed there is a fine layer of soot throughout the whole interior. My paint is old enough where it seems the soot got absorbed into the paint, the fabric on the wings looks like it stained, and the smoky sooty interior well....
Now my question is that there any aircraft specific services that can clean smoke and sooty interiors, And how about my gyros and avionics??
you think they might of got affected?? Has anyone experienced this situation?? or am I looking at a new interior. the airport Management who was by the way reasonable for the fire by instead of plugging the aircraft heater into the timer they plugged a floor fired kero heater that was facing the furniture said they would make good, but I don't think they will spring for new paint and interior, regardless I will be calling my ins co in the am. What do ya guys think????

I think your airplane has likely been injured thru no fault of your own and that any/all damage including cosmetics should be repaired by the airport. That includes possible wing recover, interior, paint, and glass. I doubt the instruments have suffered.

If your C-170 is insured I would file a claim with your insurance company. They will go after all of the parties who are liable for the damage to your C-170 which should include the renter of the hanger where the fire occurred and the airport owner/operator. If your C-170 is not insured, the task of going after the the renter of the hanger where the fire occurred and the airport owner/operator will fall on your shoulders. In any case it is the renter of the hanger where the fire occurred and the airport owner/operator are liable for the damage to you C-170.

A possible problem of filing through YOUR insurance company is: They may decide the damages suffered are more than the 70% (or whatever your policy calls for) which allows them to declare your airplane a total loss. Then they will pay you for whatever hull value you have it insured for, ... less the deductible... and you'll be without your airplane and without enough money to replace it with one of similar value.

It may be better to make the claim instead directly with the insured (hangarkeeper or other party responsible for the damages.)

I certainly agree if your have not insured your airplane for its full value.
I would recommed carring liability only if you are not going to carry hull for the complete value of your airplane.

Man that SUCKs! Sorry to hear about it.