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“Have you ever had to argue with a mechanic over the price of a repair?” asks AVweb reader Dean Herrington. You probably have, but it almost certainly didn’t go like the conversation Dean had with a mechanic at Callaway Aviation at Big Bear City Airport (L35) in California:
I had departed about 3:00 in the afternoon and quickly developed an electrical problem that necessitated a return to the airport. I was guided to the nearest repair facility, Callaway Aviation. The only mechanic available, the owner, Brad Callaway, was very busy across the field supporting the warbirds that were about to depart, so I had about a 1.5-hour wait. When the courteous Mr. Callaway arrived he spent over an hour troubleshooting, doing run-ups, troubleshooting some more, then finally recommending that we experimentally replace my one-year old battery with one of his used ones, just to see if we could fully eliminate my battery as a culprit. His used battery immediately cleared up the problem, and further tests and run-ups confirmed that it was completely solved.
When I asked for the bill, he said “Oh, that’s OK.”
I said, “No way, I’ve got to pay you for your time and the battery.” After considerable pressue he finally agreed to accept $50.
How can this guy stay in business? Unless, of course, he has a large, loyal following of grateful customers, like me. My flight home to Vegas was an uneventful pleasure.
And that, AVwebbers, is why Callaway is this week’s very deserving “FBO of the Week”!
Keep those nominations coming. For complete contest rules, click here.
AVweb is actively seeking out the best FBOs in the country and another one, submitted by you, will be spotlighted here next Monday!
