Would this plane have flown?

Not to discount your point about the potential of harm to the interior
wing structure (which is valid IMHO), but I'll bet you could take one of
those 1 inch aluminum poles and easily bend it over your knee.

Nope -- I tried.

Actually, now that I think about it, they had to be bigger than 1 inch.
More like 1.5 inch.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Would it have flown, probably. Did you do the right thing, definitely.


"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.thegaryhouse.com/aircraftdamage/

I was down in a remote area of Mexico this last weekend and a truck
backed into my aileron. I was lucky that the driver had a sat phone and
I was able to call an A&P to come down to Mexico and swap it for me.
However, all the local pilots, and the A&P who came down seemed to
think it would have flown ok as was. From a simply academic point of
view I"m curious what you guys think.

-Robert

Bottom line...you were obviously uncomfortable with it, and made a no
go call....NO shame in that...good call

Jamie A. Landers
PP-ASEL

Well the local Mooney service center just sent their estimate to the
insurance company. They are recommending a factory new aileron.
Although they are certified and equipped to rebuild them, they say
they've never seen anyone rebuild a Mooney aileron and get it straight.
Apparently the factory is able to do something the service centers
can't do. When I look at the aileron it looks like a bunch of ribs with
some skin on them. The service center is saying there are no ribs in
the aileron and the construction is different. In any case, I sure hope
my insurance company is able to claim against the truck's Mexican
liability coverage. It shouldn't be a problem but the total cost is
looking to be around $4K. The service center is also saying that there
may be a bent rod under the seat, but they haven't actually seen the
plane yet, this is just their Mooney experience. They don't seem
concerned about structural issues at all. The Mooney structure is very
different than a Cessna or Piper and considered much stronger (ever see
the picture of the entire factory floor assembly team standing on top
of a Mooney wing, two people deep?)

-Robert

Not with me in it.

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.thegaryhouse.com/aircraftdamage/

I was down in a remote area of Mexico this last weekend and a truck
backed into my aileron. I was lucky that the driver had a sat phone and
I was able to call an A&P to come down to Mexico and swap it for me.
However, all the local pilots, and the A&P who came down seemed to
think it would have flown ok as was. From a simply academic point of
view I"m curious what you guys think.

-Robert

Purely from an academic standpoint, I'm curious why people go into remote
areas of a foreign country (particularly one like Mexico) without some way
of calling for help if they get stuck, not having made arrangements/contacts
with a local mechanic in case there were some kind of problem, etc. People
who can afford having an A&P come down to Mexico to fix a problem ought to
be able to afford a little planning ahead for eventualities just like this
one. Academically speaking, of course.

Juan

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.thegaryhouse.com/aircraftdamage/

I was down in a remote area of Mexico this last weekend and a truck
backed into my aileron. I was lucky that the driver had a sat phone and
I was able to call an A&P to come down to Mexico and swap it for me.
However, all the local pilots, and the A&P who came down seemed to
think it would have flown ok as was. From a simply academic point of
view I"m curious what you guys think.

-Robert



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I don't call ahead and make arrangements for a mechanic at every airport I
land at. If something goes wrong, I'll deal with the problem.

"Juan Jimenez" wrote in message
om...
Purely from an academic standpoint, I'm curious why people go into remote
areas of a foreign country (particularly one like Mexico) without some way
of calling for help if they get stuck, not having made
arrangements/contacts
with a local mechanic in case there were some kind of problem, etc. People
who can afford having an A&P come down to Mexico to fix a problem ought to
be able to afford a little planning ahead for eventualities just like this
one. Academically speaking, of course.

Juan

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.thegaryhouse.com/aircraftdamage/

I was down in a remote area of Mexico this last weekend and a truck
backed into my aileron. I was lucky that the driver had a sat phone and
I was able to call an A&P to come down to Mexico and swap it for me.
However, all the local pilots, and the A&P who came down seemed to
think it would have flown ok as was. From a simply academic point of
view I"m curious what you guys think.

-Robert



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*** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from
http://www.SecureIX.com ***

And I didn't say people should call ahead at every airport they land on.

"Steve Foley" wrote in message
news:RJiUf.2575$3t1.120@trndny08...
I don't call ahead and make arrangements for a mechanic at every airport I
land at. If something goes wrong, I'll deal with the problem.

"Juan Jimenez" wrote in message
om...
Purely from an academic standpoint, I'm curious why people go into remote
areas of a foreign country (particularly one like Mexico) without some
way
of calling for help if they get stuck, not having made
arrangements/contacts
with a local mechanic in case there were some kind of problem, etc.
People
who can afford having an A&P come down to Mexico to fix a problem ought
to
be able to afford a little planning ahead for eventualities just like
this
one. Academically speaking, of course.

Juan

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
http://www.thegaryhouse.com/aircraftdamage/

I was down in a remote area of Mexico this last weekend and a truck
backed into my aileron. I was lucky that the driver had a sat phone and
I was able to call an A&P to come down to Mexico and swap it for me.
However, all the local pilots, and the A&P who came down seemed to
think it would have flown ok as was. From a simply academic point of
view I"m curious what you guys think.

-Robert



*** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com ***
*** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from
http://www.SecureIX.com ***




*** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com ***
*** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from http://www.SecureIX.com ***

ditto


"Juan Jimenez" wrote in message
om...
| Purely from an academic standpoint, I'm curious why people
go into remote
| areas of a foreign country (particularly one like Mexico)
without some way
| of calling for help if they get stuck, not having made
arrangements/contacts
| with a local mechanic in case there were some kind of
problem, etc. People
| who can afford having an A&P come down to Mexico to fix a
problem ought to
| be able to afford a little planning ahead for
eventualities just like this
| one. Academically speaking, of course.
|
| Juan
|
| "Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
|
oups.com...
| http://www.thegaryhouse.com/aircraftdamage/
|
| I was down in a remote area of Mexico this last weekend
and a truck
| backed into my aileron. I was lucky that the driver had
a sat phone and
| I was able to call an A&P to come down to Mexico and
swap it for me.
| However, all the local pilots, and the A&P who came down
seemed to
| think it would have flown ok as was. From a simply
academic point of
| view I"m curious what you guys think.
|
| -Robert
|
|
|
| *** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com ***
| *** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account
from http://www.SecureIX.com ***

not having made arrangements/contacts
with a local mechanic in case there were some kind of problem, etc

Having a local mechanic work on your plane only solves 1/2 the problem
because the plane is again illegal as soon as you get back to the
states since you would need another log entry from a U.S. mechanic. I
think its better to skip the Mexican mechanic and just have the A&P do
the work and don't let the Mexicans find out.

-Robert