Why I hate annuals!

Any DA40 related topics

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

User avatar
A Dopo
3 Diamonds Member
3 Diamonds Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:39 pm
First Name: Juan
Aircraft Type: DA40NG
Aircraft Registration: N195DA
Airports: KCEU
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Why I hate annuals!

Post by A Dopo »

I hate having anyone touch our cars or airplanes or other toys. We are particular and want our things to be just like they were or better when we get them back.

While I like the people who did the annual I wish they would be more careful. For instance we got the plane back and the fuel switch was not safety wired. The alternate static air was on. We got those items corrected and flew the plane home. I had just cleaned the bugs off and was admiring the plane one more time, and as I rounded the wing to close the door the light hit this just right, and lo and behold there it was. A hideous dent that stood out like a black eye. And a smaller one on the other side in the same place. I immediately called the A&P up and he said he knows what it is and it can be fixed in about 10 minutes.

But what could cause this? How does this happen? How do you pop out glass/carbon fiber? With a heat gun? What if it is delaminated?

We like cars as well. Something similar happened last year with our 71 Ferrari Daytona. We had the heater coils replaced, and some idiot screwed a screw too far in, and it put a small point on the fender. Our boat was transported from Long Beach CA and was damaged. Our 458 Spider was transported from Penske in Scottsdale and has a small ding in the hood where someone closed the hood on something. The F40 came back lower on one side due to a suspension point being replace. The previous 172 came back once with the plastic trim wheel console cover cracked and remember that 20 plus million dollar lawsuit that almost sunk Cessna? I looked under the seat and the inertia reel came off the floor in my hand. It was not even fastened in the floor. That was designed to hold the seat in place. We came back from Italy and the best Mid Century Modern Organic house in the country was on fire as we landed because some idiot cut on a light and left it on while we were gone. Something I told them not to do.

The motto should always be Do No Harm! I am sick of incompetence that I seem to attract. It does not help that I like things to be nearly perfect or as they should be when we get them back.

So, although I did not mean for this to turn into a rant, it has. Like I said, nice people, we like them, but how does this happen, why does this happen, and how do you fix it? I did not even think it was possible to put a dent in carbon fiber and fiberglass. It is where the foot step is, so it must have something to do with entering the plane? Is someone wearing steel toed boots? I can only speculate.
Attachments
DSC_0186.jpg
Da40 Dent.jpg
User avatar
A Dopo
3 Diamonds Member
3 Diamonds Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:39 pm
First Name: Juan
Aircraft Type: DA40NG
Aircraft Registration: N195DA
Airports: KCEU
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by A Dopo »

So my wife got a call from the tech today and he said that there are many DA 40s with this same dent in the same location. Said it is something that he sees on Diamonds in the shop right now.

Can any diamond owners verify this? We have pictures of our Diamond before it left the hanger for the facility, and it was not there.
User avatar
A Dopo
3 Diamonds Member
3 Diamonds Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:39 pm
First Name: Juan
Aircraft Type: DA40NG
Aircraft Registration: N195DA
Airports: KCEU
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by A Dopo »

Updates: as this is on going this morning. I sent the tech the pictures and he says that the others are not as pronounced. Personally I think this on these planes might just be where people hit the hull with their heels exiting (Boris at Diamond Support) or when they get in.
User avatar
A Dopo
3 Diamonds Member
3 Diamonds Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:39 pm
First Name: Juan
Aircraft Type: DA40NG
Aircraft Registration: N195DA
Airports: KCEU
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by A Dopo »

Diamond support has been really incredible. I remember reading on here that people are not happy with the service. Today could not have been better. Two return calls within 20 minutes of leaving messages with good explanations.
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by astaib »

And what are the explanations?

I have similar dents but not in this area.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
A Dopo
3 Diamonds Member
3 Diamonds Member
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:39 pm
First Name: Juan
Aircraft Type: DA40NG
Aircraft Registration: N195DA
Airports: KCEU
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by A Dopo »

Boris said that they their techs at the factory repair (my terminology not his-bruises) like this during the manufacturing process. Dents, dings, etc that are inevitable. I can see that when you are moving heavy parts around like mounting engines etc.
User avatar
Lance Murray
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1163
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:25 pm
First Name: Lance
Aircraft Type: DA40
Airports:
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 118 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by Lance Murray »

Every single scratch or cosmetic damage on my plane is from careless mechanics. I never quite understood the thought process of these mechanics. Visit the shop and see how they treat peoples panels and cowlings. Are they just laying on the floor? I am at the point where I don't want anyone touching my airplane. Can you imagine if a shop scratches someone's $450,000 car? Do Ferraris come out of the factory pre-damaged?
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by Steve »

Juan:

Mine doesn't have any dents like that. That is a pretty robust part of the fuselage, plus the folks at the factory are pretty good about surface finish. I feel your pain, and I am fortunate that all maintenance/inspections on my airplane have been done in my hangar by myself and my A&P/IA for the past 19 years. Which isn't to say that I haven't created a ding or scratch here and there. The first time I removed the rear seat in my airplane, I put a pretty bad scratch in the rear window. I learned how to fix plexiglas scratches from that episode. I just uncowled my airplane for the Annual we are starting tomorrow, and despite taping off the adjoining areas, created a small scratch. But, I polished it out. Why, because, like you, I care for my things more than others do...

Steve
User avatar
Lance Murray
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1163
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:25 pm
First Name: Lance
Aircraft Type: DA40
Airports:
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 118 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by Lance Murray »

To put a dent like that in the Fiberglass surface you would have to hit it with a hammer!
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: Why I hate annuals!

Post by Steve »

Lance Murray wrote: Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:00 pm To put a dent like that in the Fiberglass surface you would have to hit it with a hammer!
Actually, you are right! When I attended the Diamond Maintenance course in 2002, each attendee got to repair a section of damaged wing skin. We created the damage using a big ball-peen hammer. I remember really having to swing the thing hard - taps wouldn't do it. Even with a big swing, the size of the damage was smaller than the photo posted.
Post Reply