Cost of replacement wingtip
Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:20 pm
Last weekend I scraped and damaged my right wingtip at Renton (KRNT). After landing I found that most of the transient parking spots were occupied by new Boeing 737 airplanes in final assembly and that the only four remaining spots were already occupied. I then taxied to the Rainier Aviation tie down area. As I turned in, my attention was overly focused on looking for an empty spot and the right wingtip hit a metal conduit which was attached to a truck size container.
I’ve attached a picture of the damaged area.
I took the airplane to ACE Aviation at this airport, feeling a bit sick about what had just happened. It turned out that the strobe/NAV LED cover was cracked as well. I asked if they thought the aircraft was flyable (with duct tape over the damage) - they said it was my decision as PIC but they wouldn’t recommend it.
This was on Friday before Memorial Day weekend. We discussed repair and replacement options - since ACE Aviation is not a Diamond Service Center they didn’t have all the relevant information to allow me to decide on a definite plan. My family and I flew back to San Jose commercially.
It has taken all of the past week for ACE aviation to get quotes for a replacement wingtip from Diamond Service Center and they are still waiting for a quote on a replacement LED. A replacement wingtip is apparently $1722, and an additional $360 for painting. To repair the wingtip based on instructions from Diamond support, their estimate is $4620! ($4200 for labor +$420 for composite repair consumables).
D.A.N. brethren, does this seem reasonable? My impression from other threads on this board was that fiberglass and composite repair was relatively easy. And does the $360 painting charge make sense? I would think the replacement wingtip would already be painted with the final finish.
I’d appreciate any opinions or advice. Of course I plan to quiz ACE and talk with Diamond support as well tomorrow (I received the quote after close of business last Friday). Incidentally, I did talk with Diamond support at the start of this process a week ago and fully endorse the comments on the other recent thread about their helpfulness.
Thanks,
I’ve attached a picture of the damaged area.
I took the airplane to ACE Aviation at this airport, feeling a bit sick about what had just happened. It turned out that the strobe/NAV LED cover was cracked as well. I asked if they thought the aircraft was flyable (with duct tape over the damage) - they said it was my decision as PIC but they wouldn’t recommend it.
This was on Friday before Memorial Day weekend. We discussed repair and replacement options - since ACE Aviation is not a Diamond Service Center they didn’t have all the relevant information to allow me to decide on a definite plan. My family and I flew back to San Jose commercially.
It has taken all of the past week for ACE aviation to get quotes for a replacement wingtip from Diamond Service Center and they are still waiting for a quote on a replacement LED. A replacement wingtip is apparently $1722, and an additional $360 for painting. To repair the wingtip based on instructions from Diamond support, their estimate is $4620! ($4200 for labor +$420 for composite repair consumables).
D.A.N. brethren, does this seem reasonable? My impression from other threads on this board was that fiberglass and composite repair was relatively easy. And does the $360 painting charge make sense? I would think the replacement wingtip would already be painted with the final finish.
I’d appreciate any opinions or advice. Of course I plan to quiz ACE and talk with Diamond support as well tomorrow (I received the quote after close of business last Friday). Incidentally, I did talk with Diamond support at the start of this process a week ago and fully endorse the comments on the other recent thread about their helpfulness.
Thanks,