Is it time to quit?

Tom-D

Tom-D

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Tom-D
As many know I have a friend in ICU that was running one of my 0-200 rebuilds.
That and the cost of doing business in the restoration stuff is getting ridiculous.
yet I have a new work shop here at home.
Is it time to move on, call it quits on this restoration of old rag wings thing?
As most know I have a PA 16 clipper in the shop, but the owner is the guy in ICU after the 150 loss.

So what would you do? throw in the towel? call it quits?
OR ?
 
I think you're old enough to retire and be relatively comfortable fiscally, from hints I've seen here and elsewhere, but that's a guess.

My question with that fact that you probably don't need a "job" per se, as a controlling factor would be...

What else would you do to fill your time?

From everything I've seen, old guys who retire to sit in a chair, are dead relatively quickly.

I think I'd rather be working out in the shop on something I enjoy working on, if I weren't traveling.

And after a while even the traveling gets old if you're not going international and not planning on coming back for a long while.

The list of projects and honey-dos runs out pretty quick. Most folks I've talked to about it, say they hit those hard for two years and clean up all the little ones that are left in the third year, if they put their minds and time to it. The house gets remodeled or painted inside and out and/or whatever else is on the wish list and then they run out of big projects to do. Then they do a few big fun things they have put off. Then they head back home and putter or slow down way too much and their health goes.

I think if I were you I'd keep something going unless you're going to close up the house and shop and see some stuff on a different continent.

But that's just me.

If you're bored, you could come stay for a bit and project manage putting my tower up. I'm way too busy. ;)
 
Tom, only you can answer that question. I do know you like to keep busy. Do you have something else you would move on to?
 
A local here in Arkansas just turned 80. He tells me it is a real PITA to get a medical. But he does it any way. He just finished restoring a beautiful Navion. All new everything and glass panel. And he is fighting to get the paperwork through the FAA approval process even though all the STCs have been done before.

As frustrating as the process is, I'm betting it added five years to his life.

As was posted before, what else you gonna do?
 
If your happy doing the restorations,why quite. Slow down and only work on what you want. You have to stay busy.
 
What do you love doing?
 
I'm a 32 yo A&P IA, work at an MRO, basically at the airport every day, and it seems like every week I ask myself if I really want to keep hobby flying and fixing.
 
Given the recent events, my guess is this is a really poor time to make the decision. Worrying that you might have been in some way responsible for what happened to your friends is traumatic. And that doesn't lead to good decision making. If you want my advice, take a break if you feel you want one, but don't make a permanent decision right now. Give it 6 months.

You do seem to love what you do (and it shows in the quality of the workmanship, even in pictures). And you need something to do (to keep you motivated to keep moving) as has been previously pointed out. My dad has basically quit (there more to the story than that, to be fair) and the physical toll on him in the last 6 months is dramatic. I really don't expect him to make 6 more, and there's nothing life threatening wrong with him.

John
 
jsstevens said:
And you need something to do (to keep you motivated to keep moving) as has been previously pointed out. My dad has basically quit (there more to the story than that, to be fair) and the physical toll on him in the last 6 months is dramatic. I really don't expect him to make 6 more, and there's nothing life threatening wrong with him.

John
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I think that's a big part of why I do it.
 
I understand your frustration, but I've lost as many friends flying later model spam cans with modern engines and avionics as I've lost flying 60 year old Navions and other "antiques." It's just a matter of time in our business before it hits home.

I've also lost a very close friend and mentor in a car crash and have had quite a few biker friends put in the trauma center in crashes.
 
Hang in there. There are those good days that make me happy that I do what I do. I've lost so many friends and customers over my many years of aircraft maintenance.
 
jsstevens said:
Given the recent events, my guess is this is a really poor time to make the decision. Worrying that you might have been in some way responsible for what happened to your friends is traumatic. And that doesn't lead to good decision making. If you want my advice, take a break if you feel you want one, but don't make a permanent decision right now. Give it 6 months.

You do seem to love what you do (and it shows in the quality of the workmanship, even in pictures). And you need something to do (to keep you motivated to keep moving) as has been previously pointed out. My dad has basically quit (there more to the story than that, to be fair) and the physical toll on him in the last 6 months is dramatic. I really don't expect him to make 6 more, and there's nothing life threatening wrong with him.

John
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This.
 
Tom, you're a craftsman, an artist with "things." I don't believe simply stopping would sit well with you; could be wrong.

I am looking forward to viewing your craftsmanship tomorrow, when I meet the 170, and I fully expect to be favorably impressed.
 
I think you should start a new trend in "homebuilding" and start returning Vans RV airplanes back into the beer cans they rightfully should have been in the first place. I bet all the so called "craft" beer makers would line up to buy your "green recycled" cans...
 
jsstevens said:
Given the recent events, my guess is this is a really poor time to make the decision. Worrying that you might have been in some way responsible for what happened to your friends is traumatic. And that doesn't lead to good decision making. If you want my advice, take a break if you feel you want one, but don't make a permanent decision right now. Give it 6 months.

You do seem to love what you do (and it shows in the quality of the workmanship, even in pictures). And you need something to do (to keep you motivated to keep moving) as has been previously pointed out. My dad has basically quit (there more to the story than that, to be fair) and the physical toll on him in the last 6 months is dramatic. I really don't expect him to make 6 more, and there's nothing life threatening wrong with him.

John
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RJM62 said:
This.
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This +1. :yes:
 
Maybe switch to restoring vintage cars, or boats, or motorcycles. The same processes, there is good money in it once you get a rep and no where near the regulations, or liability. Also the same satisfaction of a job well done.
 
SCCutler said:
I am looking forward to viewing your craftsmanship tomorrow, when I meet the 170, and I fully expect to be favorably impressed.
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Don't nit pick it too much. It's just an old aircraft.
 
Take a break, travel or do whatever else has nothing to do with aviation and after two or three months, go into the shop and see if you miss it.
 
Checkout_my_Six said:
Oh Tom....what else are you gonna do?
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Buy a boat?? Get it ready to spend some time in Southeast Ak.

This old house needs a lot of work, we just spent a week cleaning the garage, still ain't done. Lawn didn't get any care all summer half is dead, that needs tilling and reseeding.
Motorhome needs,,,, and the list goes on.

But I gotta re-think this aviation activity. I have a couple customers that I'll continue to support. This Clipper has been on my plate fora couple years and now we don't know if the owner will ever fly again, so that's a big question as to what to do with it. This week that will go back to its hangar until that question is answered. So, that leaves us with a opportunity to turn a corner. just which direction ??
 
A wise man once told me, don't make decisions when you are happy or sad. I am not saying you shouldn't think about doing something else, just don't make decisions based on emotion. If, in 3 or 4 months, you feel like quitting, go ahead and move onto something else. Just don't stop posting here! :D
 
Tom-D said:
As many know I have a friend in ICU that was running one of my 0-200 rebuilds.
That and the cost of doing business in the restoration stuff is getting ridiculous.
yet I have a new work shop here at home.
Is it time to move on, call it quits on this restoration of old rag wings thing?
As most know I have a PA 16 clipper in the shop, but the owner is the guy in ICU after the 150 loss.

So what would you do? throw in the towel? call it quits?
OR ?
Click to expand...

NO. Not now. Put the decision on the back burner until some more time has gone by.
 
Don't do anything about it this week or next. Wait until things are a little less fresh and then think about it. If you don't want to do it because there's no money, well there's no money in begin retired. Even if you just break even, it is a fun thing that you enjoy doing, it is something of which you can be immensely proud, and something that is an invaluable aid to the aviation community.
 
Tom, you should think about it and make the decision after giving it some time. Don't make a decision today.

However, if you aren't confident in your work or are questioning it because of this crash, you should take a break while you consider. If you're not confident or comfortable, it will impact your work quality.
 
Few decisions are irreversible.

That said, don't decide. Just choose. Then live fully into that choice and see how it goes. You'll make your path the right one for you either way once you're in action and not thinking.
 
JoeSelch said:
Few decisions are irreversible.

That said, don't decide. Just choose. Then live fully into that choice and see how it goes. You'll make your path the right one for you either way once you're in action and not thinking.
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well....it's not exactly like getting a vasectomy ....:goofy::D
 
Get in your motorhome and drive to warmer places for a few months, with sunshine.

Enjoy life for a few months without making decisions, then, when you come back, you will either have passion for the planes, or you will realize your life is good without them.

Best regards.
 
JoseCuervo said:
Get in your motorhome and drive to warmer places for a few months, with sunshine.

Enjoy life for a few months without making decisions, then, when you come back, you will either have passion for the planes, or you will realize your life is good without them.

Best regards.
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that would be a good plan, but we have commitments here in Nov.
 
So go after said commitments are fulfilled.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
So go after said commitments are fulfilled.
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Always nice to be home for the holidays, besides it was warmer here last winter than it was down south.
 
Give it some time and wait for the NTSB to finish their investigation.

If after a little time you find your heat is still in it, and the NTSB shows the accident wasn't due to anything on your end, keep at it.
 
James331 said:
Give it some time and wait for the NTSB to finish their investigation.

If after a little time you find your heat is still in it, and the NTSB shows the accident wasn't due to anything on your end, keep at it.
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That could be 18 months.
 
James331 said:
Give it some time and wait for the NTSB to finish their investigation.

If after a little time you find your heat is still in it, and the NTSB shows the accident wasn't due to anything on your end, keep at it.
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You probably didn't notice I made reference to the high cost of restorations, makes it impossible to do them.

I'm not wealthy enough to continue to lose money each time.
 
Ghery said:
Well, sometimes those can be reversed.
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Back in the early 1980s I was driving from KMSY towards downtown. I passed a large roadside billboard advertising Vasectomies. Not a mile later, the same Clinic was advertising Vasectomies Reversed! I wondered who would gather information for this procedure from a billboard, and then - come on man, make up your mind!

-Skip
 
These kind of decisions are hard, Tom.

I always hate to see people with your level of knowledge and experience quit. Somehow, you need to figure out a way to pass that knowledge on to some younger people.
 
The art of restoring and re-selling anything is buying the item at a price where you can make money. If you can't make money pass on ghe project. You can be the most talented craftsman on the planet, but if you can't run a spread sheet and show a reasonable profit before you start (+ your time) you are nothing but a wrench turner with a dream and will soon be out of business. In your business you must also budget for liability insurance to cover accident issues.

If you are buying a fixeruper with the hopes of finding a buyer you are in the wrong market. Buyers rarely pay what it costs to restore old iron. You need to find owners who want to restore their old airplane at cost +.

These are tough decisions and I feel for ya. Clearly, you are a gifted, knowledgeable mechanic. I hope the decision you make is profitable.
 
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I would bet I know what your friend would tell you. Do what you can afford and what makes you happy. Bet your friend would agree. I would tell my A and P to keep going even if they caused the problem. Without people like the ones I have had the honor to know working on my aircraft I would never have been able to live out my dreams. I owe it all to them and my instructors who had to be nuts to let me fly. I will be forever grateful to them. Prayers for your friend.
 
My Dad used to say " a man's gotta have a project "

Sitting around playing shuffleboard with a bunch of old people sounds like the seventh circle of Hell to me.

I'll probably work till I drop. I really can't say what you should do, but I'll wish you the best.
 
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