SNF cleanup costs - Page 4

apkp777 · #31 11-01-2011, 06:00 AM

I am shocked by all those who suggest getting a lawyer. Isn't that what is really wrong with aviation?

Forget a lawyer, just don't go back. I was at SNF. It was a disaster. Our plane had minor damage, others suffered total loss. But that's why you have insurance.

JDRhodes · #32 11-01-2011, 06:23 AM

Wow, guys. I understand it?s a bad situation, but the anti-SNF sentiment is running a little strong. Personally, I?ve always enjoyed my SNF visits each spring ? I?ve flown in and driven there to camp. Yes, it?s expensive. And it costs a lot to house, protect, entertain, and feed a couple hundred thousand people. There are a lot of logistics involved. Disney World is expensive, too ? I thoroughly enjoy it and find the cost worth it.

From an insurance standpoint, removal of wreckage and fuel spill clean-up is your responsibility as an aircraft owner ? and why you carry hull and liability insurance. As many pointed out, SNF is a business ? and one that really makes 95% of it?s revenue in six days out of the year. They can?t lose a day having tinkering aircraft owners remove damaged airplanes at their leisure. If you crashed your car through the front wall at Wal-Mart, do you think they?d just let you leave it there until you and a buddy could arrange to have it pulled out in a day or two?

Should they have let you stay with your airplane? In hindsight, maybe. But, they were also managing a large crowd during a significant disaster. What if your airplane had been looted while it lay there accessible to the general public? Or you were injured or killed trying to flip it back over without proper equipment? Maybe better to close the area and go ahead and move them. Those are the decisions that business people are faced with in managing a crisis.

I?ll go back to SNF. I?ll whine about the high price of camping and hot dogs. And I?ll also complain about $6.00 a gal gas and $30,000 engines from Lycoming. But that?s just part of the deal. It?s still more fun than golf.

ExtraKatana · #33 11-01-2011, 09:40 AM

Some entity made about $100,000 in just a couple of hours. RocketBob was taking full responsibility but didn't get the opportunity since cleanup must have started at daybreak or before. He had no option. I arrived at8am or so and the moves had already taken place. Getting anything done the day before would have been impossible.
The right thing would have been to cancel the airshow the next day. SNF organization making money should not have been top of list. Despite the obvious on those who were directly affected, The cost of insurance on us all is the outcome.

tadsargent · #34 11-01-2011, 09:59 AM

Rocket Bob, did your airplane leak any fuel?

Could you have move it yourself if shown a parking place.

Inquiring minds....

DCat22 · #35 11-01-2011, 10:21 AM

If you throw that bill in the trash, and then it ends up in collections, then what? What about when that bill collector files suit?

I'd write my own response letter to SnF for detail and justification in response, but if you don't really know what you are doing, it is better to have someone who does (like a lawyer) write it for you... And given proper accounting, I might very well pay that bill too, but I wouldn't just roll over -- or leave myself open to needless liability.

GregM · #36 11-01-2011, 10:31 AM

Tony, I was suggesting "checking" with a lawyer as to the validity of the bill. There are a million people out there that want to separate you from your money by whatever means. You know, like user fees, ramp fees, fuel-flow fees, thanks for landing here,now give me money,etc.,etc. We all know that airplane owner's are filthy rich and don't mind giving away money to whoever asks.

LeeM_2000 · #37 11-01-2011, 11:28 AM

It sounds to me like the insurer informed SnF's management that they knowingly, or otherwise, overstepped the limit of their liability insurance. Normally when someone does this, they have to assume responsibility for their own misstep. If SnF rear-ended your pickup, they wouldn't order you a custom bumper to replace your factory bumper and then send you a bill for the difference. In a sense, this is what they appear to have done.

Ordering you from the premises was most likely done to limit their exposure to liability in the event of your being injured. The cost of moving your airplane was the premium owed by SnF or their insurer for limiting that liability exposure as well as exposure to EPA or other regulatory violations. In other words, they assumed full responsibility for your property the moment they separated you from it to impose and benefit from that limit to personal injury and regulatory exposure.

I would send them a bill for the fuel, oil, any other missing parts, plus expenses incurred due to their having ordered you from the premises without your property. The amount should be greater than or equal to the amount of the bill they sent you.

rocketbob · #38 11-01-2011, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tadsargent

Rocket Bob, did your airplane leak any fuel?

Could you have move it yourself if shown a parking place.

Inquiring minds....

Not a drop. And yes it was easy to move.

rv7boy · #39 11-01-2011, 12:07 PM

Several years ago, we had several pilots here in North Alabama who would make the trip down to Lakeland. We used to have a good time...

But on one occasion, when a friend and I were returning to the Lakeland airport property to depart for home, my "eyes were opened." We had been there for three days and had paid daily admission prices. We had stayed in a motel near Tampa and had just returned our rental car at the Lakeland airport.

When we got to the gate, we were informed that we had to pay the daily admission charge to get to our airplane (RV-6A). My friend, being the quicker thinking of us, immediately told the gatekeeper, we were going to walk straight out there to our airplane, and he could watch us if he wanted to, but we were NOT going to pay their stupid daily admission fee.

Maybe their policy has changed since then. I don't know; I don't care. I have lost interest in going to Sun'n Fun. To me, it's similar to going to a county fair. I used to go to the county fair, but when I went to Disney World, I lost interest in going to the county fair. Well, I went to Oshkosh (Airventure) several years ago, and Sun'n Fun just doesn't interest me anymore. I've lost count of how many times I've been to Airventure.

Mel · #40 11-01-2011, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv7boy

When we got to the gate, we were informed that we had to pay the daily admission charge to get to our airplane (RV-6A). My friend, being the quicker thinking of us, immediately told the gatekeeper, we were going to walk straight out there to our airplane, and he could watch us if he wanted to, but we were NOT going to pay their stupid daily admission fee.

Ann & I attended S&F almost religiously for about 20 years. Around 2005 we got totally fed up with some of their practices and haven't been back. I could tell you stories!

Like arriving within 15 minutes of closing time the day BEFORE the show started and being told we would have to pay for the day. (DID NOT!)