Mattituck closing

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #1 05-17-2012, 05:50 AM

Well, this stinks. According to AvWeb

Troubled by decreasing volume in a flat aviation economy, Mattituck Services, one of the northeast's longest-established engine shops, will close at the end of May, according to Continental Motors. Some of the 23 affected employees will move to Continental's Fairhope, Alabama facility, which offers similar services on overhauls and factory service.

"Very simply, we're closing the Mattituck facility and integrating it with our facility in Fairhope, Alabama. Unfortunately, four years of continued bad GA market meant that it was not effective to keep two facilities open," said Rhett Ross, CEO of Continental Motors. "Very bluntly, I think both us and Lycoming have a done a good job of pointing out the value of factory options and that has made a contribution across the board to the decline there. It was not an easy decision, but that facility has been marginal for at least the half decade."

I suppose this explains the big parts sale (see spreadsheet) underway.

rv7boy · #2 05-17-2012, 06:48 AM

My first thought is "Where will Mahlon Russell go?" Even though I haven't bought my engine yet, I've talked to Mahlon several times by email and have met him at Oshkosh and considered Mattituck to be a strong contender for my engine dollars come purchase time. I sure hope he's treated well in this shutdown. He's been a regular contributor to these forums. Nice guy and extremely knowledgeable about these engines.

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #3 05-17-2012, 06:54 AM

I think Mahlon pretty well WAS Mattituck (Long Island). I know when it came time to buy an engine, I pretty much did so because of the chatter here about him. And he sure helped me get this recent mag issue sorted out.

I'm not sure how a lot of GA-centered businesses are going to make it.

Sam Buchanan · #4 05-17-2012, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LettersFromFlyoverCountry

I'm not sure how a lot of GA-centered businesses are going to make it.

Yep, the canary in the coal mine may be gasping for air...................

Fearless · #5 05-17-2012, 07:11 AM

I agree it stinks but I hope the guys in New York are taken care of. I got a feeling that Mahlon will still monitor this forum and try to help us out when possible. Its never good when businesses that existed for years shut their doors. I guess we needed to build more planes on here.

DanBaier · #6 05-17-2012, 07:14 AM

Mahlon's customer service has been the gold standard.

Dan

Tonard Bales · #7 05-17-2012, 07:35 AM

As a part time resident of Long Island's North Fork where Mattituck is located I make a point of either driving by or flying over the airport fairly often. What was at one time a bustling small airport and engine business has become a bit of a ghost town with a few airplanes tied down and fewer cars parked outside the business. I attended Mahlon's engine building day a few year's ago and it was one of the best Saturday's of my life. It is only a matter of time until the airport is a subdivision.

Ouch!

Ironflight · #8 05-17-2012, 07:44 AM

This is truly sad.

We have two Mattituck-built engines, and in my visit there when we built the first one I got the feeling that this was a company of really experienced people who loved to build engines "right". They were unfortunately victims of corporate shuffling, but this didn't change their individual attitudes as engine builders.

Here's hoping that the good folks of Mattituck - like Mahlon - find new homes in the engine-building world, and that their experience is not lost to the rest of us.

Paul

DaAV8R · #9 05-17-2012, 08:03 AM

I called Mattituck a while back with a question regarding a yellow tag they issued in 1992. As I talked to a very pleasant and helpful guy named Mahlon I realized he was the very guy that had signed the yellow tag 20 years prior. I remember thinking it was refreshing, particularly in the aviation business, to run across a company that had been so stable over the years. Sad to see them close.

RickWoodall · #10 05-17-2012, 08:10 AM

That blows. Feel like I am loosing a friend. Buying a redgold engine was one of the first goals as i started building and a true pleasure when i pulled the trigger. Many days after it arrived I just sat with a beer and stared at it.

Further, when you spend that much and trust your life to something like that, you kind have a special feel for it. Sad indeed. Hope the good folks there all come out the other side well.
Anyother good business gone, progress hey?