It seems two tracks for the restroom privacy door had broken making the door nearly impossible to use. Our guys researched the parts and found that the two tracks cost $1,000 each and would take 90 days to be delivered. Both the price and the timetable were unacceptable but sometimes you have to pay the asking price and accept the unacceptable. But because of MMS and the ministry we provide, this wasn't one of those times, Praise the Lord!
One of two, broken privacy door tracks for the GCI King Air 200. At $1,000 each, this repair was going to cost $2,000 and it was going to take 90 days to receive the parts! The door tracks aren't structural or related to the airworthiness of the aircraft. They are simply plastic interior pieces that can be removed and/or replaced as needed. Dennis, our Chief Engineer, remembered having some surplus PVC sheeting in storage of a similar thickness to the door tracks. He pulled the surplus, measured and traced the door tracks, and before long had fabricated new tracks that were stronger and substantially more durable than the factory's original foam/resin design yet with with similar weight characteristics.
The repairs were completed within the week, the materials were free, and GCI was able to return their airplane to service this afternoon.
The GCI King Air returns to service earlier this afternoon.(Click to enlarge photo)
What a blessing to be able to save GCI $2000 of their ministry resources and 85 days of waiting!
Thank you for your prayers and gifts which allow us to return missionary aircraft to service in a timely fashion for far less cost than would be otherwise possible.
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