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Mark P. Blaisdell |
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| About the Author ... |
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Mark P. Blaisdell has been involved in aviation in some way for as long as he can
remember.
Mark's grandfather was a surgeon in Jamestown New York and a pilot. He soloed in 1929
in a Waco 10 that he purchased used then in 1931 he purchased a new Waco QC-F2 from the
Weaver Aircraft Company of Troy Ohio. That airplane is still alive and well under the care
of Mr. Lee Parsons of Carrolton Ohio.
Mark's father was also a surgeon and a pilot, his love was the J-3 Cub.
Mark himself soloed in 1984 in a 1947 J-3 Cub in Mayville New York and later gave his
first solo, as a new flight instructor, in that same airplane. He has have flown a variety
of other antique/classic airplanes: DC-3, Waco UPF-7, Waco YMF-5, Heath Parasol, Aeronca
C-3, Ford Tri-Motor, Cubs, Champs, Ercoupe (serial number 3!), and others.
Professionally, Mark has flown Cheyennes, a Falcon 20D, various Cessna Citations
(currently a Citation V Ultra) and many other great planes.
Mark, his wife and his stepson are now the proud (sometimes!) owners of an FBO that
Mark's father-in-law established in 1957, and also an additional FBO that the family
purchased in 1997.
Mark says he'd love to correspond with other FBO owners and pilots. You can reach him
at blais@hcc-uky.campus.mci.net.
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I don't know for sure if this is intended to be a funny story or a plea for advice, but
after two days of internalizing it, I do know for sure that I must put this down on paper.
I am one of three family members that are as a group the owners of two FBO's located in
the midwest. In December of 1997 we finalized the purchase of two FBOs at the same time.
Life has had its highs and lows since the acquisition and for the most part we just keep
sailing along. Two days ago, however, I thought that for sure I was going to evaporate
into a cloud of smoke.
The dreaded phone call
At about 6:00 AM two mornings ago, my wife (one of the owners) and I were called by the
line service manager of our largest FBO informing us that our only avgas truck at the
time, had locked up brakes and that we were presently unable to deliver any avgas to our
customers who were anxiously awaiting fuel. I told the manager that I was on my way,
everybody just hold still for a few minutes! It would take me about an hour to get to the
FBO.
We have two other avgas trucks that we use as storage trucks until our new above ground
fuel farm is approved to be launched into service. So as I'm driving to the FBO, it occurs
to me that the simplest solution would be to put some avgas in one of the storage trucks,
and press that truck into service. No problem, right? Wrong!
Upon arriving at the FBO and explaining my proposed solution, I'm informed that one
truck has no battery. Hmm, it did have a battery last I knew...where did it go? No big
deal, I say, we'll take one out of one of the other trucks and put it in this one. I'm now
informed that this would have been a great idea, except that the truck also was just
discovered to have a broken PTO cable, so it can't pump fuel.
I'm also informed that we have customers who want avgas RIGHT NOW!
Well, okay, let's go get the second storage truck and use that. No can do. That truck,
I'm told, has a broken PTO cable, won't start, and leaks fuel from the hose fitting!
It's now five minutes after my arrival at the FBO, and it's apparent that all the
options I came up with during my drive have just gone up in smoke.
Plan B?
Well then, why don't we just use the main truck — the one with the locked up brakes —
and simply pump avgas from where the truck was parked, as if it were a fuel island? You
know, bring the airplane to the truck instead of bringing the truck to the airplane?
(Sometimes I'm amazed at my own brilliance and creativity!)
I'm told that this would have been an excellent approach, except that the clutch on the
main truck was burned out this morning when someone tried to move it with the airbrakes
locked. No clutch, no PTO, no pump, no avgas. Back to square one.
I walk back into the lobby to ponder over alternative solutions, just to be faced by
the pop-up catering request of a professional flight crew operating a 16 million dollar
business jet. Catering is generally not a problem but it can be when you have less than
two hours to order and receive a very type specific elaborate catering request and your
customer service representative is handling her first day!
We worked that challenge out on time but it did require some spontaneous creativity.
Plan C's the charm
Now I return to the challenge of how to pump avgas. Someone suggested that we designate
one of our jet refuelers as an avgas truck. I seize on this immediately as a wonderful
idea, and wish I could take credit for it myself!
To convert a jet truck to an avgas truck you must drain the jet fuel, flush the system,
change the filters, and relabel the truck. We had to do all of these tasks in short time.
Not trivial, but at least it's a plan.
As the truck conversion job was being executed, I take a break from the chaos. I just
stand in the shade and rest my mind...briefly. The reverie is shattered by a strange noise
that causes me to look up to see a new-hire line serviceman attempting, for his first
time, to drive the manual transmission Chevy pick up truck that we use as a crew car. When
one pops the clutch on this kind of truck it tries to pop a wheelie!!! He knows how to
drive a stick shift now!
I confess that I am among the few remaining people who still smoke cigarettes... I
notice I've smoked a whole pack in about two minutes.
Aftermath...
Well, we manage to convert the jet truck as required, service our now-very-ready avgas
customers, send the broken truck out for repairs, and finish out the day somewhat
uneventfully.
Oh, did I mention that when I received the first call in the morning, I made a mad dash
for the door, unshaven and wearing the worn and tattered blue jeans and old baseball cap
that I wore the day before when I tended to needs around the house and yard. What a sight!
I wish to with hold our names and location in order to protect our employees who by all
right did make some huge mistakes but without any doubts were sincere and more than
willing to find a way to patch up the day and make the business work smoothly. Thanks
guys, we did it!
I have been a fan of John Denver for many years. I think of the lyrics to one of his
songs: "Some days are diamonds, some days are stone." I believe that day
represented granite! But life goes on.
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