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New Member from Oklahoma

JD Casteel

JD Casteel

New member
Kerrville, Tx
Aircraft Year
Sold it :(
Aircraft Type
Other
Hello everyone!

My name is JD Casteel and I am a student (for life) pilot. I’m short by the three hour pre checkride…and I have been that way for about 6 months…I am not a Commander owner. I’m an owner of one of those other “C” named aircraft :-) I too have two doors but fly a bit slower.

I am an A&P/I.A. in northwestern Oklahoma. When I was going through school to get my A&P license Commander was one of the main contacts that the school had. I had seen the plant at Wiley Post before I was going through school. I didn’t want to work for Tinker Air force Base and the building new aircraft interested me. I graduated in July of 2002…Need I say more.

I didn’t go to work for Tinker. I went to college and started working for an interior manufacture…Vantage Plane Plastics…who supplied plastics interiors to Commander. I worked for Plane Plastics for a few years after I graduated then set off to Texas. I worked for Sierra Industries/Roberson STOL, then a flight school in San Marcos, then I taught at Texas State Technical College, and now I’m back in Alva Oklahoma at Vantage Plane Plastics. I’m the Installations Manager. I was brought back to start an installations facility and cover technical support. The real reason I’m with this company is they send me to the trade/air shows. :-) That is why I love my job!

Well that might be too much information about me. I joined the forum to help with any interior questions plastic or not. I also just love talking about airplanes. I’m very blest to be in this field!
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

JD, welcome and thanks for the rundown on your background. No matter which "C" you fly you show you are a kindred spirit -- those who fly. There have been countless Plane Plastics discussions here over the years and having you and your expertise close by will be invaluable ... and no doubt increase sales for PP. It is great to have you here and I hope you check in often. You should use the search function and jut enter Plane Plastics and you will find them. There have been many cases noted where COG members had to do extensive fitting and trimming to get panels to fit, and no doubt you could help improve that going forward. Also many compliments on things that did fit as well.

So I have one for you. My plastic panels which I believer were replaced shortly before I purchased N4843W 12 years ago and most likely came from PP, are all still perfectly sound, but have yellowed with age. What is the best material and approach to painting them -- so that it sticks well, cures well, wears well and does not degrade the plastic.
 
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Re: New Member from Oklahoma

Ouch I typed an entire book for you on the paint subject and I tried to post it and I lost it!!!

I’m not sure if this is where I answer the question…I’m pretty new. But. SEM Paint is what I use. This is largely because it is what Plane Plastics sells. I walk across the street and grab it from inventory. I have talked with others that have used Krylon (fusion I think) and have been happy with it. Any plastic paint (with a solvent) will adhere to the ABS plastics.

The SEM Aerosol is great because it dries flat. Small runs will blend in and it dries to the touch (depending on conditions) in 10 minutes. It actually will dry quicker but I’m being safe…They have two prep products that you would want to use, Plastics and Leather Prep, also SEMsoap. On the new plastics it isn’t that big of an issue with the prepping but if it has been in the aircraft a while then you want to overkill on the prepping. Years of grease, dirt, and other contaminates will build up on the plastics. This will cause the paint to “fish eye”. If the airplane has gone through the Corrosion X process you will need to prep 4 or more time. I hope to have a painting video up on youtube soon. SEM already has videos on their website. I have been putting a few “tips & tricks”, Tools, and plastic patching videos up.

If you chose to go with SEM, you can get it from us, O’Riley’s, or Aircraft Spruce. I believe API may also sell it.

I would bet that you have PP parts in your plane. I know we supplied the factory for some time. We still have quite a few tools that were used when PP was building for them and they are PMA’d. We have a handful of molds that aren’t PMA’d.

I hope that helps you out. If you or anyone has any type of interior question I’m more then happy to help out!
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

I bought the SEM stuff and repainted my entire set of interior plastic with it. Phenomenal stuff...
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

JD-
I've got a question for you. Spent practically an entire summer of weekends trimming your new plastic pieces for my interior refurb. Wore out two dremels (because I buy the cheap ones).

Why can't you just finish them at the factory?
k
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

JD ... I knew this was coming. Kelly is far from the only one. Remember what the Japanese say, "A complaint is a treasure" because you learn something you can act upon and improve. Well, it becomes a treasure if you do something about it.

So ... find a Commander that needs new plastic. Tell them if they fly to the factory, you will install all for free. Then let him help one of your guys do it. Find every damn last part that is not right (conceding that there may be a few that have to be left a bit over-spec to account for variation,) and adjust your molds accordingly.

Send him off with new plastic and in the future AC11 owners will sing your praises. You will sell a ton more stuff. Win-win-win. (the pilot, you, and the owner of PP.)

Post that offer and you will get some hands raised here in a hearbeat.
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

Ha! It is great to get responses. I handle this daily. Yes there is a lot of trimming involved. I’ve installed hundreds upon thousands of parts. We have even started making videos to assist with installs. Those are on Youtube. Don’t judge my performance…I’m not an actor! :-)

Where should I start a thread to answer and explain????
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

JD - there's an interior refurbishment conference which would probably be a good place for some 'hands-on' discussions
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

Thank you Glenn. Where might that be?
 
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Re: New Member from Oklahoma

I had just found that after posting...
davloose,
I see you are in Austin. I'm very jealous! My dad lives in Wimberley and I love it down there. I'm coming down for a fly-in in San Marcos in October...$1 100LL!
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

It's a nice place to live! And as long as you are down here already... you should join us in Fredericksburg as well!
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

I wish I could! I am working at the AOPA Summit the week after the Commander Fly-In, going home for two days, turning around and heading to San Marcos for a fly-in, and then taking 4 days off to going fishing with my dad on the cost. I don't think work will let me take off for another fly-in. Well....maybe if I got a petition going. I can call it "Send JD to Fredericksburg"...nah, that probably still wouldn't work. In a past life my father was a rancher in Harper (by Fredericksburg). I love that entire area.
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

JD Casteel said:
I wish I could! I am working at the AOPA Summit the week after the Commander Fly-In, going home for two days, turning around and heading to San Marcos for a fly-in, and then taking 4 days off to going fishing with my dad on the cost. I don't think work will let me take off for another fly-in. Well....maybe if I got a petition going. I can call it "Send JD to Fredericksburg"...nah, that probably still wouldn't work. In a past life my father was a rancher in Harper (by Fredericksburg). I love that entire area.
Click to expand...

Shot my first deer and my first 10 point buck in Harper!
 
Re: New Member from Oklahoma

Well dad worked at the Cedar Springs Ranch. Then for the Poppy's Ranch. I shot my first deer at Cedar Springs.
 
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