pleasure to fly, and a much more stable instrument platform as well. I can't say enough good things about John. He is as rare as he is good.

Larry C. Roberts, MD, MA  Amarillo, TX      1977 Cessna A185F

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Light Plane Maintenance

Volume 32, Number 03  March 2010 Issue Page 2

 "Control Cable Problems

"Just because you buy a new plane, don’t think that everything will be perfect.
"Read one person’s problems with a new C-182

 "One of our readers who is fortunate enough to buy a new Cessna

would seem to prove the point that even when you can pay well north of $500K for a new plane, there is no guarantee that quality control is going to be perfect (as much as the makers would like to see perfection, particularly with repeat customers).

"In this case the problem is one of control cable rigging in a brand, spanking new plane, the topic of which we cover on page 5 of this issue, but with the orientation toward the effects of the sands of time. It would seem in this case, the sands of storage were the causal factors here.

"Read our submitter’s problem and the persistence needed to finally get a satisfactory outcome. Sometimes you just have to keep climbing the food chain to get to a high enough management level to make things happen. "

        Click here to read the whole article with Abobe Reader or Foxit

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I brought my 75 Cardinal RG in for John Efinger to do a rigging and annual. Boy! This guy knows his "stuff."� If I had not brought my plane to John, I probably would have still, unknowingly, been flying an airplane not worthy of being in the sky. John found a lot of "stuff"� not only in the sub-floor, but the engine compartment all the way to the end of the tail cone. There was 35 year old wiring, high grade airplane tar, corrosion, illegal homemade parts, and "stuff" left behind by other mechanics and avionics installers. I, now, have a plane that I would be proud to show to anyone, and it is all because of John Efinger. Thank you, John, for making my plane safe for me and my passengers. If only other mechanics would take as much pride and care in their work as you do, we would probably have safer aircraft and fewer mechanical failures. I HIGHLY recommend John Efinger as your next IA to do a rigging and/or annual on your Cessna. I assure you, that you will not be disappointed.  Al Boyles, Proud owner of a 1975 Cardinal RG N2725V

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I  just wanted to say how pleased I was with the rigging job on my airplane. John is a wealth of knowledge and does a great job. I’ve been flying the airplane for a little over a month (25 hours) now since it was rigged and have noticed that the plane does fly about 1-2knots faster than before and flies straight and level hands off.

 On a side note, John went out of his way to drop and pick me up from the hotel. When I was unable to get a shuttle to DFW for a flight I needed to take on business during the rigging job, John brought me to the airport so I could catch my flight.  

 I would highly recommend using John and plan to use him for some additional work on my plane in the future.

 Todd W. Gibson  1972 Cessna 182P – N20966 Home Base: Shreveport Regional (SHV)

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Just a very short note thank John Efinger and his mechanic Brett:  John accepted my old Cessna 182 B (1959 model with 3300 hours) for a rigging job after someone else  messed it up.  I was shocked when I picked it up and went on a test flight with John.  I've always had to use a lot of rudder to fly straight and level. 

Not only did the plane fly straight and level hands off  for the first time, it also flew almost 15 knots faster than before, with the same power settings and same alts. Approach and landings feel a whole lot more stable now.  I was considering adding an autopilot from a firm in Las Vegas when they recommended  that I call John first,  am I glad I did. 

Thanks again John.                           Gene Stocker Krum Texas XA72

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I had been shopping for a TR182 for a couple of years.  I found one near Corpus Christi, TX.  (I live in the San Francisco Bay Area).  I called the Cessna Pilots Association, (if you aren’t a member you should check it out!), to get the name of a competent A&P/AI in Texas.  John Frank gave me John’s name. 

It was somewhat serendipitous in that one of the things I wanted done if I purchased the plane was to get it rigged and John is a CPA recommended rigger.  John’s pre-buy is as in-depth as an annual so I ended up just having it annualed. 

The plane had somewhat of a checkered past.  John went through the plane with a fine tooth comb.  He totally rewired the panel as good, (probably better), than you would expect to see it come out of the factory.  On top of that I did an avionics upgrade at the same time as well as added a JPI 800, (You gotta have one!).  I don’t know the word to describe John…  Craftsman? Artisan?  Detective?   I just can’t describe his dedication to quality.  If he comes across something he can’t figure out he isn’t shy about calling others who may know. I guess my recommendation for John could be summed up in the fact that I’ll be making the flight to John’s shop in Fort Worth every year from the San Francisco Bay area for my annual.    WD Lewis N182WD 1979 TR182 San Carlos, CA

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John is one guy that loves his work and it shows. My 1959 C-182B was checked over and rigged by John.  His detail to doing the job right, showed in the finished product. When I flew 83G home, it flew straight, hands off.  Thanks, John great work.  Wayne Lenox N2483G

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This is the best money spent on an aircraft.  After the rigging it will fly like it's on autopilot.  John does a great job and is very knowledgeable in his field!!!  Thanks!!  Bob N545BL

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I took my 182-P to John for an overall "sanity check" (the airplane had not been flown very much for the previous 5 years) and a persistent right wing heavy problem. John was very thorough and found one issue with the flap that could have turned into a serious problem down the road had previously gone unnoticed by more than one AP/IA's.

Several other issues were also corrected. The airplane now flies virtually hands off and I have the additional piece of mind that my 182 has been checked over in the "firewall aft" department. John's generous hospitality and friendliness were an unexpected nicety. Well worth the investment. -Dennis

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John does great work and gets more done in an hour than any other GA mechanic than I have ever had work on my airplane for the 12 years I have owned it.  He has replaced a windscreen, done annuals, and rigged my airplane.  Mike Hopkins, Aero Commander 100 (Darter), N5515M, 9F9, Fort Worth, TX

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I first used John a few years ago for re-rigging my plane, and I was so impressed by his work ethic and enthusiasm that I switched my annual to him. He has now done two annuals as well as a large amount of other maintenance work (replacing fuel bladders, installing EDM-800, and de-gunging the lower inside hull).

I would recommend John unequivocally and without hesitation; he does great work, refuses to provide anything less than the best service and support for his clients, and is a nice guy to boot. He epitomises what a light aviation technical professional should be; great service, wide experience and 110% commitment.  Robin Browne; Cessna 182E N3217Y, Dallas Executive (KRBD)

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I signed up for one of the rigging days, Tuesday 6th, just to get someone else to look the flight controls over. The 1977 210 was flying quite nice. As soon as I pulled up to the door, John was inspecting the plane. As soon as it was inside he and Adam were making a list and opening the plane up. The next day was a real experience as they went to work. Not only did I get rigged, I got a good airframe inspection and a list of problems found, and there was more than I would have liked. But glad to know about them.

At the end of the day, their was a lot of work done and an airplane that flies nice. Both John and Adam were very good to explain what they were doing.
The only negative, if their was one, is that my time was up and had to make room for the next plane. It was time and money well spent.
Thanks  John, Thanks  Adam   Von Hunter   Cessna 210M 1977  N732ZU Conroe, TX, (CXO)

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I just returned from spending three days with John & Adam at Hicks Field in Ft Worth TX,a truly "GREAT" experience! John & Adam rigged my aircraft and Adam took care of a "Nagging" nose wheel shimmy problem. Fortunately for me, the weather turned bad enough that two of the scheduled participants had to cancel and Adam & John gave me a "THREE" day education on rigging and landing gear maintaince that was worth it's weight in "GOLD!" I do all my own Mtc. on N110KM and this was two areas of concern that few A&P's totally understand.

John is the first A&P I have dealt with that is "MORE ANAL" than I am about the "Accuracy & Quality" of work on an aircraft!!! There work resulted in a very tight smooth handling aircraft that gave me 3 Knots in increased cruise performance. I would "Highly Recommend" these guys for any mtc. needs you may have. Regards, Dick Mundee  983 T-210 N110KM , Conroe, TX

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After 33 years of annual inspections and 33 years in the air it was time for 97C to return to it's original performance characteristics.  While an annual inspection tends to renew your confidence in your bird's overall health, I've learned it does very little to insure that the most vital aspect of your bird, it's flight controls, are prepared to deliver optimum performance and safety in the coming years.

After spending the day with John Efinger and Adam Halop, I can honestly say this was the best investment I've made in my airplane and I've learned more about flight performance and the necessity for proper rigging than I thought possible.  John discovered many vital areas which had never even been lubricated, tensioned or adjusted since it left the factory and, more importantly, located twisted cables in the elevator trim mechanism which posed a serious threat.  When completed, the rigging left my bird with better specs than when it left the factory and the flying performance, feel and speed were greatly enhanced.  Hands off straight and level flight are a pleasure I've never experienced until visiting CessnaRigging.

Most importantly, my sense of confidence in the "guts" of the airplane has never been higher. I highly recommend John Efinger and truly appreciate his craftsmanship and dedication to perfection. Larry Guarcello  1973 C182P, N5897C: 

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I purchased C172 N78183 in 2001.  The  ailerons  were visibly out of rig, riding 2 in. above the flaps on both sides at neutral. The Rudder required hard input to keep the ball centered; so much input, it was next to impossible to keep the heading centered and my right leg would be trembling after a long flight.  There was not enough Rudder to allow a forward slip.  I horsed this aircraft to the Left coast and back in this condition.  It came to a head when I began taking Instrument lessons in this plane,  The inability to keep the heading indicator centered was very discomforting to my Flt instructor and I was planning another flight to the coast.

I contacted John and told him that I had a 172 that really flew sorry, an understatement, and that I was planning a trip in six weeks.  While half expecting the usual "failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part", I was pleasantly surprised when John's reply was "bring it down and let me do a walk around".  I did and John said that he had no immediate openings, but would try to work me in.  A week or so  later, John E-mailed he had an opening if I could get the plane there.  I took it there on a Saturday morning and John replaced the flap rollers and started rigging the flaps. He worked thru the day and into the night, getting the plane airworthy at 2130 hours, so that I could fly home.  I brought it back on Monday and he finished the job.  I just returned from the coast two days ago and the plane flys absolutely hands off.  In fact I flew it most of the way with my feet off the pedals and a very lite touch on the wheel.

John is one of those rare combinations of total competence along with the integrity to do what he says he will, when he says that he will, and at the price he says he will.

Before you spend cash for more electronic doo dads, get your plane rigged straight; absolutely the best money I have ever spent on an airplane. Van Ellis

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I purchased my Cessna 182G, N3267S, from an ad on the CPA forum.  After flying it for a short time I noticed that the rudder trim was necessary for all flights and at cruise was not sufficient for coordinated flight.  After doing some research I contacted John and we scheduled a time for my rigging.

Now John is a real gentleman and he needed to be as I drove all the way to the airport that morning without the plane keys.  It turns out that I was 1.25 hrs late (without a phone call as I didn't have his number) and he never complained about it.  We did get right done to business and start the rigging process.

At the time John would either do all of the work himself, or let you help by doing the tasks that you are capable of.  I also brought my best friend with me so we were able to keep up with him.  After explaining my issue in detail, John walked around the airplane and spent about 15 minutes just with a thorough examination of all control surfaces.  During this time he found the problem with the rudder, hidden damage and a faulty repair were the causes.  Okay, well, I now knew that I needed a new or repaired rudder, but we came to get everything rigged and proceeded down that path. 

Since we had a known rudder problem, we proceeded to complete the rigging prior to dark so I could make my way back to home.  The return flight was a dream.  I controls were much smoother and lighter than they had ever been.  I would highly recommend this to any airplane as it really makes a difference.

The real benefit of working with John is that he shows you what to do to keep your airplane in tip-top shape.  This knowledge is a wonderful addition to the ease of flying his rigging job accomplished.
Jon Lewis, N3267S, T74 - Taylor, TX

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 It all started when we bought a "flying" right gear up landed TR182 1980 at a cheap price with 400 hrs SOH and everything, I mean everything working, recent new paint, new windshield, strikefinder, Northstar GPS, Garmin GTX320 transponder, oxygen, etc.

We have had the airplane for 2.5 years and we have upgraded with complete new leather interiors and plastics, fuel scan 450 and Garmin GNS430, and so on. The only open issue was that the airplane had a Heavy right wing and that the autopilot would hold straight and level, but would not turn to the left.
   We have heard many nice things from CPA about John, and as he was the closest to our homebase, we finally decided to fly the airplane to Dallas. We are located in Cuernavaca, Mexico, like 60  miles south from Mexico City.

 I personally flew the airplane with another friend. Both of us are VFR´s. We stopped at McAllen for customs, then took another leg till Austin, because the weather caught us. We slept there, and the next day, at about 13:oo hrs we started our next leg trying to reach Dallas. We flew all the time beneath the ceilings of 3000- 3500 ft. We got there and John was waiting for us, so we hangared the airplane fast and we started work the next day.

John worked many, many hours in the airplane for a fixed rate, as it was quite complicated our case. He also worked Saturday and Sunday till we got the best setting. We actually tested the airplane at 10:00 PM many times. He really worked for 4 days long. He changed some rollers kits and made a superb job. He has quality.

At the end, our airplane still suffered from right wing heavy, but a very light one. But this is caused by a bended right aileron that we have to change soon. After we came back, my brother, and Robert (third partner) have been flying the airplane and everybody agrees that he gave us like 8 knots more plus just a light right wing heavy that the autopilot can work it out.

We are very pleased with his work and let me tell you that is was a very interesting experience for me, as I had never flown inside the US, plus I know my airplane better and learned a lot.   

Let me tell you US citizens, you guys have it easy there to fly, with so many airports, strips, helps, etc, etc etc. I might think that Mexicohas less airports than just the state of Texas. Now I know why all the GPS have the "nearest" feature. Lander Gerez  TR182 XB-IFL  Cuernavaca, Mexico

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Adam at CPA recommended John to me. John Efinger is the most motivated, compulsive, and thorough A&P I've met.  I was one of his initial rigees and have no complaints.  I flew from San Angelo, TX to Fort Worth in the middle of July; and hung around to help with shagging tools and the small talk.  By mid afternoon I had become a limp, (sweat) wet shop rag trying to catch one more breath before I fell into a full heat stroke.  John, on the other hand does all his work on inline skates and never broke a sweat.  He adjusted and lubricated rigging; stopped to sweep and tidy the shop and the plane; and rigged some more.  That night we had a great steak somewhere in the downtown bowels of Ft. Worth.

Expecting we were through the next morning, I watched John check a few things out till the middle of the afternoon. We flew a plane much easier to fly straight and level, Gentler on the controls and couple of knots faster.  

Time is coming for a second rigging adjustment.  I wouldn't take TR182 N73622 to anybody else. John is a phenomenon doing phenomenal work. Conrad Koerper Del Rio, TX

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I just had my 1955 180 rigged by John at the end of October 2004. He found an amazing number of problems, and I was very impressed by his thoroughness and attention to detail, and willingness to keep on working until everything was right. My airplane had mis-rigged ailerons, much too loose cable tension on the flaps, too tight cable tension on the stabilizer trim, bent pushrods on the ailerons, several frozen pulleys, etc, etc. It now handles much better, flies absolutely hands-off, and is a few knots faster. In short, I highly recommend John Efinger's rigging service! Mike Hoke, Reno, NV. N4709B

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My plane’s rigging had been analyzed by several mechanics incorrectly before taking it to John.  He solved my problems. John Efinger is the kind of individual I want working on my Cessna 180 Skywagon.  In addition to being very knowledgeable, he is very conscientious about his work.  You’ll find mechanics that may work for less but not have John’s attitude for doing work on your plane “the correct way.”  Bill Whatley

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Folks,   I want to talk about two things here.

 The first is the NEED to have your rigging checked. When I bought my plane it was right wing heavy. 210's have ground adjustable trim tabs on the ailerons so I tweaked those guys and had her flying OK but I have had a full blown rigging job on "the list" ever since I bought her just because I like every thing "just right".   So when I finally worked down "the list" to rigging I went out to see John Efinger. I took my plane to John to "fix" my ailerons but it turned out that I had what was a VERY serious problem!  It turned out that my flaps were seriously out of rig. When I would select the 10 degree detent they were going down to 15 and 17 degrees! The 20 degree detent was actually going to 25 and 27 degrees and on the last notch they only moved 5 and 3 more degrees!

 On my 210 the first 10 degrees can be extended at 140 knots then the rest needs to be extended while less than 105 knots.   My usual practice is to drop the gear and the first notch of flaps at 120 knots but sometimes if I am "behind" I will drop them at as high as 130 knots. (thinking that I was still 10 under max.) So for the first 6 months I owned the plane every single time I extended the flaps, I oversped them! Just think, on the right flap I was going down 17 degrees, nearly to the second notch while 15-30 knots too fast!

Silly me! All this time when that flap indicator said "10 degrees" I thought it meant 10 degrees! Never assume!  So even if your plane flies "right" get that rigging checked guys! You really just don't know what's going on until you do!

Then back to the original reason I took the plane to John, the right wing heavy- The very first thing John did as part of rigging was to level the plane! Then the very first thing John noted was that the turn coordinator is not level. When the plane is level I have about 10% of the ball across the line.

So as far as the right wing heavy goes I was inducing a lot of that by centering the ball when the ball was wrong! I was flying in a perpetual slip!

 So in the course of rigging the plane I found a serious problem I did not know about and the problem I thought I had was something else altogether! Check your rigging guys! You simply do not know what is going on with your plane until you do!    Now that we have established that you absolutely should get your rigging checked, lets cover why John is the man for the job. I like professionals. I enjoy people who have a strong work ethic and an inner desire to do the best job they can possibly do. John is that kind of person. He is the consummate professional who will be happy with nothing less than a job that is dead spot on. If John is working on my plane I know it is going to be 100% right when I taxi away. I simply can't say enough good things about John and his work.

  Give your plane a treat, let John give it a full body massage. Both you and your plane will be happy you did!          Rob Johnson   N711PJ   Cessna T-210 

What Other Pilots Say