Nine not running -- can I borrow your 860?

I moved to my little turf airport last spring. A few months after I moved in, I had 12yds of 3/4" chat delivered, and spread it with my 8N on our main road. The other roads off the main are just tracked dirt, and I keep the one to my hangar graded moderately well.

We pay dues into a fund for maint for the runway, aprons, taxiways, etc. I'm happy to contribute my share.

Spring is back, and things are growing. On Sunday while I was down doing some hangar work, another owner came by after I shut down and chatted for a bit. Helped me move some boxes, and tools, and then sprung the 'can I borrow your tractor'. I can't lie, I was rather put out about this. Not just this one time, but about two weeks ago, I got a text asking if one of them could use the 860 with FEL to move some dirt, and scrape a section. I said no to that one.

Asked him what needed to be done, and he wanted his 3/4Ac brush hogged, I told him I'd do it after I had a break. While I was on the tractor, I happened to drive around the airport for a bit, and counted NINE tractors, most of them vintage and not one of them worked. I saw a Ford 770A, a couple small IH kind, a Farmall narrow front, two looked like AC, an old grader(not technically a tractor), and two I couldn't ID but one I think was a Long. Several had FEL on them, and almost all except the grader had a PTO shaft and 3 point.

Two of them had brush hogs attached already! It's like when something goes wrong with it, they just park it in the field and let it sit. Zero maint. Anyway - after I cleared up his lot, I told him to let the others know I would be happy to spend time working on tractors - if they provided parts and get at least a few back running. He had nothing to say. I locked my tractor in the hangar, and went home. Pretty disgusted with the people right now.

What would you do?

They are pilots not farmers....

I'm a pilot, and not a farmer. Private pilots are generally speaking pretty handy.

Where are located? I've got a friend that moved to a fly in in AR a couple
years ago up on Bull Shoals. Really nice country up there.

I see roadside signs that have mowing $40 per acre and phone number. Find one and give next guy the number.

(quoted from post at 11:18:39 04/20/20) I'm a pilot, and not a farmer. Private pilots are generally speaking pretty handy.

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They're handy with their planes. Anything else is just a means to an end, that being tinkering with or flying the plane.

Nothing unusual about what you describe. I know a few private pilots and you're the exception not the rule.

(quoted from post at 12:29:43 04/20/20) I see roadside signs that have mowing $40 per acre and phone number. Find one and give next guy the number.

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Not a bad plan. We have more tractors around the community, but not associated with the airport. I would refer the next guy to one of them, or maybe the golf course. They have several types of mowers.

Any engine failure you can walk away from is a good one.

Could the problem be a lack of money, an unwillingness to spend money to fix the mower tractors or very abusive operation of the tractors?

Even private aircraft require very strict maintenance, periodic inspections, detailed record keeping and certifications by FAA certified mechanics. Myself, I would be terrified to fly in a plane maintained by an airport mechanic that couldn't keep a lawn mower running.

Sounds fishy, so dumb question: Could the owner of this airport be "flying under the radar"?

Interesting. You would think anyone who wants to live on an airport would have enough disposable income to keep their equipment running. Or are they just "dreamers" with no planes?

We have 16 planes in various states of repair, or disrepair as the case may be. We have an FAA certified inspector on the field, and a couple of well trained mechanics. I can only vouch for my airplane, it is carefully inspected, repaired, and maintained to a high standards.

It is a small turf field, and we are all concerned about costs, but we've made the investment to keep the airport open, and kept up. I can say that some of the other planes on the field, are not in flying shape, but then again - they are not being flown either. As with tractors, so planes sometimes suffer from neglect, and lack of use, and maint. Since I'm one of the owners of the field, I can say that there is nothing "fishy" about the management and upkeep of the runway, taxiways, aprons, tie downs, windsocks, and approaches. Everything having to do with the airport side of the place is working smoothly.

However, the private owners of the various lots, hangars, homes, and land around the airport are a different subject. Some hangar owners are not keeping their property up to the same standards as I would like to see. And in this specific case, two owners would like to make good on overdue maint, but they are unwilling, or not interested in taking the time to fix a tractor that has been sitting in a field - abandoned for literally years. I know that the Farmall owner passed away 3 years ago. One of the AC tractors has been sitting there for 6 or more years, because I landed there 6 years ago and it was sitting in the same spot.

So, this is a case of tractor work needing to be done, but no one wants to grab a tow bar, put one or more in a hangar, spend a few bucks, and a few hours, and make it at least run, and mow, and scoop. I'm going to bring this up at our Wed am meeting, and see if I can't get a few of the tractors back moving. It's a low down dirty dog shame these have just been left to rot.

The owner of the 770A talked to me a while ago, and said he needs a steering shaft collar, and a key, and a battery. I said if he has $100, we're in business, I'll put the parts in for him. So far, no money is forthcoming. It was not the same person who asked to borrow mine on Sunday.

The private pilot I know I wouldn?t trust to fix my cereal

(quoted from post at 20:59:48 04/20/20) The private pilot I know I wouldn?t trust to fix my cereal

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Well, I guess it's a good thing for me I used the qualifier "generally" when referring to handy pilots, and not "every pilot on the planet is a perfect mechanic, and can fix anything". Just to account for this poster's acquaintance.

BTW, the 770A is the model number of the loader. The tractor underneath is likely a 1510, 1610, or 1710 Ford.

(quoted from post at 04:31:33 04/21/20) BTW, the 770A is the model number of the loader. The tractor underneath is likely a 1510, 1610, or 1710 Ford.

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Ah, thank you. It has a front diff, 3 cyl diesel, and two sticks with what appears as a four speed, and three speed high med low arrangement. 3pt hitch and PTO.

Where is your airport? I fly a Grumman Cheetah out of southern Indiana and live in Ky.

(quoted from post at 14:02:11 04/20/20)

What would you do?

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Same as you did. Nothing wrong with that IMHO