Warbird Information Exchange

Ex-MAPS director sues over discharge

GREEN: The former executive director of the MAPS Air Museum claims he was fired last month after complaining that several board members wanted to hide the fact that a military aircraft was damaged there.

Joseph Chevraux of Canton, who had been executive director since August 2001, filed a wrongful discharge lawsuit Friday in Summit County Common Pleas Court. He also sued two MAPS directors for defamation.

He's seeking financial damages and his job back at the Green museum, which displays military aircraft and puts on an annual air show.

The suit says that a privately owned S-2 aircraft on display was damaged as it was backed into the museum hangar. The Federal Aviation Administration requires such damage to be reported, but several board directors wanted to make repairs without telling the plane's owner or the FAA, the suit says.

Chevraux and the museum's legal counsel were fired when they insisted reporting the damage, the suit says.

``That is not true,'' said Richard With, one of the defendants. He had not seen a copy of the lawsuit and declined further comment.

The suit also names James Mosley, Terry Harriman, Richard Johnston and Richard Hamlet, who could not be reached for comment.


Found it here:
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/16254 ... tstory.jsp

You cant not reprt an accident like that! one of our planes was loving caressed by a fuel truck and it had to be reported...

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Cheers,
Peter

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Not to stir the pot or anything, but any damage to a loaned, non-musuem owned aircraft should be reported to the owner.

Also, if the aircraft in question was NOT a registered and flying aircraft, meaning a static example, I don't think the FAA has to be notified at all.
The article didn't state if the S-2 in question was a flyer.
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

The FAA only needs to notified when the incident occurs during "intent of flight movement" or during the actual flight--start up, taxi, fly, land & park.
Ground handeling, repositioning incidents, "hangar rash" need not be reported. The owner should be notified & the damage repaired & documented properly. We hate bent metal around here.
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

Unless I miss my guess, it would be Sub Standard, their airworthy Tracker that used to fly with us.

If a major repair requiring a Form 337 is performed, the FAA is notified that way. A minor repair would only be entered in the log books. A towing accident does not need to be reported to the FAA.

Opinion:

If the museum is the operator of the aircraft and is responsible for airworthiness and general maintenance, the relationship with the owner dictates whether or not something like this is reported.

If the owner is the operator and the museum is merely a location to display the aircraft, ethically, I think that you have to disclose even minor damage to the owner. If the museum elects to perform a repair without the owner's knowledge and it doesn't get entered in the logbooks, that is unconscionable and makes the aircraft technically unairworthy.

This is all quite silly. Aircraft were being towed around in the hanger and the Tracker bumped into a Bofers 40-mm gun and bent something. Within 20 minutes, the crew chief contacted the owner about the minor damage. I'm pretty sure that it was by the next day that the crew chief fixed the damage. I was told it was basically a repair where he had to take pliers and bend something back into place--it was that minor!

We at MAPS are quite embarrassed about this and are very upset at the way Mr. Chevraux is blowing this out of proportion.

On a side note, it we get really bad help from some of the local newspapers and find it odd that the only time anyone wants to talk about MAPS in the newspaper is when something bad like this happens!

Other things will come out in the wash. I still keep my O2 there.

I'll keep my mouth shut for now, as this is not the forum to discuss what is really happening.

Things are changing at MAPS hopefully for the better. I will do anything I can to make the place "take off".

I was just there last weekend. It has come along way. I used to work on the B-26 when it was at Air heritage. The O-2 ther is awsome, so is the F-14.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Thanks for the kind words about the O2!

I saw the damage to Sub Standard today. A small crease in a elevator trim tab. Not a threat to airworthiness at all.

I feel the museum is moving in the right direction. I think we will have a fly in in place of the airshow this year. This will allow us to organize and get better funding for an even bigger show in 2008. Maybe some "Big Name" Acts......

As many of you know who are involved with museums, this stuff happens and is part of the game. The important thing is the musuem gets back on its feet financially and moves forward.

Speaking of MAPS, does anyone know what the deal is with the TBM Avenger sitting outside in the weeds?

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

It is a replica that used to be on display at Six Flags:

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1113440358046623148SnbgqT

Jim

Thanks, I think it is cool.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager