I am considering employing Hangar One at EHTE for a certain avionics upgrade, a company I have not dealt with before. Its reputation, as far as I can make out, is good. Any comments or experiences from folks here?
Just keep in mind that in the NL, you will
pay 23% VAT on everything. Some other European countries are lower. Might make a difference on a big job.
They serviced our Mooney for years. Ask for Martijn when it comes to engines and Maurice is the one you want to talk to when it comes to avionics. They are nice guys and they do a good job overall.
No need to remind me about the impact of VAT!! In Europe VAT is the omnipresent depressant.
25% in Croatia
Sorry, yes. 21% in NL. Mixed it up with Ireland. 
These differences are completely meaningless in the context of an avionics job
The real benefit is obtained by flying to the US. Or more practically, to one of the Channel Islands but I have no idea of the latest situation there. The last avionics shop on Alderney closed last month
So many European shops do bad work that using a good one is way more important.
Peter wrote:
using a good one is way more important
Amen
I can see how some of guys are hangin around avionics shops, main problem they have its more or less standard scheme:
1. They go there, have awesome first impression as everything looks super and clean, they get good coffe and frontman is really nice guy
2. They order parts and bring aircraft, perfect.
3. Aircraft is partially disassembled and started to stay…… (as company usually have not enough people to make job they take.
4. Aircraft is released with major delay due to random excuses, quality of work depends, sometimes is good but sometimes is poor if company to cover lack-of-specialist problem start to employ uncertified guys just from the street, just to make job cheap
5. Invoice (and its common and major problem) is doubled if not more.
So think about this, this scheme can cost much more than VAT or even ferry flight to somewhere.
Hourly price it’s not so critical. I know some companies charging as low as 60-70eur/work hour netto but on the end they just write a lot more than they should of these hours so on the end of the day upgrade is expensive.
You have on the market some Part 145 shops and also some Part 66 freelanceirs, don’t suggest yourself by how beutyfull and big shop is, better check who is phisicaly working on aircrafts and also what tools he is using. Poor tools = poor work and this problem touches freelance part 66 guys and big part 145 companies as well.
