Time for a new US Schempp-Hirth Rep?

[arche...@gmail.com]

Unfair to do this on a forum perhaps but I think it's that bad. Wondering if anyone else with an older SH model is feeling the same.
I have not been able to get parts for my glider. I will not go into exactly what I have and have not done to make it happen because I think I've done more than what should be required, no need to quibble over the details. Have I done everything I could to get parts? No. Should I have to? No.
Website has not been updated in 4 years, things are listed for sale that they do not even have. I've never had the phone answered directly by anyone. I almost never get a reply to my first email, and my questions are usually not answered.

[Dave Leonard]

Have you checked the SH website lately? There is a new US partner listed there (announced this week via some other channels)...

[arche...@gmail.com]

I just started working with that rep without realizing they are an authorized rep. The other rep has it posted on their home page that they are the exclusive rep so I was confused until now.

[JS]

Arrr, Jim lad!
The S-H announcement was supposed to be made a while ago, but is now on their International Partners page.
I've already ordered parts from Garret. He replied to an e-mail I sent to M+H, evidently forwarded. Have spoken with Heinz about other things since then.
Alle ist gut!
Jim

[markde...@gmail.com]

The SH parts department is a very helpful and responsive group to work with. I’m positive you did not reach out directly to them. If you do, they’ll respond quickly and if it’s something smaller that doesn’t need to be shipped in some big crate, you can probably get it pretty quickly. None of the prices I have ever been quoted by SH have been unreasonable.

[arche...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 11:43:39 AM UTC-8, markde...@gmail.com wrote:
> The SH parts department is a very helpful and responsive group to work with. I’m positive you did not reach out directly to them. If you do, they’ll respond quickly and if it’s something smaller that doesn’t need to be shipped in some big crate, you can probably get it pretty quickly. None of the prices I have ever been quoted by SH have been unreasonable.

Hmmm, must be bad luck for me. I've never been able to get a single part directly from them. I have been referred to SH Germany and that wasn't productive either. And I've definitely never been given a quote for anything even though I have asked specifically. As one example, I sent an email and requested a part that was pretty critical to operating the glider. Since I didn't know the exact name of the part and there could be confusion as to the specific part I needed I sent photo of the broken part I had. I got no response to that email ever. I've made other requests, I still do not have that part.

[arche...@gmail.com]

But I'll move on. Seems I have a solution to the problem now.

[Jim N]

Last year I needed a few things for my Ventus so I emailed M&H. No reply. I called both numbers. No answer so I left voicemails. No reply. I thought, this is nonsense and contacted Schempp-Hirth. What a difference. They couldn’t have been more helpful.

[son_of_flubber]

https://www.schempp-hirth.com/en/company/international-partners/usa/

M&H is no longer listed.

[Jonathan St. Cloud]

The practice of Law would be enjoyable if one didn't have clients. I know it is annoying to make repeated calls for a little part one needs, maybe even AOG until satisfaction. However, I did want to give a shout out to Monty and the other guy for years of service to the glider community. Just consider that a dealer takes on liability for the product they rep, occasionally at considerable cost to themselves. Being a Dealer is in many ways a full-time job without the money that goes with a full-time job. There are many little parts that must be kept in inventory and every customer must be dealt with to the costumers' satisfaction. Then there is the dealing with notoriously cheap glider pilots. I say thank you M&H and all the other dealers, and to Garret I say, congratulations and I hope you know what you got yourself into!

[Garret Willat]

Hi my name is Garret Willat, I have taken over as the US rep from M&H Soaring. Monty and Heinz have been a tremendous help to make this transition for the owners as smooth and quick as possible. I went to Germany in October to meet with everyone and build a relationship with all of my contacts at the factory. Oh yeah and to fly the sailplanes.

The announcement did not quite go as planned. However if you are on social media, Facebook or Instagram you can check out the new US representative for Schempp-Hirth GmbH. @yankeecomposites
Or visit the website www.yankeecomposites.com



Here is the note that Schempp-Hirth had shared on their Facebook.

Official announcement: Welcome to Yankee Composites!

Schempp-Hirth team would like to extend our deep felt thanks to Karin, Janell, Heinz and Monty of M&H Soaring USA for their genuine, big hearted friendship during the past 15 years of represented Schempp-Hirth as the US dealer.
It was an adventure we treasure, and a friendship that will continue.

The M&H team decided it was time to take a step back from the full throttle management of the US dealership - but no worries US pilots; we got you covered!

First; M&H Soaring and repair station will continue to assist when needed. Rest assure, we cherish the East Coast special relationship you have with Schempp-Hirth and you’ll still have the M&H team to bounce things off to!

Second; as of December 2019, the Schempp-Hirth US dealership is transferred to Garret Willat and his repair shop Yankee Composites, located in the well-known heart of Sky Sailing, CA.

So - drumroll - as of now, Garret Willat is taking over all discussions and questions about Schempp-Hirth sailplanes, spare parts and repairs, in close coordination & support of the M&H team and overall support of Schempp-Hirth, Germany.

We believe you all know Garret Willat in USA, notably for his competitions results, his involvement in SSA, and former writer for the Wings&Wheels newsletter full of tips to make sailplanes pilot a better life. He eventually waited more than 10000 flight hours to finally visit us. During his recent visit, where he had a bit (a lot) of fun with the Discus2c FES and the new Arcus-M, he made also more serious stuff: building direct human contacts with all the people involved here in the journey of making a glider, fixing it, or shipping spare parts.

Frankly, from the Schempp-Hirth point of view, we couldn’t be more happy with the east/west US coast team coverage and the smooth transition. Dream-team.

US Pilots rest assure - Schempp-Hirth will continue to be represented by people with knowledge of our gliders, eager to share the passion of our sport, world-wide, coast-to-coast, New York to LA, and with our support.

Again, we thank the M&H team for the many shared adventures. Our friendship continues.

We warmly welcome aboard Garret Willat and his Yankee Composites team as our new US Schempp-Hirth dealer.


Please find on our website the whole Schempp-Hirth international team on: https://www.schempp-hirth.com/en/company/international-partners/



Garret

[Tango Eight]

On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 2:32:33 AM UTC-5, Garret Willat wrote:

> We warmly welcome aboard Garret Willat and his Yankee Composites team as our new US Schempp-Hirth dealer.

Can I be the Schleicher dealer for Region 5...

if I promise to stay in New Hampshire?

T8

[Dan Marotta]

That's nice, but it assumes everybody has a Facebook account.

--
Dan, 5J

[uncl...@ix.netcom.com]

Hear Hear!
Thanks to M&H for many years of great service to the soaring community.
Garret has big shoes to fill. I know he will do a great job.
UH

[mskoe...@gmail.com]

I also would like to thank M&H. I always got parts fast, even when I forgot to pay for them (sorry again). I particularly appreciate their explaining my problems to me and pointing me in the right direction.
Mike Koerner

[krasw]

On Friday, 13 December 2019 21:04:38 UTC+2, Dan Marotta wrote:
> That's nice, but it assumes everybody has a Facebook account.
>

The guy copied the FB announcement for you to read here so no, it does not.

[Glidergeek]

"Hi my name is Garret Willat, I have taken over as the US rep from M&H Soaring"

Congratulations Garret !! Good luck with your new endeavor, I wish you continued success.
Russ Barry

[johnsin...@yahoo.com]

We always had good relations with Monty & Heinz. There is a time for all good things to come to an end. We hit glider repair hard for 20 years, then just didn’t want to deal with it anymore and closed JJ Glider Repair.
Best wishes,
Pat, JJ & JJ Jr.

[Dan Marotta]

You can't find me on facebook and, had I not read the announcement here,
I would not have known.

On 12/14/2019 7:10 AM, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:

> I really dislike Facebook too! And I really dislike the erosion of privacy as a norm created by the FB/instagram "culture"! You can find me on Fb at Jonathan St. Cloud.

--
Dan, 5J

[Tom BravoMike]

On Friday, December 13, 2019 at 11:26:04 PM UTC-6, mskoe...@gmail.com wrote:
> I also would like to thank M&H. I always got parts fast, even when I forgot to pay for them (sorry again). I particularly appreciate their explaining my problems to me and pointing me in the right direction.
> Mike Koerner

Same for me. Heinz did some repairs and improvements on my Ventus B, tail wheel replacement, new belts etc. etc, winglets, polishing and waxing, all in a timely manner and for a fair, friendly price. I was quite happy and truly grateful for the professional job. He said his airline flying was his source of income and working on the gliders was his hobby. Thanks, M&H, thanks, Heinz.

[jiml...@gmail.com]

I met Heinz at Perry International after just buying a Discus 2b. Heinz looked at the wings and said "What the hell happened here?" I said the seller sanded off the competition numbers under the wing and that is what it looks like. Heinz promptly got permission from Al to use his shop, hauled the wing in and proceeded to sand it to a silky perfection with a "classroom" of pilots watching. No charge. He provided me with spare parts and knowledge during my ownership of the D2b. Thanks Heinz!
Always try to remember: There is no such thing as a glider business, we are all hobbyists!