“Some airplane owners look for bargains,” begins a new video in the FAA’s “57 Seconds to Safety” video series, warning against shopping for the best price for your next annual.
“A bargain or speedy service when shopping around for your annual aircraft inspection is not the safest decision,” the video’s introduction states. “Annuals are supposed to dive deep into the airworthiness of your airplane. These inspections are for your safety.”
There is an old saying, you get what you pay for. Regardless if it is the first time or the tenth time an IA has conducted the annual on your airplane, the annual inspection should be the same. It should make no difference the first time out for the IA. An annual inspection should be carried out the same each time. I think what concerns most of us as owners is the billable hours for discrepancies. This is were the cost of an annual can get a bit unreasonable. Mechanics tend to get a bit over zealous about how long it took them to replace a light bulb. I know, because I have questioned the labor required to perform simple tasks many times, with the chief mechanic agreeing and making an adjustment. I think it’s not so much about trying to get a cheap annual but more so, getting a fair and reasonable annual. Furthermore, what is important, is that the plane be inspected specially looking for what could potentially bring the plane down. This is by definition what makes the airplane airworthy. Some mechanics go beyond this and want to replace items that have no bearing on the airworthiness of the plane.
Of note folks. The entry that I am REQUIRED to make as the IA (been one for almost 40 years) is “ I certify that I have inspected this aircraft”. I do a lot of self help work and you may be removing and showing me pieces but you are not “performing” the annual. When I sign for an annual I “own” that aircraft and it’s airworthyness until it’s inspected again as far as our friendly airworthyness inspectors, and lawyers, are concerned.
I see the point of the video. I have seen an IA who did 3 annual inspections on a GA ramp in a single day. A quick walk around of one of the airplanes afterwards showed deficiencies in it’s airworthiness, even with it’s fresh annual. Neither the owners nor the IA seemed to put a high value on safety. They just wanted to make it easy and painless. I think they’re reason must’ve been “What are the chances of this airplane being involved in a mechanical-failure-caused accident in the next 12 months?” Statistics show a small chance, but a thorough inspection is able to ensure it wouldn’t happen in the current state of the aircraft. Why gamble with an accident, and possible loss of life over cutting the cost down or making it quick and easy? A thorough inspection is cheap insurance when it comes to an accident.
Regardless of the cost, pencil-whipped annuals shouldn’t be allowed to happen, neither by the IA nor the owner.
Used to be horse racing was The Sport of Kings. Now it’s the GA hobby. Need to be well-heeled to begin to afford it. Must be nice to be rich.
Regarads/J.
James,
You don’t need to be rich to have GA as your hobby. Flying clubs are a great way to get in, ultralights and light sports are another way. Yes, you are going to need SOME disposable income, but not a huge amount. Another way in is to have or create a business which needs an airplane to do business – then your expenses are tax deductible (and besides, if your business is successful, that goes a long way towards solving the “rich” issue).
Years ago I was in a 20 member flying club. Only three of us ever flew the airplane! The other 17 defrayed our expenses, they *thought* about flying but never actually did. You cannot join the army as a general, and you shouldn’t expect to have a LearJet as your first airplane – if you are “rich” then yes, you can do that, but the vast majority of GA pilots and aircraft owners are people like you and me, we have enough money (most of the time) to support our habits, but we’re not going out and buying a brand new Gulfstream.
Remember, if you think you can, you’ll find a way. If you think you can’t, you’ve already given up. Go out there and do it – persistence pays!
Best regards,
Miami Mike
I agree…..unless your doing an owner assist, well actually I do the annual and I have an AI sign it off for $300.00. It all started by doing an owner assist annual at a reputable shop. Having them tell you what to do and how to do it was invaluable. You have to have the right and most recent manuals air frame & engine. The next year they told me I had to now use all my own tools, so I ended up buying a few thousand dollars worth. Then I started buying hardware. It’s nice having the right size screw, washer, nut or bolt when needed. I probably have 1k worth of an assortment. I rescued a C-150 and started rebuilding it from the ground up. I had the engine professionally rebuilt, removed and installed it myself. Then replaced everything new. I had it painted, then had all new avionics installed. Sold it for 75k. Purchased an RV from the builder and I have found things that were incorrect, like wrong bolt and missing cotter pins, up graded the connectors. After doing my own Condition Report I have an AI that looks it over. Checks the compression, timing, all the AD’s and everything else. Seem like he always find something or makes recommendations. I also use different AI’s and they end up finding some little thing that the previous AI missed. I truly enjoy working on my own airplane and I think taking your time in doing so making sure that it’s done correctly gives me a sense of security and a warm fuzzy feeling.
$300 annual . . . it depends.
If you have a simple airplane which has been properly taken care of, if you do the opening, take out the seats and the carpet, vacuum the bilges, etc., and then close it up, if the IA you use is familiar with you and the airplane AND is a free-lancer who will do it in YOUR hangar (if you have one), and nothing disastrous is found, then yes, you can get the cost of your annual down to reasonable levels (I don’t think you can do it for $300 any more unless the IA is working for $40 or $50 an hour).
Read the above “backwards” to figure out why your last annual cost more than the GNP of Outer Bandaria. Complex aircraft, say an older pressurized twin. (Worse if there are very few of them around.) Shoddy previous maintenance, ADs not up to date since 1937. IA has never seen the airplane (or you) before, so since their signature goes on it, they’ll be extra careful (wouldn’t you be?) Done at a big, fancy FBO with a carpeted lobby, fresh flowers on the desks, everyone has a uniform, and it is on a major airport in or near a big city, on either the east or west coast (where *everything* costs more). Oh yeah, they won’t let you into the shop anyway, so your only option is to say “do it” and accept the con$equence$.
Quick test – if they offer you a bottle of water for free, you are on the right track. If that bottle of water is $3 please, find somewhere else.
… As long as the free water isn’t next to a recycle bin and horse trough 🙂