Need Advice - What to check when renting a plane?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi All, as new licensed pilot I am looking else where for plane
rentals. As you know that the price is a great concern. For a C152 it
can be from $59/hr (wet) to $90/hr (wet). big differences.

My question is, when you first go to a FBO, what to check when seeing a
plane that you never flew on. How do I know that this plane is
maintained well?! Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Lo


Four things I would do:

Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in question.
Ask for phone numbers of others who frequently rent there.
Ask for the name and Phone number of the mechanic who does the FBOs
maintenance.
Search the NTSB website for the N number of the plane in question to try and
determine if there has ever been damage serious enough to warrant an NTSB
investigation.
Take one of their instructors or FBO management with you for a hop. Worry
if they hesitate or decline and start sweating...


I'm sure others will have some suggestions as well.

"Jay Beckman" wrote:
Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in question.

While looking them over, check that the aircraft's last annual was within
the last 12 months and is otherwise legally airworthy. The FAA once
suspended a renter's certificate for 30 days because the renter flew a
plane that was 12 days past the expiration date of its last annual. The
following post from 2004 gives a few more details:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...cc34cd81b11723

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
"Jay Beckman" wrote:
Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in question.

While looking them over, check that the aircraft's last annual was within
the last 12 months and is otherwise legally airworthy. The FAA once
suspended a renter's certificate for 30 days because the renter flew a
plane that was 12 days past the expiration date of its last annual. The
following post from 2004 gives a few more details:
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...cc34cd81b11723

Good point by Jim...

Also, don't forget to make an A R O W check to be sure the paperwork IN the
airplane is correct.

Jay B

The PIC, whether an owner, paid pilot or a renter, is
expected to check and be sure EVERYTHING is done and
properly signed off. That includes ADs, annual,
transponder, ELT, a current and up-to-date POH/AFM.

The easiest method is to call the FAA and ask for a ramp
check by the FAA maintenance inspectors. Or have the
owner's shop AI sit down with you and go over the
maintenance records.

You can now go on-line with the aircraft make, model and
serial number and a list of installed equipment and do an AD
search on the airframe, engine, prop and accessories.


The FAA will hold the PIC accountable, but a pilot/renter,
whether an ATP or a student will have to rely to some extent
on the honesty and ethics of the shop and aircraft owner. A
logbook entry doesn't always mean the work was really done.
Some owners don't follow up on required repairs and people
are just plain and simple crooks/ con artists. Others are
just not competent.

Any company or person who will not show you the logbooks and
other records should be avoided.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
.. .
| "Jay Beckman" wrote:
| Ask to see the maintenance logs for the aircraft in
question.
|
| While looking them over, check that the aircraft's last
annual was within
| the last 12 months and is otherwise legally airworthy. The
FAA once
| suspended a renter's certificate for 30 days because the
renter flew a
| plane that was 12 days past the expiration date of its
last annual. The
| following post from 2004 gives a few more details:
|
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.a...cc34cd81b11723

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
news:jJCNg.22513$SZ3.15912@dukeread04...
The easiest method is to call the FAA and ask for a ramp
check by the FAA maintenance inspectors.


Jim,

The FAA would NEVER do that. Maybe 20 years ago, but not today. They have,
what they believe, work to do.

Karl
"Curator" N185KG

There are ways to get them out of the office and actually
look at an airplane. But the most desirable thing is to get
the logbooks and the A&P/AI that did the last annual to go
over the records and then you check on the airplane to see
if you can identify the work that is described in the logs.

Even better, take a an hour or three on a class on aircraft
record keeping.


"karl gruber" wrote in message
...
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| news:jJCNg.22513$SZ3.15912@dukeread04...
| The easiest method is to call the FAA and ask for a ramp
| check by the FAA maintenance inspectors.
|
|
| Jim,
|
| The FAA would NEVER do that. Maybe 20 years ago, but not
today. They have,
| what they believe, work to do.
|
| Karl
| "Curator" N185KG
|
|