Learning from an owner annual

Yeah and there's no gas left in the van anyway.
Jim

"Javier" wrote

You're just saying that.

Anyway, it's my little contribution to the betterment of general aviation,
and in fact, the world whole.

Neverless, it never hurts to say thanks, to one who deserves it. You are
appreciated. Thanks.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Javier" wrote


You're just saying that.

Anyway, it's my little contribution to the betterment of general aviation,
and in fact, the world whole.


Neverless, it never hurts to say thanks, to one who deserves it. You are
appreciated. Thanks

Me, too. Thanks, Jav. Jav's contributions extend beyond the aviation world, too.

Dave

1) The number of things I found that were not done that I'd paid to
have done at previous annuals.

Unfortunately, that's about par for the course - especially with regard
to inspections. I've looked at a lot of airplanes where there was a
logbook signature indicating something (usually some inspection) was
recently done, and the condition of the surrounding area made it
obvious that nobody had been there in years. My favorite was an AD
compliance note that claimed a fuel line replacement - and the fuel
line had a tag that predated the entry by years, and was the line that
had to be replaced.

2) The number of things done wrong (like no cotter key in the wheel).

Also very common. The last time I took a plane to a shop, it was to
replace a cracked trunion. I felt it was a job that I might screw up,
so best leave it to a specialty shop. Well, it came back with the snap
ring for the oleo strut improperly seated. First less-than-perfect
landing blew it out, and I had to rebuild it. From then on, I decided
to just do everything myself. It's not like I never make a mistake,
but I find that I make them less often than a high end shop (and I'm an
amateur) and between taking the plane to the shop, getting it back, and
then fixing what the shop screwed up, it's just about as fast to do it
myself and a lot cheaper.

3) The amount of work an annual really requires. It took me 6 hours
just to remove all the inspection panels (including drilling out
several dozen screws). Lubing the 150 lube points wont go too quick
either.

You gotta ask yourself - if you had to dril so many of them out, what
are the odds ALL of them were actually removed last annual (like they
were suposed to be)? Not too high. That tells you what kind of annual
you've been getting - and you've been paying top dollar. What do you
think the $1000 annuals are like?

But why? Well, because doing an annual on a complex airplane decades
old is a 50+ hour proposition, and that's if nothing major is wrong.
My basic Twin Comanche annual is about 60 hours. Now granted I have an
extra engine, but the Mooney is so tightly cowled and everything is ho
hard to get to that the time requirement is almost a wash.

We used to have a shop locally where a basic annual with nothing major
wrong cost $5000 for a Bonanza. An airline president started it so he
could have a place to have his personal planes maintained correctly.
When he died, he left it to the head mechanic, free and clear. The
head mechanic can't make a go of it. Nobody will pay it - but that's
really what it costs if you want it done right.


Michael

exactly, and I am not aware of any torque limited pneumatic screwdrivers....


"Jim Macklin" wrote in message news:YQ9ag.20836$ZW3.15262@dukeread04...
That's one reason shops use pneumatic drills and grinders.



".Blueskies." wrote in
message
. com...
| Also, isn't the DC motor sparks thrown around inside a
power screw driver a bit of a safety hazard?
|
|
| wrote in message
oups.com...
| You know what? I've been through this one so many times,
but it's been
|
|

".Blueskies." wrote in message
news
exactly, and I am not aware of any torque limited pneumatic
screwdrivers....


"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
news:YQ9ag.20836$ZW3.15262@dukeread04...
That's one reason shops use pneumatic drills and grinders.



".Blueskies." wrote in
message
. com...
| Also, isn't the DC motor sparks thrown around inside a
power screw driver a bit of a safety hazard?
|
|
| wrote in message
oups.com...
| You know what? I've been through this one so many times,
but it's been
|
|


Why, somebody leave a propane bottle open in the shop?

"Michael Ware" wrote

Why, somebody leave a propane bottle open in the shop?

I always have wondered about that, too.

Surely, someone would notice if there was leaking avgas (or mogas) on the
floor, or in the air. Especially at the concentrations it would take for it
to be explosive, or even flammable.
--
Jim in NC

RST Engineering wrote:
Do you s'pose a website dedicated to names & contact info for IAs that will
do owner assisted annuals would be a good thing? Maybe with a little info
about the mech like price structure, do it in your own hangar, etc?

Jim


YES

Jay Honeck wrote:
So next year do the bulk of the annual on the 31st of March and screw in the
last nutplate on the 1st of April, when the signing takes place. Following
year 30th of April and the 1st of May. Now your annual is due in May. Or
June. Or July. Whatever fires your rocket.


We had actually started down that road, and realized that we were
moving our annual dangerously close to the sancrosanct Oshkosh Month of
July. We also didn't want to lose and of our precious warm weather
flying to an extended annual inspection.

The thought of missing OSH because of something stupid like waiting for
a part has caused us to actually move the annual UP a month this year,
just to get it safely back into the bad flying weather of March.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

But Jay, you miss the fun of test flying the airplane the night before
you leave for OSH!! Of course a nice little test flight not show you are
DUMPING fuel into the engine compartment (damn stuff vaporizes and you
can't see it on a hot engine). Made our shortest leg to OSH award.
Found and A&P and the problem, were on our way in half an hour. I HATE
annual before big trip stuff.

Annual now due in April. Might go to March next year, but it's warmer
in VA!

Margy

Jay Honeck wrote:
The thought of missing OSH because of something stupid like waiting for a
part has caused us to actually move the annual UP a month this year, just
to get it safely back into the bad flying weather of March.

One word: Courtesy van!


We drove into OSH from 1984 through 1998. Nothing against it, but it's
just not the same as flying and camping in the middle of 12,000 other
aircraft campers.

THAT is OSH, to me, now. The airshows and stuff are still fun, but the
North 40 is what grass-roots aviation is all about. So, we try to
make sure that Atlas is in tip-top shape every July, for that long, 90
minute flight back to Wittman Field...

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

And we couldn't party in the parking lot