What to do when plane is in annual

benyflyguy

benyflyguy

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benyflyguy
What do you guys do when plane is in annual?? Last year when in annual my leg was broken so didn’t really bother me. This year is a different story. Flying a lot, got IFR rating...looking to just go up and have fun. We just had a glorious day today and will tomorrow- can’t fly.. plane in annual. Hopefully will be done this week. Hopefully weather nice need weekend.
 
Wow. Don’t take this the wrong way, but talk about misleading terminology. At first, I thought, well, the airplane is legal, what’s the problem? But once I figured out that your airplane was GETTING its annual it made more sense.

Well, either you don’t fly or you rent. Pretty much as simple as that.
 
I do a 100 hour inspection, make a list and fix any discrepancies. Then have an IA inspect the plane, show him my list and put everything back together.

I us to fix things at annual time. Today I fix or make upgrades before annual. So the annual is more of an inspection and service. Takes me 3, 8 hours days to do the annual.
 
I’ve found the best thing to do, is to just go sit in your airplane and make airplane noises while pretending to fly. Your mechanic might think you’ve lost your crackers, but just remind him that chair flying is a good thing to do in order to keep your skills sharp.
 
Ryanb said:
I’ve found the best thing to do, is to just go sit in your airplane and make airplane noises while pretending to fly. Your mechanic might think you’ve lost your crackers, but just remind him that chair flying is a good thing to do in order to keep your skills sharp.
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Yeah, but the radio calls get the tower all upset...
 
One of the nice things about belonging to a club is that if one of the planes is down for an annual inspection I just fly a different one. :D
 
Go to the shop every day, check on the progress, inspect the parts of the plane you don’t see. Maybe you will see something that it needs, like corrosion prevention treatment or just replace some rusty screws.


Tom
 
When mine is in annual I fly it! Hehe okay I get it...

When it's in for the annual I pull all the panels and what not off. Then I follow the mechanic around and work on the stuff he wants me to fix, under his supervision of course, then when he is finished I button it all up. Gives me something to do and makes the process go by faster. And I know my plane inside and out.
 
Another vote for being involved with the annual...so valuable in so many ways. Greater understanding of the airplane and its systems, greater appreciation of it when you do fly, maybe some cost savings dependent upon your A&P/IA, more confidence in your plane because you are not just taking someone else's word for it's airworthiness...it's a win win win win win. I can't think of a downside.
 
Mine starts tomorrow and I am 4500 miles away from it. So I just....go to work....to pay for it.
 
Do an owner assisted annual ,and hope for bad weather.
 
I went to an IR seminar/class this weekend since the plane I fly is in for annual and I am starting IR training. So win-win I guess, but not flying sucks.
 
I hear there are these things, called friends(sp?), that some people have and will go flying with them in their planes. I havent seen any around to validate this theory tho...
 
I'm right there with the mechanic and doing most the work myself and he signs it off. If your mechanic doesn't like owner assisted annuals, get another mechanic.

To the mechanics - if the owner is an incompetent moron, I fully support telling them no. It's a win-win for both of you.
 
I was down for 5 months for avionics and annual... Made two flights and a turbo went south (I guess it felt like I hadn't spent enough on it)… Of course we've had some of the nicest flying weather doing the downtime... I feel ya... So what's a pilot to do???:goofy:
 
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I'm still waiting for a dual G5 install to be completed. Unfortunately, my STEC AP head needs an update to be compatible with the GAD29B, so it's another 3 weeks before its buttoned up. Just in time for ice season...:( Hopefully I'll get some good days in to do an IPC and some transition training over the winter months. The good news is I can get my annual due date shifted to the winter months instead of early fall this year.
 
Put your energies into a plane project that doesn’t involve having access to the plane. Recover upholstery or do a project the hangar needs, get that map on the wall hung up with the pins for trips, etc...
 
Aren't you supposed to be looking at trade-a-plane for a 2nd plane to fly?
 
i would suggest trying something different. It's getting a little chilly your way, so maybe an hour of dual in a helicopter or an aerobatic lesson?
 
Timbeck2 said:
I'm right there with the mechanic and doing most the work myself and he signs it off. If your mechanic doesn't like owner assisted annuals, get another mechanic.

To the mechanics - if the owner is an incompetent moron, I fully support telling them no. It's a win-win for both of you.
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I wish I could find a mechanic that will let me help. Any independent mechanics are either retiring , or are no longer taking new customers. I ask every owner I meet at my airport, and get the same answer. I use Jim, but he is retiring soon and isnt taking any more customers. I havent asked the shops around me, but I would assume they say no due to insurance regulations? Maybe I am wrong?
 
Write tearful goodbye letters to each of the the green pictures of Benjamin Franklin you will soon be parting ways with.
 
Radar Contact said:
The worst possible thing...
I keep giving them more "while you're in there" stuff to do so it prolongs the time down and the expense. I love how patient my shop is with me when I keep doing this! :)
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My friend does this a lot to me. It's why the first annual after purchase on many of his planes takes close to a year!

The one I'm wrapping up now started as a voluntary 160hp upgrade on the 150hp engine in a Cub. We found a bad cam so it turned into an overhaul. Then we decided to do the instrument panel and ADS-B. Then it was fabric work and many of the common Alaska mods. About 16 months after we started it's about complete. Then it's on to the next one...

Thankfully he has several airplanes to use so the downtime isn't as critical.
 
@benyflyguy IIRC you are flying a 182? After our 4th annual on the 182 the shortest so far has been 3 days from drop off to pickup. All but this last one were the same labor range but we left it in his shop for a nice wx day to fly it home. The longest annual was our last which was 1 week and a day away from our hangar and that included a new verniered mixture knob, single EGT, adjusting a heavy wing and a new windshield! Unless the squawks are piling up a 182 annual shouldn't take longer than 3-4 days. Beyond that they are probably multitasking more important stuff. One thing that helps is that annual is during a time when they are less busy.

So far the ADSB-OUT has been the longest plane down time.

Either way, when they have it we pray to the Lords of Cobal that the bill will be within 15% of the estimate. And drink :)
 
Yup 182H. Going to stop up to shop wednesday and check it out. We had a big annual last year. Took almost a month and did some work in meantime. Plane flown regularly. No squawks. But AI had to get pulled and set out for refurb was pulled week before it went in. Hopefully she goes quick. This shop is under new ownership and they good but working out kinks to get moving at a faster pace.
Have an uneven fuel pull they are taking a look at-hopefully doesn’t turn a big cunzone. Right tank pulls fuel faster. Did replace/rebuild fuel selector last year and replaced right bladder last year. No leaks now!
 
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