After Annual Stories, Any Adventures?

[Warrior]

Hi All

My instructor taught me to be wary of the first flight after the annual. So I took up my 1978 Piper Warrior this morning, held my breath, and everything went great.

I have heard stories of the elevator getting hooked up backwards, wrenches left on top of the cylinders, and others. Anyone care to share after annual stories?

 

[N747JB]

My mechanic flies the plane back to me after maintenance, so I seldom get to do the first flight now. I did find a screwdriver rolling around in the wing of my old 182 about 25 years ago!
Be especially wary after any maintenance, switches that are normally up, might be down, 1 out of 5 times after maintenance I find the autopilot manual steer set to one side or the other rather than centered. Not a huge deal, but certainly something to pay attention to, nothing like turning on the a/p and instead of following the heading bug, it makes a hard left.

 

[BillTIZ]

When ever I pick up the Pawnee after annual it gets more than a double preflight.
I found a hammer on top of the cylinders, ahh what did you need a hammer for?
I've found the spark plug socket wrench on top of the cylinders.

I've found the pilot seat not properly installed on the rails.

The entire belly (metal) can be removed with Zeus fasteners, I check that every one is locked, found more than a few missing, and some not locked.

I had the rudder return springs replaced one year. One was installed wrong and rubbed a post with every deflection.

I found the brake pad bolts had not been safety wired. Another year, the main wheel lock nut did not have a cotter pin.

I check that all the logbooks are complete, with signatures and new AD list sheet signed off and compared to the previous years list.

I start up, taxi, static power run up and check, mag and carb heat checks. Then I taxi back to the shop, take care of any squawks and the write the check. The logbooks get put in my truck before I fly away.

 

[wabower]

The shop here test flies every plane after MX.

When ever I pick up the Pawnee after annual it gets more than a double preflight.
I found a hammer on top of the cylinders, ahh what did you need a hammer for?
I've found the spark plug socket wrench on top of the cylinders.

I've found the pilot seat not properly installed on the rails.

The entire belly (metal) can be removed with Zeus fasteners, I check that every one is locked, found more than a few missing, and some not locked.

I had the rudder return springs replaced one year. One was installed wrong and rubbed a post with every deflection.

I found the brake pad bolts had not been safety wired. Another year, the main wheel lock nut did not have a cotter pin.

I check that all the logbooks are complete, with signatures and new AD list sheet signed off and compared to the previous years list.

I start up, taxi, static power run up and check, mag and carb heat checks. Then I taxi back to the shop, take care of any squawks and the write the check. The logbooks get put in my truck before I fly away.

 

[N801BH]

The shop here test flies every plane after MX.

And that is the way it should be...

 

[BillTIZ]

The shop here test flies every plane after MX.

Interesting that they would have someone qualified on every plane they work on.

No one in the shop was tailwheel qualified or ever flown a Pawnee.

Sorry, but I don't think I would want a shop flying my plane.
And they best have their own insurance.

Everything I've found after annual could be found without flying. Missing safety ties, cotter pins, or tools left behind. Flying won't find those. Taxing would find the miss rigged rudder return springs, if he paid attention.

 

[wabower]

Shop has insurance and doesn't work on ag planes.

Owners are thrilled to know the inevitable post-MX bugs have been located and fixed before they pick up the plane. Shop owner then flies an acceptance flight with the owner to confirm that everything works and all squawks have been addressed.

In a typical GA shop it's not hard to find a pilot that is better than the owners.

Interesting that they would have someone qualified on every plane they work on.

No one in the shop was tailwheel qualified or ever flown a Pawnee.

Sorry, but I don't think I would want a shop flying my plane.
And they best have their own insurance.

Everything I've found after annual could be found without flying. Missing safety ties, cotter pins, or tools left behind. Flying won't find those. Taxing would find the miss rigged rudder return springs, if he paid attention.

 

[JHW]

Yeah pawnees are pretty exotic. I wonder that anyone can fly one.

 

[RotorAndWing]

When ever I pick up the Pawnee after annual it gets more than a double preflight.
I found a hammer on top of the cylinders, ahh what did you need a hammer for?
I've found the spark plug socket wrench on top of the cylinders.

I've found the pilot seat not properly installed on the rails.

The entire belly (metal) can be removed with Zeus fasteners, I check that every one is locked, found more than a few missing, and some not locked.

I had the rudder return springs replaced one year. One was installed wrong and rubbed a post with every deflection.

I found the brake pad bolts had not been safety wired. Another year, the main wheel lock nut did not have a cotter pin.

I check that all the logbooks are complete, with signatures and new AD list sheet signed off and compared to the previous years list.

I start up, taxi, static power run up and check, mag and carb heat checks. Then I taxi back to the shop, take care of any squawks and the write the check. The logbooks get put in my truck before I fly away.

And you keep returning to this shop?

 

[weilke]

Flying home from annual, I wondered whether I had grown 1.5in. Another partner flew and thought the same thing. Turns out whoever put the plane back together had mounted the middle row seats in the first row.