Annual location

[James Hines]

I'm new to the whole airplane ownership club and so I have a simple question:

Generally speaking where do mechanics prefer to do annuals? In your hanger or theirs? I assume they prefer it being at their hanger due to tools and parts, etc?

TIA!

 

[Salty]

I'm new to the whole airplane ownership club and so I have a simple question:

Generally speaking where do mechanics prefer to do annuals? In your hanger or theirs? I assume they prefer it being at their hanger due to tools and parts, etc?

TIA!

Depends on the mechanic. I know some that don't have a hangar. Mine always has too many planes in his and he lives just down the street so he prefers to use mine. I think a side "benefit" for them to do it in yours is if something big crops up, you aren't clogging his space. If you want it done faster, put it in his hangar.

 

[simtech]

My mechanics comes to me and I supply most tools and he brings specialty tools. I also do an owner assisted annual so its nice when its in my hangar.

 

[NordicDave]

I think most of us take it to a guy with a shop. If you are truly mechanically inclined and develop a relationship with a local IA, some will allow owner assisted annuals. Ask 20 pilots on your field who does theirs and a couple of names will appear in common.

In my case an A&P comes to my hangar for maintenance work & repairs, and go to a local IA for annual inspections.

 

[Dana]

I do my own maintenance (it's an experimental), the A&P who does my annual comes to me. He has a whole traveling workshop in his minivan.

 

[Bell206]

Generally speaking where do mechanics prefer to do annuals?

If you want to participate in the work as an owner-assisted annual best location is your hangar. That's also provided you have a local IA who travels.

 

[flyingron]

I've done owner-assists in the mechanic's hangar. Actually, mostly Margy does the assist. Back when she was a school teacher, she'd close up her classroom in the summer and then go over to the airport and assist the IA to get things scheduled ahead of us done. Then she'd do the bulk of the work on our plane.

I always said I'd have done better to send her to A&P school than to graduate school to get her education degree.

That being said, I've pretty much all that I need to do the annual in my own hangar. So the next might be done there.

 

[steingar]

I had one mechanic who would come to my hangar, but mine was the only aircraft he'd do this for. It was the only one clean enough to get an annual done in a day. Everyone else I've ever seen has it done in their hangar. I do my annuals remotely at a small strip a half hour away.

 

[AKBill]

Generally speaking where do mechanics prefer to do annuals? In your hanger or theirs? I assume they prefer it being at their hanger due to tools and parts, etc?

I have had annuals done both in the Mechanic's or FBO's hanger and a hangar that I have rented for that purpose.

Smaller shops a lot of times like to do the work in the owners hangar, that leaves their hangar open for other work. I do a 100 hour inspection and have an IA come in behind me and do the annual inspection. So personally I prefer to do the work in a location of my choice.

 

[weirdjim]

I prefer to do it in your hangar. I want you getting used to YOUR tools because after the first one or two, you are going to be doing the grunt work and I'm going to be doing the inspecting work. I'd PREFER you to have your own compression tester and buzz box, but I'll bring mine until you can afford them.

Jim

 

[Jumpmaster]

Mine is done in my A&P/IA’s hangar attached to his house. He lives in an air park about 200 miles from me. As much as I would like to do an owner assist annual, he would rather I don’t and I wouldn’t save much money anyway when I factor in living costs for the period of time necessary. He is semi-retired and does about 10 annuals a year so I feel fortunate that he will do mine. He is an acknowledged expert in my type of airplane and is a mechanical engineer by profession. Not sure what I am going to do when he says he’s done.