Fixed that for you
I think you need to find a new mechanic. Seriously.
Yeah, that's bad.
...in this country, in most places, today. Some parts of some cities and some countries? Eh.... and I'm not going to guess as to which of the 3 depreciates most.
Seriously. I had the same thought. The annoying part is that for weird reasons I actually have two GI-275s in the plane already, both AHRS-versions, but one is serving as the engine monitor! The purchase of a non-AHRS GI-275 would indeed let me get rid of that vacuum system and I discussed that option with the shop, but they wouldn't be able to get that done until sometime in late June, meaning another two months of a grounded aircraft. Then my brain says "hey, if you're dropping coin on another GI-275, why not think about just putting a G3X in there and quite screwing around with small instruments? I think everyone here is familiar with that gold-paved rabbit-hole.
Not sure how this grounds you for another 2 months, or does it really take two months for them to install it. Unless you mostly fly IFR, I would pull the existing one or put an inop sticker on it until the shop can get you in to put the GI-275 in. Or could you wait 6-7 month and have it installed in the winter when you aren't flying much anyway.
A real life Plane of theseus
I had that exact moment when I parted ways with my Arrow in '23. I went through a foundation repair on the house a year before; a month after the engine blew I had to replace my wife's vehicle when it got totaled. All well under the quoted cost to do an R/R inclusive engine replacement on an already cosmetic and damage history discounted 50+ year old airframe. Then to add insult to injury I could lift a house in 3 days for a fixed contract rate, vs a year+ on a revolving basis and no guarantee of additional expenses upon cracking open a simple axle grease clearance tractor engine from the paleocene epoch? I had to walk away. Theres a distinction between cost and value in my life, much as the poor shamers like to accuse that statement a cope. I also find the 'partnership' retort unpersuasive. Subsidy doesn't negate the root cause of the dynamic.
Not really. You just need to know how to change those requirements provided the owner requests the change. So for your wheel bearing example, you as an A&P can change those "open" bearings to a sealed version using the proper process or install a set of Beringer wheels which do use sealed bearings.
You can't, it's bottomless.
Getting an STC or field approval to bring MX into the 1970s is not a solution.
Well, considering you would have to redesign the wheel, axle, and brake to accept a sealed bearing, is it your stance that older type certified aircraft should not have to follow the same alteration regulations as a newer, more modern TC’d aircraft?
I think the question is, why wouldn’t you assist the owner with this and sign off this stuff?
