First Annual Suggestions

[gitmo234]

Ladies and Gents,

My bird is up for her first annual since I've owned her. It's a 56 172. My shop allows for "owner assisted" annuals. I'll basically get the chance to help with the more grunt type work, and observe and do some of the other work while being supervised. I'm taking the opportunity to get to know her better.

As a follow up to that, does anyone have any recommended "not required but good to do" type things I should look at? Other than an oil leak she seems to be doing fine but if there's an item or two i can spend some extra time on for decent results, I'm interested

 

[MBDiagMan]

Being involved in the annual will serve you well. The better you get to know your aircraft, the better off you will be.

Hopefully this will take place in your own hangar. I am in the midst of doing mine and it keeps me intimately familiar with the hunk of metal that my life depends on when I'm airborne.

I don't know anything to add to what is required, but check everything you possibly can. I have a new set of eyes on mine this time, and he found a few very minor things like a wire that was lightly chafing. Every little detail you can find is something that will give you peace of mind because it was taken care of on the ground instead of discovered while in the air.

Good luck with it and learn everything that you can.

 

[James331]

Don't work on making your annual more expensive, if you have a good AP and trust him he'll recommend any little non airworthy but good idea types of things to do. Just listen, learn and be as hands on as possible.

If you haven't already, I'd say do a dynamic balance on the prop, check the aircrafts rigging by book speeds and hands off flying.

Aside from that unless you want to do any upgrades like BAS harnesses, HID lights etc, there isn't really much.

 

[frfly172]

Do a close inspection for corrosion. Check the rigging,I would consider a borescope with the compression check.

 

[brian]]

My $0.02...

Turn a good mechanic loose on your bird the first few annuals and pay the money... Mine is an extream example, but the results so far have been better than if I got in their way....