First annual

I'm approaching over 4 grand but at least the end is in sight.

Mags - $1500
Carb rebuild - $700
Hoses - $600
Engine mounts - $300
Labor - at $1000 with a few hours to go.
 
lots of members here that do not know the difference between any inspection and routine maintenance.
 
If I'm one of whom you are referring to Tom, the "routine maintenance" items were found during the annual inspection and are therefore included in the cost of the annual.
 
Timbeck2 said:
If I'm one of whom you are referring to Tom, the "routine maintenance" items were found during the annual inspection and are therefore included in the cost of the annual.
Click to expand...
When you are replacing parts, that is maintenance, not inspection. I can inspect, give you a list of discrepancies, that's an annual, th rest is up keep of your machine. If you were to ask me to do a oil change on your aircraft and I dressed the prop too, would you call that an oil change?
So, how much did the A&P-IA charge you to inspect your aircraft?
 
Velocity173 said:
Sell that thing and get an RV! Condition inspections will be a lot cheaper than annuals and you'll have way more fun flying.:)
Click to expand...
I own an RV, just paid $2600.00 to have the diesel injectors removed cleaned and replaced, and the Cummins tappet adjustment completed. You believe aircraft maintenance is expensive, try motorhomes. $250.00 per hour shop labor.
 
So you have a problem with me adding the costs of parts and labor on things found during an annual inspection as the "cost" of the annual. I get it. I'm not accusing the mechanics of getting rich off the deal if that is what offends you. The annual "fee" is $350.
 
Tom-D said:
I own an RV, just paid $2600.00 to have the diesel injectors removed cleaned and replaced, and the Cummins tappet adjustment completed. You believe aircraft maintenance is expensive, try motorhomes. $250.00 per hour shop labor.
Click to expand...

Vans, not Winnebago.
 
Tom-D said:
How can you rationalize these up grades as an annual?
Click to expand...
I'm not. I clearly stated that the annual cost was ~$900, for inspection, and fixing the sqawks found. But...(there's allways a "but")
the might-as-wells brought it to several AMUs over that. And, we'll have in it about what it's worth when it's done.
Now had I not ponied up the labor, and parts, the cost of annual would have been closer to $2k, plus all the "might-as-wells".
Seat tracks alone would have eaten up an AMU, plus installation, then add to that myriad other nickle and dime stuff. I figure that I came out to the good.
Oh, BTW, the annual is still not completed, I Gotta put it back together, and after all the work that's been done, I want it to be put on the scales for an up to date W&B.
Then, I'll get the IA guy to look it over, if he likes what he sees, he'll sign it off, and annual will be complete. And I may get him to do the rigging as well. (a few dollars more);)
 
Last edited:
My first annual was 10k, but I was expecting it. (Got a good price on it.) I bought the plane from a guy that had parked it with the FBO where I did my training, and that shop tended not to be terribly thorough. The plane was airworthy, but a lot of little stuff needed attention, which we gave it at it's first annual. The second annual was about 6k, which included several things that we discovered in the first annual but decided could wait another year. Hopefully, the third annual will be even less.
 
Well, its almost all over but the crying. The new mags and carb gave me 50 more rpm even with a 30 degree increase in ambient temperature in the before/after test runs. All she needs is the IA blessing, a few hours of paperwork and a June 1st sign off and I'll be in the air again.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Well, its almost all over but the crying. The new mags and carb gave me 50 more rpm even with a 30 degree increase in ambient temperature in the before/after test runs. All she needs is the IA blessing, a few hours of paperwork and a June 1st sign off and I'll be in the air again.
Click to expand...
Funny how all is forgiven and forgotten once you're back in the air, no? ;)
 
I'm not even back in the air yet and its already fading. Really happy with how the run up went after the maintenance and rebuilt parts.
 
No check that...NOT happy. IA has had my log books for a month and a half. I was told that I could put the plane back together so I did expecting to be in the air this weekend. Friday night I got a call from my mechanic saying that the IA found an AD which required the torque links to be removed, stripped and dye penetrant inspected and the last record of it was 700 hours ago. (required every 500).

He's had my log books for over 6 weeks and just NOW has bothered to do the AD search? Never again. I'm writing the check and never using them again. I've lived and learned.
 
I like your post because you've made the command decision to say screw those people.

I feel for you because of the nightmare you've been through with this annual.
 
I'm so ****ed right now. Since I started this annual I've had two people talk to me about this dynamic duo of back burner bull crap. I wish I'd met them before I started.
 
Timbeck2 said:
I'm so ****ed right now. Since I started this annual I've had two people talk to me about this dynamic duo of back burner bull crap. I wish I'd met them before I started.
Click to expand...

That seems to always be the way it is with this stuff. "OH. You're dealing with HIM? Yeah I could have told you he was..."

Well why couldn't you have mentioned that when I brought up this place 2 months and $6,000 ago?
 
What do they say...experience is what you get right after you needed it? When I tell them I'm not going to be using their "services" next year I hope they ask why. I doubt they will because they should know already. Sucks because the A&P is a good mechanic (when he shows up) that allows me to do most the work on my own and he is part owner of the 172 in the hangar right next to me so I have to see him all the time.
 
You can get a normal RPM drop on runup magneto test and still not be timed correctly or still have a magneto problem. Runup magneto test, if it fails, means you have a failure. If it doesn't fail, you could still have a failure. Lots of tests are like that.
 
Update and question. I put this in another thread which was an inadvertent hijack of same.

Last time I flew my plane was March 30th. I asked to be put on the schedule back in early February. They didn't start my annual until April 18th making the excuse that they forgot and there were planes ahead of me. The IA came for my records for review and AD search on April 20th. My mechanic and I did the entire checklist for the annual. The magnetos took two weeks to send and get back from Montana. All the other parts were in and installed within a week. The only face I see and the only person who will answer his phone and/or texts is my mechanic. The IA will not answer his phone or reply to texts. Last Thursday my mechanic said that I could put the plane back together which I did and was finished Friday morning. Friday night the mechanic and the IA met for beer at a bar and my mechanic called me and said that the IA had found an AD which required the torque links to be removed, stripped and inspected for cracks. The IA has had my records for 46 days and just then had "found" the AD. Last Saturday I removed the torque links, stripped them and made them available in my hangar. My mechanic came by on Monday afternoon and did the inspection. I painted them that night and installed them Tuesday and told the mechanic they were finished. All inspections are complete. I STILL do not have the sign off from the IA and my mechanic said that the IA couldn't get the sticker to print and had ordered ink. I suggested the IA do it the old fashioned way and use a pen. As of this writing, I STILL do not have a sign off. It has been 54 days since the start of the annual and I don't have a plane to fly.

I left out the discussions I've had with my mechanic who bears the brunt of my anger.

Other than waiting patiently until the IA decides to un-ass himself from his lofty perch and sign the annual off what can I do? Telling him that his "services" won't be needed in the future is a given.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Update and question. I put this in another thread which was an inadvertent hijack of same.

Last time I flew my plane was March 30th. I asked to be put on the schedule back in early February. They didn't start my annual until April 18th making the excuse that they forgot and there were planes ahead of me. The IA came for my records for review and AD search on April 20th. My mechanic and I did the entire checklist for the annual. The magnetos took two weeks to send and get back from Montana. All the other parts were in and installed within a week. The only face I see and the only person who will answer his phone and/or texts is my mechanic. The IA will not answer his phone or reply to texts. Last Thursday my mechanic said that I could put the plane back together which I did and was finished Friday morning. Friday night the mechanic and the IA met for beer at a bar and my mechanic called me and said that the IA had found an AD which required the torque links to be removed, stripped and inspected for cracks. The IA has had my records for 46 days and just then had "found" the AD. Last Saturday I removed the torque links, stripped them and made them available in my hangar. My mechanic came by on Monday afternoon and did the inspection. I painted them that night and installed them Tuesday and told the mechanic they were finished. All inspections are complete. I STILL do not have the sign off from the IA and my mechanic said that the IA couldn't get the sticker to print and had ordered ink. I suggested the IA do it the old fashioned way and use a pen. As of this writing, I STILL do not have a sign off. It has been 54 days since the start of the annual and I don't have a plane to fly.

I left out the discussions I've had with my mechanic who bears the brunt of my anger.

Other than waiting patiently until the IA decides to un-ass himself from his lofty perch and sign the annual off what can I do? Telling him that his "services" won't be needed in the future is a given.
Click to expand...
This all sucks. Thanks for sharing your experience. Let us know when you get done with this nightmare and get back in the sky!
 
And the latest crumb of suck on the suck cake, the IA was supposed to come by my hanger today to give me my logs with the sign off sticker. He never showed up and I was there from seven to one. I sent a text to which he didn't respond and will undoubtedly claim that he never received.
 
Timbeck2 said:
And the latest crumb of suck on the suck cake, the IA was supposed to come by my hanger today to give me my logs with the sign off sticker. He never showed up and I was there from seven to one. I sent a text to which he didn't respond and will undoubtedly claim that he never received.
Click to expand...

If only you could make these guys Yelp famous. =\
 
Timbeck2 said:
And the latest crumb of suck on the suck cake, the IA was supposed to come by my hanger today to give me my logs with the sign off sticker. He never showed up and I was there from seven to one. I sent a text to which he didn't respond and will undoubtedly claim that he never received.
Click to expand...
what time did you arrange?....without an appointment I could see where he'd no show.
 
Timbeck2 said:
And the latest crumb of suck on the suck cake, the IA was supposed to come by my hanger today to give me my logs with the sign off sticker. He never showed up and I was there from seven to one. I sent a text to which he didn't respond and will undoubtedly claim that he never received.
Click to expand...

I would be seriously considering telling him I will be charging him for my wasted time. Net it off their invoice and see what they do.

The message appears pretty clear from this vantage point - these people do NOT want your business.
 
Next time there will be a contract stating that if the aircraft is not signed off in a timely manner after all maintenance has been performed, X amount will be deducted from the fee every day thereafter. I will not go through this again.

Check Fishsticks - There was no appointed time other than the mechanic telling me that the IA "would be there tomorrow" to give me my logs and sign off. I of course tried to call and text said IA to nail down a time but of course he didn't respond or answer his phone or message left thereon. I was there from 7am until 1 pm and couldn't stand the heat any longer so I went home leaving yet another message and text saying that I waited as long as I could and that my hangar was unlocked and the compression numbers he needed to sign off the log were on the wing. No response and no logs this morning.

So I flew my plane this morning and enjoyed every minute of it.
 
Timbeck2 said:
So I flew my plane this morning and enjoyed every minute of it.
Click to expand...

Good for you man. I'm glad you got back up in the air. Mechanic and IA both said you're good to go... just waiting on a T to get crossed. ;)

The concerns Walboy brought up are worth keeping in mind, but I totally get it.
 
Sounds like there won't be a next time with this shop. I seriously doubt you're gonna get a contract signed.
 
Logs book is signed just not delivered Walt. The IA gave his blessing through the mechanic. Text read and I quote: " **** (name of he who shall not be mentioned ever again except to talk someone out of using him) said you're good to go in the morning. He will be there and come over to see you."

Check Fishstick - with the next one.
 
Purred like a kitten. 5-6 knots at least faster (I put the wheel pants on since I'm not bouncing any landing anymore) with the new engine mounts. I flew it up the Ak Chin and got fuel then back to Tucson. Couldn't be happier.
 
Absolutely, the IA didn't do squat except show up to get the logs. I did 95% of the work with my A&P supervising. So yeah, I'd say the mechanic did an exceptional job.
 
However and remember this is still under the "lessons learned" forum: My OAT read 131 degrees American, instructions say to keep it at least 8" away from a heat source like the tail pipe. I used an existing hole of unknown purpose that was just ahead and to the right of my transponder antenna. Turns out it is directly behind the engine vent tube. Duh. So now I have to relocate the OAT sensor...somewhere.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top