How long of a wait for annual?

Grum.Man

Grum.Man

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Grum.Man
I know that every airport is different, but typically how much notice and how long do you guys have to wait for the annual to be done on your airplane? My airplane is at a relatively small airport that is privately owned. There are about 93 airplanes there of which probably half are airworthy. I let the on field mechanic know a month in advance that my annual was coming due.

I have been asking for an update as to when he will start on it and I keep getting answers like "we will get it on the schedule". So I am just curious as to what the standard seems to be for giving notice of an annual that's about to expire. Mine expired on 3-31 and he has yet to start on it.
 
Get a ferry permit and bring it somewhere else.
 
Find another mechanic,ferry permit and get it done. With it. Just sitting ,it's doing no one any good.
 
Wait time, meh; maybe a week :dunno:

Get on your type support forums and find a RECOMMENDED AP IA.

Good chance you could get the annual done in your hangar.
 
I sent him one last e-mail tonight since he never answers his phone. There is another guy on the field that does annuals for friends but I didn't want to take work from the mechanic and give it to someone else. Looks like he must not need it.

On a side note he is also the airport manager. Back in July I inquired about enclosed hangars. There were a couple open but some of those were in disrepair. The one that was in good shape and available I didn't really want. There was a standalone hangar on the "fun row" that I wanted but was claimed to not be in rental shape. For a while he was storing equipment from his shop in it but now it has a renter in it. Needless to say I am not happy at all about that!
 
Grum.Man said:
I know that every airport is different, but typically how much notice and how long do you guys have to wait for the annual to be done on your airplane? My airplane is at a relatively small airport that is privately owned. There are about 93 airplanes there of which probably half are airworthy. I let the on field mechanic know a month in advance that my annual was coming due.

I have been asking for an update as to when he will start on it and I keep getting answers like "we will get it on the schedule". So I am just curious as to what the standard seems to be for giving notice of an annual that's about to expire. Mine expired on 3-31 and he has yet to start on it.
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Have you told him to start on it yet? If not and that is their answer, you should be able to get started any time you want, lots of shops big enough to do that, they usually take a couple days per average GA plane if there are no major issues found. The shop I worked at, three days notice was pretty typical.
 
Henning said:
Have you told him to start on it yet? If not and that is their answer, you should be able to get started any time you want, lots of shops big enough to do that, they usually take a couple days per average GA plane if there are no major issues found. The shop I worked at, three days notice was pretty typical.
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Yes I told him the annual would expire at the end of the month and to let me know when he was going to start on it so I could bring by the logs and such. On the 31st I sent him another e-mail reminding him it had gone out of annual and I had placed everything inside the airplane.
 
Grum.Man said:
Yes I told him the annual would expire at the end of the month and to let me know when he was going to start on it so I could bring by the logs and such. On the 31st I sent him another e-mail reminding him it had gone out of annual and I had placed everything inside the airplane.
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Pull it up to the hangar door, if he can't get to it, take it somewhere else.
 
What's your location?

call FSDO and see how many IAs are in the area. You'd be surprised how many Tailgaters there are that will come to your hangar.
 
Henning said:
Pull it up to the hangar door, if he can't get to it, take it somewhere else.
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Go ahead, pizz him off, he is the airport manager ya know.
 
Tom-D said:
What's your location?

call FSDO and see how many IAs are in the area. You'd be surprised how many Tailgaters there are that will come to your hangar.
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That's the last thing he needs, some knuckle dragger dude pulling up in his beat truck to "fitz duh airplane"

Best to get someone that the other Grumman owners recommend.

Second option, get a AP IA other non Grumman owners recommend
 
Grum.Man said:
Yes I told him the annual would expire at the end of the month and to let me know when he was going to start on it so I could bring by the logs and such. On the 31st I sent him another e-mail reminding him it had gone out of annual and I had placed everything inside the airplane.
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I wouldn't leave the logs in the plane :no:

Now days no one ever touches the logs but me, they are all scanned and OCRed, I hand the mechanic a cheapie thumb drive, plane gets inspected, lubed and tweaked if needed and I get a sticker.
 
Maybe a 12 month annual would have been a better plan than a 13 month annual? There's a sign on my office wall that says poor planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on my part. Give the guy a chance to do you right and plan ahead for his rhythm of work next time. Maybe find out what he likes. A bottle of Jack or a case of beer greases the wheels in many situations.
 
James331 said:
That's the last thing he needs, some knuckle dragger dude pulling up in his beat truck to "fitz duh airplane"

Best to get someone that the other Grumman owners recommend.

Second option, get a AP IA other non Grumman owners recommend
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Grumman is a pretty much a brick simple aircraft, and whats the difference in inspecting a Lycoming in a Grumman than any other lycoming? or how much different are the wheels tires and brakes than any other?

There is actually a MM for them, and A&Ps are required to be able to read and understand instructions.
 
Tom-D said:
Go ahead, pizz him off, he is the airport manager ya know.
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Doesn't matter, he can either get the job done or not. If he can't manage to get the work done when people need it done, he's a **** poor manager and doesnt deserve to get the work. Let's not forget that the owner is the customer, not a servant.
 
Tom-D said:
Grumman is a pretty much a brick simple aircraft, and whats the difference in inspecting a Lycoming in a Grumman than any other lycoming? or how much different are the wheels tires and brakes than any other?

There is actually a MM for them, and A&Ps are required to be able to read and understand instructions.
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And yet some still manage some whoppers.

Always best to get someone recommended by a owner.


... Would those maintenance manuals help the AP know what model aircraft they were working on :wink2:
 
Henning said:
Doesn't matter, he can either get the job done or not. If he can't manage to get the work done when people need it done, he's a **** poor manager and doesnt deserve to get the work. Let's not forget that the owner is the customer, not a servant.
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When that kind of attitude, you'd probably get kicked off the airport what then?
 
Henning said:
Try to kick me off the airport for something like that and you won't be manager much longer.
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It's a private field, remember?

Pick up your sh--, and take your funny little aircraft and get off my airport.

And all you can do is comply, before he calls the cops.
 
Tom-D said:
James331 said:
And yet some still manage some whoppers.

Like what kind of whoppers?

why?





maybe.
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Why, because at least you have somewhat of a idea the guy isn't a total asshat.

I've had a AP do unauthorized work and ask to be paid

I've had a AP fiddle around under the panel, when his fat arse couldn't get out he started grabbing, broke some trim pieces, said "uhh that was already cracked right?"

Others have left tools in the plane, and no not somewhere obvious like the seat...


Every one of the above instances, it was just who ever I could find because I was in a bind, all the APs I've used who came recommended by someone I respect, zero issues.

YMMV, but I highly doubt it.
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While he is the so called "manager" he isn't the owner so he couldn't kick me out. I wouldn't do something that would put me in that situation anyhow. I will also not beg, or bribe someone to take my money in exchange for work. There are other A&P IA's but I was trying to do right by him since he did the last annual on the airplane. I think a month's notice to a expiring annual is plenty of planning on my part.

I find it rather humorous how stringent FAA regulations are yet there are so many shade tree A&P guys. Every airplane I or my father have owned had pencil whipped annuals, things not done correctly, things missed during inspections, and down right lies.
 
Henning said:
The shop I worked at, three days notice was pretty typical.
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My mechanic is great, but he's a one man show. If I tried to give him three days' notice, he'd just laugh since he usually has 3 or 4 planes in his hangar at any point in time. I know how he operates so I give him 6 weeks to 2 months' notice (at least). That helps both him and me.

He'll get me in right away if I have an emergency but it's not like we don't know when our annuals are due. Common courtesy and prior planning go a long way.

PPPPPP.
 
Grum.Man said:
I find it rather humorous how stringent FAA regulations are yet there are so many shade tree A&P guys. Every airplane I or my father have owned had pencil whipped annuals, things not done correctly, things missed during inspections, and down right lies.
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An unfortunate fact. The FAA screwed up royally (IMO) back when they changed the IA test from the essay type to multiple choice. This opened the gates for many under qualified A&P holders to get the IA certificate and began "selling their signatures".

At least under the old system they had control over the process and who held the IA.
 
I make it a point to use a different A&P to annual my planes every year. Even with experimentals an extra set of eyes on the plane is never a bad thing.

OP, don't even hesitate to take the plane to another shop. It is in YOUR best interest if the guy is that busy.
 
James331 said:
That's the last thing he needs, some knuckle dragger dude pulling up in his beat truck to "fitz duh airplane"
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Meh. THE best[1] mechanic we ever had was a guy who towed his "shop"[2] behind his F-350 pickup. The inside of that trailer was well set up and spotless, and he had all the generators/compressors/tools/presses/jacks/whatever needed to do the job. He was also extremely honest and talented. Great guy!

Sadly for us, he got on full time with the local air ambulance outfit and now repairs helos. His gain, our loss. I'd go back to him in a NY minute.

[1] And that includes our experience with the "official" type service center in our region.
[2] 35' enclosed trailer
 
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RotorAndWing said:
An unfortunate fact. The FAA screwed up royally (IMO) back when they changed the IA test from the essay type to multiple choice. This opened the gates for many under qualified A&P holders to get the IA certificate and began "selling their signatures".

At least under the old system they had control over the process and who held the IA.
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I find that offensive. I've been a shade tree mechanic for a decade right after working my transport category stuff 40hrs/week. :D
 
Henning said:
Doesn't matter, he can either get the job done or not. If he can't manage to get the work done when people need it done, he's a **** poor manager and doesnt deserve to get the work. Let's not forget that the owner is the customer, not a servant.
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I like Henning, but sometimes think that he is a little too rash. In this case, he is right on the money. You shouldn't have to go to your mechanic with your hat in your hand. If he's doing it for free, then maybe you do, but if you're paying him, your money is as good as his other customers. If not, ferry it somewhere else and "get 'er done!"

Are you not one to do an owner assisted annual? If so, find someone that will come to you and do it in YOUR hangar. Take everything off that he tells you to take off, then have him come back and do the inspection. I have never done this, but have seen several people do it with good results.

I have an air ambulance service on my little 12 hangar field and their mechanic does my annual in my hangar in his spare time, with me doing what he says. He is VERY THOROUGH and won't let anything slide. I like that. It's MY butt in that plane, so I kind of like to know that it is as safe as it can be made to be.
 
Geico266 said:
I make it a point to use a different A&P to annual my planes every year. Even with experimentals an extra set of eyes on the plane is never a bad thing.

OP, don't even hesitate to take the plane to another shop. It is in YOUR best interest if the guy is that busy.
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Using a different mechanic is not at all a bad plan as long as you know something about each one.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Meh. THE best[1] mechanic we ever had was a guy who towed his "shop"[2] behind his F-350 pickup. The inside of that trailer was well set up and spotless, and he had all the generators/compressors/tools/presses/jacks/whatever needed to do the job. He was also extremely honest and talented. Great guy!

Sadly for us, he got on full time with the local air ambulance outfit and now repairs helos. His gain, our loss. I'd go back to him in a NY minute.

[1] And that includes our experience with the "official" type service center in our region.
[2] 35' enclosed trailer
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There is a difference between a real craftsman with a mobile shop, service manuals and the like, and some dude in a old Datsun pickup with one rinky tool box, no or outdated manuals, who doesn't appear to know a C150 from a C130.
 
Geico266 said:
I make it a point to use a different A&P to annual my planes every year. Even with experimentals an extra set of eyes on the plane is never a bad thing.

OP, don't even hesitate to take the plane to another shop. It is in YOUR best interest if the guy is that busy.
Click to expand...

That gets expensive and time consuming.

Always found it best to get a GOOD and dependable AP IA who also has enough business sense to answer phones and emails and bring in help as needed.

They will know your plane better and better each annual, it will cost you less, take less time and the hours spent will be better spent with gained familiarity with your plane.
 
How quick this page's participants jump on an A&P. with out knowing the circumstances. The guy could be dead, for Christ sake.

There are many A&P-IAs will that'll come to your hangar, and remember, they are doing an inspection. Who repairs any thing they find is up to the owner.

The 2% make 100% of the news.
 
Pretty much all the tools and equipment required to perform an annual inspection will fit in the passenger seat of my Pontiac.
 
bluerooster said:
Pretty much all the tools and equipment required to perform an annual inspection will fit in the passenger seat of my Pontiac.
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What tools and equipment are required to be an IA?
 
We typically schedule with a mechanic a month before it's due to "get it on his schedule". We've done that with 3 different shops and they've always started on it within a few days of the scheduled start time.

So yes - you are getting hosed
 
Tom-D said:
What tools and equipment are required to be an IA?
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A pen.
An inspection mirror(s).
Some sort of ignition timing apparatus.
Some sort of cylinder compression apparatus.
Some method of categorizing ADs, whether that be computer, microfiche, or paper.

What did I leave out???

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
A pen.
An inspection mirror(s).
Some sort of ignition timing apparatus.
Some sort of cylinder compression apparatus.
Some method of categorizing ADs, whether that be computer, microfiche, or paper.

What did I leave out???

Jim
Click to expand...

I would think with the proliferation of extended sighting devices, most would carry one of those as well.
 
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