Question on annual sign off date rules

ArrowFlyer86

ArrowFlyer86

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I am expecting my annual might be done next week but I won't be around to pick up the plane until the end of the month or early July. I'd prefer not to have a signoff at the end of june.
My question is: does the IA have to give it a signoff date of when the annual is actually complete, or is it OK to ask them to hold onto the airplane until the 1st of July and then give it a July signoff? The difference is just a handful of days maybe a week and a half.

I'm not trying to maneuver around the rules -- just trying to understand if it's fair to specifically ask them not to officially wrap it up before july. I'm trying to get the airplane on a July/August annual schedule since it's when I typically do the least flying due to heat.
 
I do that all the time with my A&P, bring it in at the end of the month and tell him I want him to date it the next. Never even thought it would be an issue. I mean, if you button it up on the 31st and test fire it on the 1st, it gets signed off on the 1st.
 
The Annual can be signed as soon as the final detail of the INSPECTION is

completed . However; it is common to wait until all discrepancies are

corrected as well. Some folks say it’s referred to as an “Annual” because

it takes a year to complete.

The run-up and op check of the Ignition Switch does not complete the

INSPECTION. Signing it may.

If the IA does the INSPECTION and the A&P addresses the corrective action

you will likely have the earlier date unless the IA is available to return.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
My question is: does the IA have to give it a signoff date of when the annual is actually complete, or is it OK to ask them to hold onto the airplane until the 1st of July and then give it a July signoff?
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Perfectly acceptable to ask. Its up to the IA when the inspection is done.
 
I know of an instance where the IA completed the Inspection

but did not sign it off due to a concern with the prop bolts.

Then the IA passed. The owner had to have the aircraft re-inspected.

Of course there were other items discovered! Could have been a LOT

worse.
 
Magman said:
I know of an instance where the IA completed the Inspection

but did not sign it off due to a concern with the prop bolts.

Then the IA passed. The owner had to have the aircraft re-inspected.

Of course there were other items discovered! Could have been a LOT

worse.
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Why would an IA hold a plane? It's a liability every second it's in their possession. Sign the annual, give a list of discrepancies. There is ZERO liability on the IA if you fly an airplane with outstanding discrepancies.

Owners don't read FARs, so they?
 
The aircraft was in the owners hangar all of the time.

Note the IA was no longer concerned with liability! Permanently.

Obviously neither person knew what was going to happen and planned

to finish after the new bolts arrived.

Many owners believe there is a “stigma” to using the Discrepancy List.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
I am expecting my annual might be done next week but I won't be around to pick up the plane until the end of the month or early July. I'd prefer not to have a signoff at the end of june.
My question is: does the IA have to give it a signoff date of when the annual is actually complete, or is it OK to ask them to hold onto the airplane until the 1st of July and then give it a July signoff? The difference is just a handful of days maybe a week and a half.

I'm not trying to maneuver around the rules -- just trying to understand if it's fair to specifically ask them not to officially wrap it up before july. I'm trying to get the airplane on a July/August annual schedule since it's when I typically do the least flying due to heat.
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Perfectly legal and pretty common. The "13 month annual". My IA usually asks if I want him to wait if the plane is done within a week or so of the end of the month.
 
I would just ask your IA to complete the inspection early July, should be non event.
 
The last few years I have moved my annual from hot July to September when it is a little cooler since we do it in my hangar.
 
It seems there are at least 2 choices with scheduling the Annual:

1. Do it at the same time every year. ( Like Gary)

2. Get the 13 month Annual. This means the month keeps changing.

It can become an issue when these bunch up at the same time.

Particularly if it’s flying season.

Generally my priority is to Option 1 folks.
 
Magman said:
It seems there are at least 2 choices with scheduling the Annual:

1. Do it at the same time every year. ( Like Gary)

2. Get the 13 month Annual. This means the month keeps changing.

It can become an issue when these bunch up at the same time.

Particularly if it’s flying season.

Generally my priority is to Option 1 folks.
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I always brought mine in October, because with harvest I hardly have time to fly in Oct. anyway. Now with the engine overhaul, my last signoff was in March IIRC. So now I have to decide if I want to 13 month it back to October (which will take most of a decade and ruin a lot of summer flying along the way), switch to a planting season annual, or just go back to October and write off that extra five months.
 
Jim K said:
I always brought mine in October, because with harvest I hardly have time to fly in Oct. anyway. Now with the engine overhaul, my last signoff was in March IIRC. So now I have to decide if I want to 13 month it back to October (which will take most of a decade and ruin a lot of summer flying along the way), switch to a planting season annual, or just go back to October and write off that extra five months.
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At one time, I did 11 month annuals, so it moved forward in the year to crappier flying weather. Started in May, moved it back slowly to like February. Unfortunately over the years, it has crept back to later in the year. Going in next week. Probably get signed off in July.
 
EdFred said:
At one time, I did 11 month annuals, so it moved forward in the year to crappier flying weather. Started in May, moved it back slowly to like February. Unfortunately over the years, it has crept back to later in the year. Going in next week. Probably get signed off in July.
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Same here. I did it early once to get it where I wanted quick...thinking Jan/Feb would be great. Nope. Too cold for everyone, and most don't like breathing the heater fumes for hours at a time. Settling on March/April now. Plenty of rain round here then.
 
NOT a joke.

April 1 st is the start of the FAA Year for IA’s.

It got it’s other name because of folks that didn’t do the Annual earlier

and want to fly NOW as the weather breaks. There are many factors with

the “When” portion for both Owner and IA.

Even in winter there are tolerable days in cold hangars.

If the Owner opens things up I can get a lot of looking done in a couple

hours. Possibly order and have needed parts on hand.

Folks in Florida are in the dark regarding these comments?
 
I've always done the "13 month Annual" as an owner-assist in my own hangar with my A&P/IA. Airplane was delivered new in October, 2001, and have done only 21 Annual Inspections in the time since (instead of the 23 I would have had to do if I did it the same month every year). I live in S. Texas, so there aren't any really cold months to avoid working in the hangar...
 
Skyrys62 said:
Same here. I did it early once to get it where I wanted quick...thinking Jan/Feb would be great. Nope. Too cold for everyone, and most don't like breathing the heater fumes for hours at a time. Settling on March/April now. Plenty of rain round here then.
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Luckily, for now, maintenance is at the home field, and he has a heated hangar large enough to fit three planes, and another heated that they probably have space for five in. They are busy with annuals all 12 months of the year.
 
NavAir said:
I've always done the "13 month Annual" as an owner-assist in my own hangar with my A&P/IA. Airplane was delivered new in October, 2001, and have done only 21 Annual Inspections in the time since (instead of the 23 I would have had to do if I did it the same month every year). I live in S. Texas, so there aren't any really cold months to avoid working in the hangar...
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“I don’t always do annuals…but when I do, they are are 13 month annuals…”
 

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Bell206 said:
How so? I've held aircraft under my care and never felt it was a liability.
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Your feelings are not part of your insurance policy.

Hangar rash is a thing. Never banged your head on a high wing Cessna? (all hail the pool noodle!) Then there is the loss of income as your floor space is used when another paying customer is turned away. If the plane is being stored while you let it sit tell the owner there is a per day storage fee.... or is there some area's where IAs/AnP are NOT scheduled out weeks/months??

If its in the owners hangar then that different. If a customers plane is in your hangar then you are 100% responsible for damages.

Wow, some people don't know how to business. FBO's have zero trouble making you pay, AnPs/IAs need to learn that lesson.
 
pfarber said:
Your feelings are not part of your insurance policy.
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Interesting. But still don’t follow what point you’re trying make as there’s nothing special in what you mention.
One, my insurance covered any aircraft under my care whether inside or outside. So no concern.
Two, I never said I would keep the aircraft in my shop. Just under my care or possession. So my workflow or income was never affected.
Three, in 40+ years of maintaining aircraft, I’ve only had 2 instances of “hangar rash” and both were with helicopters.
Four, in the context of the OP we’re only talking about 1-2 weeks, so why should I charge them rent? Maybe you need the extra money, but I never did.
Five, seems the only lessons that need to be learned are on your part especially if you have difficulty walking around aircraft without hitting your head. Have you ever operated your own shop?
 
If you're just trying to get the few weeks out of the time the plane sits at the shop, hopefully they will work with you and sign it off when you pick it up.

If you're trying to move the month. Always bring it in the 3rd or 4th week of the month it is due in and tell the mechanic you're trying to move the month you're do. Because of multiple reasons my date moved out of March, which I really liked. This year I'm up to June and the shop has me on the schedule for the last part of June, which will put the signoff in July. Couple of more years and I'll be back out of the prime summer flying months and won't be worried about how long the plane is in the shop for them to complete the Annual.
 
I usually do the 13 month thing, but not this year. My annual expired the end of June, but they had an opening in early June. I took it, out already.

It’s easy to gain a month during cold season. I just wanted the plane available for the bulk of Summer flying. It’s also easy to get tripped up in early July, holiday & all.

I think a potential biggie would be if they held the sign off, but the owner had access and flew the plane. I realize a non-event with most of this, grabbing a few days while the plane sits.
 
A 13 month annual would be nice, except for those darned 12 month vs. 12 calendar month ADs.
 
farmrjohn said:
A 13 month annual would be nice, except for those darned 12 month vs. 12 calendar month ADs.
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If the AD says "every 12 months" rather than "at the next annual" you don't have to have them in sync.
Similarly, the ELT whip test only needs to be done annually, not synced to the annual (though everybody does).
 
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