apenney

Thanks.

It was $2100 non-assisted but yeah I appreciate that use and age will add to my costs. Not that it is relevant here but technically the plane is 43 years old

Thanks everyone for the feedback. It’s good to know that I’ll be better prepared next year. Overall, I’m satisfied and will blame myself for not being more informed about how things typically work during an annual. I guess this is one more example of why learning is a lifelong process!

$87/hr

Yeah, unfortunately, it was a hand over the keys situation. Was out of town for work the entire time and it coincided with the time the annual was due. I'll try to time it better next year so that I am around. Plus, I'd really like to see the plane when its innards are uncovered so that I have a better familiarity with it.

So any plane produced after the effective date (October 1973) doesn't have to do this?

No relationship. Not a MSC. I believe they were considering trying to become one. They deal with small planes like ours and some non-jet warbirds.

The plane was well cared for by the previous owner. Was listed here on MS actually As far as the annual goes, things weren't presented as options and nothing was ever distinguished as an airworthy vs non-airworthy item. Sounds like I should have had a discussion along the lines of contact me with a list of non-airworthiness items and we can discuss what I'd like to address. A learning experience.

My '76 F just got out of the first annual as the new owner and this is my first plane too. Not a MSC. The inspection and basic consumables were 2100. They found lots of little things but also some more time consuming things I wasn't expecting. Being new to this, I just don't have any perspective on what is typical and what seems out of the ordinary. Here are some highlights: 1. According to the A&P, AD 73-21-01a (lube) didn't look like it had been done recently, even though it was logged last year. The plane was flown 130 hrs since the last annual and my understanding is that it is a 100 hr check - correct? He based it on the appearance/accumulation of "gunk" throughout. So 6.5 hrs of work later and all is well apparently. I wasn't there for the inspection so didn't' see it. Also there was "gunk" clogging the drain holes in the the tail/stinger area which was an additional 2 hours. 2. Left brake caliper leak required disassembly and bleed - 3 hrs 3 Brake lining rivets were installed incorrectly and had to be drilled out and new ones installed - Less than an hour but surprised to learn that something was installed backwards 4. Loose tinnerman clips on all the wing, belly, and tail panels - so they squeezed every nut with pliers to tighten....4hrs 5. Leaking fuel sending unit needed new gasket so clean/inspect 1.6hrs. All in all, the above list and many little things doubled the cost of the annual. Though I was expecting findings during the annual that would need to be addressed, I didn't think it would be double the cost worth. I've heard of some who have had 10K+ annuals though so maybe I should consider myself lucky. This was the first annual at this facility and I'm guessing that makes a difference as well.

Curious to know more about N231FG. I'm not currently looking but when I was last year, I was in communication with the owner and traded a few emails. I didn't proceed because of the recent flight times and also I stumbled across my current plane which was a little less of a mystery at the time.

Thanks for the insights. The AD list was signed off by the last IA, ADs are referenced in log entries where addressed, and I have the complete logs. Fortunately I also have open communication lines with the two previous owners - when questions have come up, they have been gracious with their time. In fact, one of them lives in my state and I flew out and met him last year! I’m grateful.

Yes, there is an AD compliance record as well as a narrative and list that the previous owner (who used to be on Mooneyspace) also compiled with explanations to make it easier to follow for a new owner.

I wonder if something personal was going on back in 2001. The good news (I think) is that the annual the year prior to this one was with Dugosh and the subsequent 5 years years when the plane was in California, annuals were at Top Gun and Lasar...then Wilmar when the plane relocated to the midwest. Currently in my first annual (and my first plane ownership year) as the current owner so this is a new experience for me. Decided to do it at my home base just outside of MIlwaukee. Though not a MSC, they take care of several Mooneys in the area and I wanted to develop a relationship with a facility I can depend on locally for things that might come up between annuals. May go to Wilmar for an annual when its time for my tank reseal.

What do you mean?

It was actually the 2nd page of the annual inspection entry and was titled as such.

Yeah different one.

2 days later, there was a transponder/alt/static check and the day after that an A&P IA put in a "returned to service" entry.

Just going thru old log entries and hadn’t noticed this until now. It’s dated 2001 but I was surprised to see it. Why would the owner feel the need to comment in the log? Has anyone else done this or seen anything similar? I initially laughed when I saw it.

Did you have any issues regarding magnetism of the tubular frame requiring balancing balls or degaussing?

Thanks for the information. I may just keep the whiskey for now. I use the 430 compass occasionally when I want to double check my headings.

I'm considering adding a vertical compass card to my '76 F. When I mentioned it to the avionics guy on my field, he discouraged it because of the hassle with the tubular airframe and magnetism. Does he have a good point?

During the final 15 minutes of a cross country this week, I was about to be handed off to the CTAF but approach wasn't responding to my replies. I noticed the PTT switch on my yoke was lose...then noticed the nut was almost off. I think I couldn't depress the switch down enough to activate it. I couldn't screw it back on in flight so I plugged into the co-pilot side and used that PTT switch the rest of the flight and back. Is there anything more to this securing the switch other than the lose nut? Also, my socket doesn't fit in this small diameter space. Next I'll bring some needle nose pliers but just wanted to check in case anything else might be involved. Annual is next week but figured I can at least screw in a nut. Thanks.

I've definitely been on the wrong CTAF frequency before.

Yeah, that may literally happen.

Just learned of this. Seems that the sun may have played a role. Haven't heard if they were on CTAF or not. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x3qtD1Y8Fs