Annual duration

[gsxrpilot]

On November 9, 2015 at 3:55:00 AM, NotarPilot said:

Are any of you getting an annual done in a day like I do? I've done 4 annuals with the same IA and I always fly it in in the morning, stay to help out, and fly it out in the afternoon? Is this too short? I haven't had any issues with the plane and we still have time to change tires, brakes, things that need to be addressed as they come up.

Where does this annual take place?  I'd love to come watch just for the quick and condensed Mooney education. I'll bring lunch :-)

[cnoe]

On November 9, 2015 at 3:55:00 AM, NotarPilot said: Are any of you getting an annual done in a day like I do? I've done 4 annuals with the same IA and I always fly it in in the morning, stay to help out, and fly it out in the afternoon? Is this too short? I haven't had any issues with the plane and we still have time to change tires, brakes, things that need to be addressed as they come up.

Where does this annual take place?  I'd love to come watch just for the quick and condensed Mooney education. I'll bring lunch :-)

I'm not sure about doing it in one day Paul but you're welcome to come down and watch/help with my next annual in May. It only requires that you remove your share of the inspection panels. We break for lunch at noon and if you'll give me 3 good hours I'll buy YOUR lunch.

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[NotarPilot]

Paul, my A&P IA is based at El Monte, CA KEMT and it always takes place in October.

[Hector]

My annuals typically go like this.....Day 1, take airplane up early in the morning and check everything in the cockpit and all instruments. Land an taxi to my mechanics hangar, de-cowl, perform compression checks and mag timing while engine still warm. Tow airplane to my hangar, oil change,collect oil sample, replace oil filter and check oil screen. Remove all access panels. Day 2.....Remove seats and carpet and side panels. Remove access panels under rear seat. Visual inspection of entire airframe with flash light and mirror (I go over it all first, then my IA comes over and repeats and we compare notes). Day 3......lube everything including prop but not the landing gear). Check off all the lube tasks in the Mooney annual check list, replace all the gyro filters, check all the flight control bearings and rod ends for condition and play. Work off any gripes. Day 4...... Jack airplane and do all the landing gear swings and lube tasks and check preload. Repack wheel bearings. Flush the hydraulic system by pushing new hyd fluid from the mains. Complete all remaining tasks in the Mooney annual checklist (IA comes over to give everything a once over and witness the preload test). Day 5.....Corrosion-X every other year, put everything back together. Day 6......Wash and Wax. Day 7...... Engine ground run with IA in copilot seat. My IA would have completed all the paperwork by this time. If everything is in order, complete post maintenance check flight. I don't see any possible way to do all of this in one day. Granted, maybe not all of this is required during an annual, but is what I do and think necessary to make sure my old bird is in good shape. The little tube on the back of my rudder is not there to hold my pencil whipped annual

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Hector said:

My annuals typically go like this.....Day 1, take airplane up early in the morning and check everything in the cockpit and all instruments. Land an taxi to my mechanics hangar, de-cowl, perform compression checks and mag timing while engine still warm. Tow airplane to my hangar, oil change,collect oil sample, replace oil filter and check oil screen. Remove all access panels. Day 2.....Remove seats and carpet and side panels. Remove access panels under rear seat. Visual inspection of entire airframe with flash light and mirror (I go over it all first, then my IA comes over and repeats and we compare notes). Day 3......lube everything including prop but not the landing gear). Check off all the lube tasks in the Mooney annual check list, replace all the gyro filters, check all the flight control bearings and rod ends for condition and play. Work off any gripes. Day 4...... Jack airplane and do all the landing gear swings and lube tasks and check preload. Repack wheel bearings. Flush the hydraulic system by pushing new hyd fluid from the mains. Complete all remaining tasks in the Mooney annual checklist (IA comes over to give everything a once over and witness the preload test). Day 5.....Corrosion-X every other year, put everything back together. Day 6......Wash and Wax. Day 7...... Engine ground run with IA in copilot seat. My IA would have completed all the paperwork by this time. If everything is in order, complete post maintenance check flight. I don't see any possible way to do all of this in one day. Granted, maybe not all of this is required during an annual, but is what I do and think necessary to make sure my old bird is in good shape. The little tube on the back of my rudder is not there to hold my pencil whipped annual

I never knew what the tube on the rudder was for!  This forum is great.

Clarence

[Shadrach]

On November 9, 2015 at 4:55 AM, NotarPilot said:

Are any of you getting an annual done in a day like I do? I've done 4 annuals with the same IA and I always fly it in in the morning, stay to help out, and fly it out in the afternoon? Is this too short? I haven't had any issues with the plane and we still have time to change tires, brakes, things that need to be addressed as they come up.

It's my opinion that a thourough annual can not be performed in a day unless you have 4 well choreographed techs working independently of one another...and even then it seems far fetched.

[steingar]

Did annuals on my Cherokee that took a day, and even then it was tight.  Can't see doing it in a day on the Mooney.  Lots more to do.

[kortopates]

How fast the annual is done has never been my priority; the thoroughness and quality that goes into it at a fair cost has always been paramount to me. It my butt that on the line and its worth a very thorough good quality annual done per the Mooney 100 hr checklist. Luckily I do all the work myself but I am my own worst enemy at controlling cost - "Bad strobe tube flasher?; heck let's just put in those Orion LED's in now and be done with it!