First Annual

[Yetti]

is done as owner assist.   I will say I have a lot of respect for A&P as I went to bed every night tired and sore.   It took the better part of 4 days.   The largest time thing was getting the rock shield back on the landing gear after replacing one of the 1975 brake lines.   The most major thing we did was replace the front seal in the engine. My prop nut wiring tying skills improved since I got to do it over till it was correct.   The question I would think of as hours of turning screws was.  How much faster is a more rounded stainless access cover screw than the rusting originals and how much weight could be saved by going from the floating clip nuts to say just a springy U tinnerman clip

[MB65E]

Haha! Well done! I know the feeling under there. I would stay on top of the screws and nutplates. It doesn't take much to let the slide continue with in-correct screws and nutplates. It saves a lot of time for the owners to make sure the correct ones are installed. Running back to the parts bin for a nutplates you don't have is frustrating.  A little understanding of the fasteners and their retainers goes a long way. 

Good luck with the nose seal,

-Matt

[Hank]

Visit Spruce and buy a bag of 100 of each screw, nut and washer that you so laboriously took out and replaced. Every time after this, throw out the ones that look ugly and put in new ones. I also buy Teflon washers for the screws that sit down on the paint, as many of them were digging in [these are cheap, cheap parts!], to protect the paint from further damage.

[Yetti]

I had the stainless replacement bag of screws kit.  So many are now new shiny stainless.   I only had to do the dremel tool cut a slot trick for 3 of the screws....  Although I could see some other panels headed in that direction....  Maybe I should adopt the retrofit a panel a week approach.

[Shadrach]

You should keep a "speed out" or "easy out" kit in your aviation tool box for removing countersunk inspection panel screws.

[Yetti]

The kind of funny thing about an annual is that once everything is inspected to be airworthy the high school apprentice has to put the plane back together....  Seems like a flawed process.   I think I got at least some "trust" points from the IA for having hose fitting mandrels and being able to rebuild the brake line.

[Calishere]

The kind of funny thing about an annual is that once everything is inspected to be airworthy the high school apprentice has to put the plane back together....  Seems like a flawed process.   I think I got at least some "trust" points from the IA for having hose fitting mandrels and being able to rebuild the brake line.

why do you think its a flawed process ?

[MB65E]

I always thought that was funny too. It's "airworthy" on paper. However there are still parts all over the hangar  and at least a day of screws left to install. Thus- the owner/pic still is responsible..

 

-Matt

[jetdriven]

Cnoe and I had a race on his plane.  Who could finish a wing's worth of inspection Panels on his 201 first.  IIRC He won, 50 minutes but I was less than 5 minutes slower.  2 hours labor for the wings,the belly is an hour. 

[ArtVandelay]

Cnoe and I had a race on his plane.  Who could finish a wing's worth of inspection Panels on his 201 first.  IIRC He won, 50 minutes but I was less than 5 minutes slower.  2 hours labor for the wings,the belly is an hour. 

I'm guessing you don't use power screwdrivers?

[Hank]

I never use a power driver on the plane. Too easy to cross thread some of the many bolts, or jump out and bugger up the heads (which makes it hard to get out next time!).

[Guest]

Powered screw guns are a great way to destroy screws and damage airplanes.  If one hasn't or can't master a tool as basic as a screwdriver, do you really want them unleashed on your plane with a powered one?  

Any time I've seen an Air Force plane being worked on it was opened with a speed handle not an electric screw gun.

I regularly remind my new apprentices that today the cheapest plane you'll work on in $50,000, if you were in a car shop what brand would it be where the cheapest one is $50,000?

Clarence

Edited November 5, 2015 by M20Doc

[jetdriven]

My normal technique is to run all the screws in to about 1/8" remaining. I set the clutch on about 7 on a Dewalt so it slips before seating the screw.  Then torque with a screwdriver.  I've never seen an electric driver that will torque all the screws evenly without stripping, over tightening, or leaving them loose.  Even on the same panel.  The locking nut plates have too much variability. 

Bearing down on the screw to keep it from camming out bends the panels.

But the point I was trying to make is it doesn't take a whole lot of labor to close up a mooney. 

Edited November 5, 2015 by jetdriven

[Bob_Belville]

I have an 18 V drill but I use inexpensive light weight <5V drivers with adjustable clutches to r&r panel screws. Set the clutch only high enough to do the job. I just removed all the panels to start my annual. Had to drill out one old screw. Out of 200+? 

 

I bought a couple of bags of ss screws a few years ago to replace any that get worn. I would prefer regular steel over ss though. They hold up better. Does anyone know a resource for powder coated screws? (heads) #6, #8 x 1/2", 3/4"? My avionics shop painted a few extra screws to match my panel when the painted the panel. Nice.  

[Hank]

Bob, it sounds crazy but there's probably someone in town who powder coats. Ask around, hardware stores, surplus stores, paint ball players . . .

I run my inspection panel & belly screws out and in with a fancy double-ratcheting screwdriver from Lowes. It's a normal ratcheting driver unless you hold the tip, then it turns in the same direction even when ratcheting backwards for the next forward turn. Really, really like it!

[Yetti]

Speed handle and the fancy Lowes screwdriver for closing the patient up.   There is something good about keeping the skills up with hand tools.   I also used a cheap $9 harbor freight battery driver to cinch some of the them up, but you got to take another lap and do the final check with a #2 Snap on

Edited November 6, 2015 by Yetti

[Calishere]

Powered screw guns are a great way to destroy screws and damage airplanes.  If one hasn't or can't master a tool as basic as a screwdriver, do you really want them unleashed on your plane with a powered one?  

Any time I've seen an Air Force plane being worked on it was opened with a speed handle not an electric screw gun.

I regularly remind my new apprentices that today the cheapest plane you'll work on in $50,000, if you were in a car shop what brand would it be where the cheapest one is $50,000?

Clarence

I agree using drills to install screws (as an inexperienced Mechanic/owner) will cause you to more than likely destroy screws and/or nut plates...  I currently work on USAF assets, we're allowed to remove with drills but not install/torque with them, though there's ways around that ( threading until just before snug) .. but yes speed handles can be a life saver !

[Bob_Belville]

You guys are masochists. Ratcheting screwdriver? Really? I'd much rather use my grandfather's Yankee Screwdriver. But Having removed a couple hundred screws from the belly and 14 access panels under the wings, upside down, I'll stick with my little powered screwdriver, which is not a drill.

Today I got about 1/2 way done removing the windows. About as many nuts as I could without a helper to hold the other end of the screw. About enough fun to last me a while.Not looking forward to the (201) windshield.

[Yetti]

 

. I would prefer regular steel over ss though. They hold up better. Does anyone know a resource for powder coated screws? (heads) #6, #8 x 1/2", 3/4"? My avionics shop painted a few extra screws to match my panel when the painted the panel. Nice.  

I have done one non airplane wheel in powder coat.  Really not that hard.  Buy an old oven off ebay wire up the 220V plug.  Harbor Freight has a rig and the powder.   Cook at 350 degrees till done.