Anybody doing their own annuals? (With an IA)

[mooniac15u]

Just now, Hank said:

Here you go. This is the entire post. I'd tell you which one it is above, but the Post Numbers disappeared in the last upgrade.

My IA is an aircraft maintenance professional, and I am a maintenance & repair professional since 1989, just not on airplanes. I also have two Engineering degrees, know which end of a wrench to hold, how to use an Allen wrench with one hand, and how to set a torque wrench.

I'm not sure what you read into that post that has you so defensive. I was addressing the claim that everyone should do an owner assisted annual. If you have the skills and interest that's great but some owners don't. I did not in any way suggest that skilled owners weren't appropriately maintaining their planes. 

[Hank]

3 hours ago, StevenL757 said:

Certainly agree with the first part, but if an IA were still maintaining oversight of the entire process, wouldn't a "professional" still be maintaining the aircraft?  I'm failing to see where any large or small level of involvement by a non-A&P owner under the watchful eye of an IA would be considered a situation where a professional wouldn't be maintaining the aircraft.  Did I misunderstand?

Mooniac, I'm not the only one who misread your statement about "owner assisted or professional maintenance." Here, I'll bold it for you.

[mooniac15u]

7 minutes ago, Hank said:

Mooniac, I'm not the only one who misread your statement about "owner assisted or professional maintenance." Here, I'll bold it for you.

He asked and I clarified in the next couple of posts. I'm sorry if there was a misunderstanding. No offense was intended. 

Everyone has to decide for themselves who is best qualified to work on their plane. I do think there are probably some owners who overestimate their abilities relative to a trained mechanic. I think that's one of the reasons we see pictures of odd automotive parts posted by new owners on MS. Just so there's no misunderstanding, that doesn't mean I think other owners aren't capable of quality work. 

There are also some owners who recognize their own limitations and prefer to pay someone more skilled than themselves to maintain their planes. And that's ok too. 

[Hank]

Keeping the plane airworthy at least and as close to mechanically pristine as I can manage is the goal. Helping out may reduce the cost a little, but it certainly increased my knowledge of the plane, how it's made, how things work--all of which may come in handy if something goes wrong, hopefully not in the air.

Some people aren't mechanically inclined,and there are certainly options for them, too. But we all need basic knowledge of the plane to become better pilots, and better custodians. Maybe crawl under penalty with your A&P for a quick lesson the next time it's all opened up will help for those who prefer leaving the work to others.

[Guest]

My shop door is open to owners wanting to assist in the process, I don't do road work unless it's to rescue something broken away from home.  I like sleeping in my own bed at night.

I'm curious what do these traveling maintainers charge for their services? Do they carry insurance to cover the hangar they work in and the completed job afterwards?

Clarence

[RobertGary1]

I used to use the most expensive shops around including several Mooney service Centers. Then I started noticing overlooked problems that were actually scary. So I do my own work because I can feel safer when my family and I are out over the sea of Cortez.  

 

-Robert

[bradp]

The best annuals I've had have either been with MSCs who know and care or with the local IA who also knows and cares.  The former was not an owner assist and the later was an owner assist.  There have been other MSCs whom I wouldn't let maintain my kid's bicycle.  Often large shops interested in bigger planes with "techs", A&Ps and an overseeing IA / manager.  In this circumstance it seems like people are learning how to wrench in general and it just happens to be my plane they're learning on.  I just happen to be paying the same shop rate regardless.  In another instance I was AOG at a non-MSC shop and got the BS double the number of hours charged to RR a component because "Moonies are hard to work on" where I knew I could do the same task to an airworthy quality standard in the same number of hours.   It's a mixed bag in aviation maintenance.  If not a Yelp for mx shops, we at least need a referral list on the site for people who we know and trust.  We don't need every dirty bit of laundry aired out, but we do need a roladex. 

[DaV8or]

On August 15, 2016 at 9:37 PM, RLCarter said:

Do you have the Service and Parts Manuals? PM me if you need them, I have them in PDF files and can email them to you. FAA has your "F" as 1966, serial number has it as a 1967. Gear tools will be needed to set the pre-load (it's an AD), have fun and learn about you plane, 

Thanks, I do have the manuals in PDF form, including the Mooney service manual, Mooney parts manual and the Lycoming manual. My plane is a 1966 and the serial number says 1966. According to Mooney, I am to use the 1967 manuals. I will likely be buying the gear tools.

[DaV8or]

On August 15, 2016 at 11:05 PM, triple8s said:

Just curious why you wouldn't use the Mooney list for performing an Annual Inspection?

Because the LASAR checklist is the Mooney list only with more items on it gained from their experience.

[DaV8or]

On August 16, 2016 at 6:29 AM, Sabremech said:

I have plenty of stock on gear preload tool sets. Price is $245 plus shipping for a set.

David

PM sent.

[jetdriven]

6 hours ago, DaV8or said:

Because the LASAR checklist is the Mooney list only with more items on it gained from their experience.

Where can we get a copy of this list?

[kortopates]

7 hours ago, DaV8or said:

Because the LASAR checklist is the Mooney list only with more items on it gained from their experience.

 

3 minutes ago, jetdriven said:

Where can we get a copy of this list?

 I'd like a copy too if possible? But thanks for pointing this out as I was unaware but I imagine I could get one from Dan at LASAR too.

[DaV8or]

2 hours ago, jetdriven said:

Where can we get a copy of this list?

I thought it was on their website, but I just looked and I couldn't find it. I may have to use xerox copies of my old ones from annual. I'll check it against the Mooney one and see how much difference there is.

[Ron McBride]

Dave   Is this the one you are looking for?  Please see attached.     I will be starting mine next week.

Ron

100_Hour_Annual2007.pdf

[RobertGary1]

22 hours ago, DaV8or said:

I have plenty of stock on gear preload tool sets. Price is $245 plus shipping for a set.

I borrow mine from a guy who literally found them by a dumpster at the airport!

 

-Robert

[salty]

On August 16, 2016 at 9:35 PM, RobertGary1 said:

I used to use the most expensive shops around including several Mooney service Centers. Then I started noticing overlooked problems that were actually scary. So I do my own work because I can feel safer when my family and I are out over the sea of Cortez.  

 

-Robert

Right you are. I'm doing my first owner assisted annual right now. I have no idea what I'm doing and I've already found problems that "Professionals" left behind. Nobody cares about the condition of my plane more than I do. 

[DaV8or]

On August 18, 2016 at 7:29 AM, N803RM said:

Dave   Is this the one you are looking for?  Please see attached.     I will be starting mine next week.

Ron

100_Hour_Annual2007.pdf

That is the one. I just went and pulled the checklist from last year's annual and indeed LASAR just uses the MAC 100 hour checklist. SO never mind anything I said about annual checklists. I was making crap up I guess.