How much do you pay your A&P?

[corn_flake]

How much do you pay your A&P per hour?   I'm interesting in knowing the going rate for independent A&P that does not work or operate their own shop.   

[MIm20c]

Less than 25 per hour?!  There would have to be a metric ton of beer to go with that.  

[Yetti]

What if he is independant and owns his own shop?

[gsxrpilot]

$75/hour

[philiplane]

I see we are leaving out "value per hour"? It's not always simply the hourly rate, it's the total bill at the end, and the convenience of having someone come to you. Having no aircraft relocation expenses cuts quite a bit from expenses each year and frees up the owner's time. 

 

[Hradec]

Very interested in seeing where the average falls. I am an a&p at american airlines. I just bought a non flying mooney that I am resurrecting. Lots of people stopping by my hangar fishing around for some help with their planes. Have no idea what to charge.

Glenn

[Tim Jodice]

$90 hr

[corn_flake]

1 hour ago, Yetti said:

What if he is independant and owns his own shop?

I would assume the rate may be higher if you are dealing with someone with his own shop.  After all, there are cost involved in the up keep of a shop.   Also, if I'm dealing with a independent shop A&P, I would expect him to have all the tools and equipments.  If an A&P is working on an aircraft in owner's hangar, owner would be expected to provide all the tools including wing jack, engine lift, etc...

[laytonl]

$70.00 and he owns the shop.  Lee

[corn_flake]

1 hour ago, MIm20c said:

Less than 25 per hour?!  There would have to be a metric ton of beer to go with that.  

I throw that in there only for good measure.  After all, the median salary of aircraft mechanics is around $30 per hour. 

https://www.bls.gov/OOH/installation-maintenance-and-repair/aircraft-and-avionics-equipment-mechanics-and-technicians.htm 

In order for a A&P to make a living at $25 rate for side job, I would assume he/she already have a day job with full insurance and benefit. 

[MoonFlyer68]

My local A&P is my wife so I make her dinner or something.  Lol

[RLCarter]

1 hour ago, corn_flake said:

I would assume the rate may be higher if you are dealing with someone with his own shop.  After all, there are cost involved in the up keep of a shop.   Also, if I'm dealing with a independent shop A&P, I would expect him to have all the tools and equipments.  If an A&P is working on an aircraft in owner's hangar, owner would be expected to provide all the tools including wing jack, engine lift, etc...

Most of the A&P/IA’s I know actually charge more to go off site. Your paying for the knowledge/experience. 

[takair]

I do my own work, so I listed less than $25 just so I could see the results.  Is there a way to see results without throwing off the results?  

[Tim Jodice]

If you can edit your poll choices I think that would make help. So far almost everyone is over $75. I suspect that people in Southern California and other expensive areas are way above that. 

Sometimes it also depends on the service being done.

[Nick Pilotte]

12 hours ago, MilitaryAV8R said:

My local A&P is my wife so I make her dinner or something.  Lol

That is a very expensive A&P.  Some would say priceless.  But make sure you keep her on your good side! 

[philiplane]

It's kind of like buying a helmet for your head. Do you really think the $25 helmet is good enough?

Edited May 26, 2020 by philiplane

[gsxrpilot]

IMHO the most important thing is to have a close relationship built on mutual trust with an A&P/IA. An A&P who doesn't have that trust in the owner will be worried about everything they do, often resulting in super expensive annuals, and invoices way out of proportion to work requested. And I can't imagine getting into an airplane recently serviced by an A&P I didn't trust. And along with that trust comes a trust that the costs/rates/charges are all appropriate. I have only rejected invoices a couple of times, but each time was to ask them to ADD time and charges that were left off and I knew should have been on the bill. 

It helps if the A&P is also a Mooney specialist and so isn't learning on your Mooney. 

Without a close, working, trusted relationship with a Shop/A&P, I couldn't own an airplane. The right shop and the relationship is much more important than the cost.

And one other note, I don't think it's a good idea for your first interaction with a new shop to be an annual. They don't know you and you don't know them. That's a recipe for an expensive annual as you both try to understand the other's concerns and motivations. If I was going to start with a new shop, I'd start with the first oil change after the annual. And then slowly work into the relationship so that when it's time for the annual, we've been working together for a full year. Now you know them and they know you, and you'll know much better what to expect coming out of the annual.

[Matt Ward]

New to airplane ownership, so take it for what it's worth.  But I'm not 100% sure that the hourly rate is really the driver.  Of course competence and all that, but more importantly to me, philosophy and willingness to work me in and spend time with me.  Mike Busch talks about Maximalist vs. Minimalist.  To me, it's more about creative problem solving and being owner-friendly.  My guy is $80/hr (maybe $85) but I never feel ripped off.

[N201MKTurbo]

15 hours ago, Hradec said:

Very interested in seeing where the average falls. I am an a&p at american airlines. I just bought a non flying mooney that I am resurrecting. Lots of people stopping by my hangar fishing around for some help with their planes. Have no idea what to charge.

Glenn

I'm in the same boat. I got my A&P just to work on my plane. I recently got my IA for the same reason. All of a sudden the word got out and people are bugging me to do annuals. Am I just the good ol boy at the airport that will help out my airport buddies, or do I charge a reasonable rate for my work. I don't really need the money, but I don't want to spend all my spare time working on other peoples airplanes either. (not you RR). I just did an owner assisted annual. I kept accurate track of my time and I have 9 hours in it. So that's $675. Seems like a lot for a signoff, but I did way more than that. I had to find the service manual for the plane print out the inspection checklist, Actually inspect all the items on the list. Do a far amount of disassembly that the owner didn't do. Research the AD's and comply with the recurring inspections per the ADs. Update the records with the new due dates. It is a lot of work to do it right. besides, I found out the owner paid a big shop $3500 last year.

[KB4]

15 hours ago, Hradec said:

Very interested in seeing where the average falls. I am an a&p at american airlines. I just bought a non flying mooney that I am resurrecting. Lots of people stopping by my hangar fishing around for some help with their planes. Have no idea what to charge.

Glenn

Charge 30-60/hr. for a watch me work and sign me off. Charge 60-80 where you are doing some or all the work.  Teach as you go and you will be very busy quickly.  For example during an oil change my guy asked me how many twists per inch should the safety wire have? That kind of stuff.  I think the answer was 6-10 twists per inch with that gauge.   

[tmo]

15 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I found out the owner paid a big shop $3500 last year

That is probably the least relevant data point, though Not that it invalidates the other ones you made, which I agree were spot on.

[Hradec]

38 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I'm in the same boat. I got my A&P just to work on my plane. I recently got my IA for the same reason. All of a sudden the word got out and people are bugging me to do annuals. Am I just the good ol boy at the airport that will help out my airport buddies, or do I charge a reasonable rate for my work. I don't really need the money, but I don't want to spend all my spare time working on other peoples airplanes either. (not you RR). I just did an owner assisted annual. I kept accurate track of my time and I have 9 hours in it. So that's $675. Seems like a lot for a signoff, but I did way more than that. I had to find the service manual for the plane print out the inspection checklist, Actually inspect all the items on the list. Do a far amount of disassembly that the owner didn't do. Research the AD's and comply with the recurring inspections per the ADs. Update the records with the new due dates. It is a lot of work to do it right. besides, I found out the owner paid a big shop $3500 last year.

I do a lot of antique and collector car work on the side, I was shy about charging for work, then it became all consuming. I started charging, nobody went away, they we actually very happy to pay.  Over the yrs I have steadily raised my prices. Only lost the cheapskates and those that wasted my time or didnt value  my time.

[steingar]

Dunno, I just know it isn't anywhere near enough...

[corn_flake]

3 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

I don't think it's a good idea for your first interaction with a new shop to be an annual. They don't know you and you don't know them. That's a recipe for an expensive annual as you both try to understand the other's concerns and motivations.

Great Advice!!  I could not agree more.  

[EricJ]

I think a fair number of mechanics charge $75/hour.   Mine does.   This means I cannot answer the poll, as that is not an option anywhere.