Proud of your cheap-o Annual?
As aircraft owners we all want to save money so that we can have extra cash to put in the fuel tanks and actually use our airplanes for the way they were intended. But, at least in the airplane world, saving money comes at a cost. That’s because if you’re not spending money on something, that very something may come back and cost you a whole lot more than any perceived savings. Most of us have found this out the hard way.
What boggles the mind — at least my mind — is how far out of the way many owners go to spend as little as possible on the maintenance of their aircraft. In fact, they go so far out of the way that they will often brag about how inexpensive their annual inspections have been. All the while they drive pricy cars that are kept in top-notch shape.
Case in point. I’m a member of several of the online owners forums and recently ran across the following thread (by the way, I’ve found some of the most horrendous advice come from some of these online forums, but that’s another story).
In response to the cost and what seems to be an excessive amount of time to complete an annual, one reponse reads, “I’m starting my annual tomorrow. If luck holds, it will be the fourth year in a row that it is completed in the same day. Yes, a one day annual. I do an owner assisted annual and it is already “opened up” by me. I also close it up and do a lot of the work supervised. I do absolutely everything that I can. I also purchase all the supplies myself from Aircraft Spruce so I’m not paying parts markup.”
Good for him. Doing an owner assisted annual is a great way to learn about your airplane. But a “one day annual?” Can you possibly see/learn everything about your airplane in that amount of time? I wonder how many hours the maintenance manual suggests?
The thread continues from another commenter, “I usually run around $1,500 total. I know my airplane pretty well now. I don’t understand the multi thousand dollar annuals with nothing major found. These planes are not that complicated.”
And, finally, a third guy chimes in, “We average about $1200. Normally take one day with mechanic/IA supervision. I open it up, do/assist with as much as possible the close it up. Mechanic on field and we do it in my hanger.”
Again, kudos to these folks for being proactively involved in the upkeep of their winged friends. But there’s simply no way, year after year, that everthing is being adequately addressed for those prices…especially for a 6-seat, retractable, airplane.
The last annual on my Saratoga included replacement of one-half of my nose wheel hub. The parts cost alone was $3,000 for a serviceable, used unit. Could it have been found for less? Probably. But that would have involved time — perhaps a lot of it — trying to source the part. I fly my plane a lot and having it sit on the ground while I try to save a few bucks seems shortsighted.
So, what’s the solution? Can you still save money while staying current with your maintenance needs?
Absolutely.
Do like some of these owner/pilots did. Get involved in maintenance management, parts sourcing, seeking second opinions, etc. But, be prepared to spend the money needed to keep from deferring upkeep by setting aside an annual and an hourly amount for ongoing care. Airplanes are expensive. Maintenance isn’t cheap. Treating them otherwise is a sure recipe for that “scary” annual or pre-purchase inspection that is lurking around the corner.
How do you handle the maintenance on your airplane?